Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

By Melissa Clark

Updated January 22, 2017

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(648)
Comments
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Forget all the bad, soggy oatmeal cookies you’ve ever had in your life. Picture instead a moist-centered, butterscotch-imbued, crisp-edged cookie flecked with nubby oats. Add to this the fragrant nuttiness of toasted coconut. Then subtract any chewy raisins that may have accidentally wandered into the picture, and substitute sweet, soft dates, guaranteed not to stick in your teeth. Now mentally sandwich two of these cookies with a mascarpone-cream cheese filling. And that’s what you’ll find here. An oatmeal cookie with a little something extra, a recipe made for keeping. You can bake the cookies a few days ahead, but they are best filled within a few hours of serving.

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Ingredients

Yield:18 sandwiches

FOR THE COOKIES

  • 80 grams shredded sweetened coconut flakes (¾ cup)

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 330 grams packed dark brown sugar (1 ¾ cups)

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 190 grams all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups)

  • 7 grams fine sea salt (1 teaspoon)

  • 3 grams baking powder (1 teaspoon)

  • 8 grams ground cinnamon (4 teaspoons)

  • 260 grams rolled oats (3 cups)

  • 100 grams dates, pitted and chopped (½ cup)

  • 65 grams granulated sugar (5 tablespoons)

FOR THE FILLING

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 6 tablespoons mascarpone

  • 25 grams confectioner's sugar (3 tablespoons)

  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

53 grams carbs; 62 milligrams cholesterol; 384 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 220 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 34 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut flakes on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool. Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in brown sugar and honey, then beat until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.

  3. Step 3

    In another large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and 1 teaspoon (2 grams) cinnamon. With the mixer set on low, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until combined. Beat in oats, dates and toasted coconut.

  4. Step 4

    Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and remaining 3 teaspoons (6 grams) cinnamon. Roll heaping tablespoonsful of dough into balls, then roll balls in cinnamon sugar; transfer to baking sheet, leaving about 1 ½ inches of space between dough balls. Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  5. Step 5

    Make the filling: Using the electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in mascarpone, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. Sandwich about 1 tablespoon of filling between two cookies; repeat with the remaining filling and cookies.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
648 user ratings
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Comments

Virginia

The filling was amazing, but the cookie itself was way too sweet, even after eliminating the dates. I would definitely skip the last step of rolling the dough in cinnamon sugar next time. I will also reduce the brown sugar next time around.

Secondly, the cookies were vastly improved by sitting overnight with the filling in them. It flattened them and softened up the bottoms.

kate

This is the most delectable cookie ever. Followed exactly. Not too sticky, not lacking in oomph. Simply wonderful!

CJ

Really sweet, but I'd make them again because the dates and coconut are great and the cookies have a caramelly, buttery goodness that gets even better the next day. Skipped the extra cinnamon-sugar dusting and used 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, and still they bordered on toothachingly sweet. For filling, I just used mascarpone and vanilla, and it was a creamy, mellow counterpart to the intense cookies. Had to flatten the dough to get a sandwichable cookie--the first tray were round little heaps.

Ann

I made two mistakes I would plan on doing again. I put all the cinnamon in the batter. I accidentally bought chocolate mascarpone (who knew there was such a thing) and it worked out nicely. I simply reduced the amount of patterned sugar and left out the vanilla.

Mary

I made this with gluten-free flour because my daughter is celiac, and that may have affected the results -- the cookies did not flatten as they baked. This did not work as a sandwich cookie for me.

Crazy cat lady

I skipped the coconut and subbed cranberries for the dates. These were a big hit. Do not wrap. Air tight the night before or they get soggy. Loosely covered is fine.

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