These pumpkin oatmeal cream pies feature pastis, the luscious French apéritif which obtains its flavor from star anise. This liqueur serves as a wonderfully subtle complement to the warm spices of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg already found in the pumpkin cookie. The inclusion of hearty oats makes this treat a mature throwback to the individually-wrapped oatmeal sandwich cookies of childhood. I’m tempted to wrap them in plastic and feature them in an Adult Bake Sale. Is that a thing? Let’s make it a thing…
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Pumpkin and Pastis Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 7 large sandwich cookies 1x
Description
A pumpkin oatmeal cookie sandwich filled with pastis buttercream
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup (240 ml) flour
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) quick oats
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) (115 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) pumpkin puree (approximately half of a can)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) pastis, for brushing
For the buttercream:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) (55 g) butter
- 2 cups (480 ml) confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Pastis
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Whisk together flour, oats, spices, baking powder, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and pumpkin, alternating, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets and press the dough down to flatten a bit (these cookies won’t spread very much). Bake for 25-30 minutes, just until the edges start to brown, rotating the pans halfway through. After removing cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the pan for about 2 minutes. Place the cookies upside on a cooling rack and brush the bottoms with pastis.
For the buttercream:
- Cream the butter using an electric mixer. Add the confectioners sugar, and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and pastis, and mix until well combined. Pipe the buttercream onto half of the cooled cookies and top with the remaining cookies.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 490
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Brookie Bars
- Pumpkin Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is pastis and where do I find it?
Pastis is a French apéritif that gets its flavor from star anise — the article describes it as ‘luscious’ and notes it serves as a ‘wonderfully subtle complement’ to the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in the pumpkin cookie. Look for it at wine and spirits shops; Pernod and Ricard are common brands.
Why does the recipe brush the hot cookies with pastis rather than mixing it all into the dough?
The pastis is used two ways: 2 tablespoons are brushed directly onto the bottoms of the just-baked, still-warm cookies, and 1/4 cup goes into the buttercream. Brushing the warm cookies allows the anise flavor to soak in gently without overpowering the spiced pumpkin cookie itself.
Why do these cookies need to be pressed down before baking?
The instructions note that the dough ‘won’t spread very much,’ so you need to press each scoop down slightly on the baking sheet. Without this step, the cookies would bake up as thick, uneven mounds rather than the flat discs needed to sandwich the buttercream filling.
