Oatmeal Cream Pies

Cookie Ingredients (makes about 24 2 oz cookies)

all purpose flour	2 cups
quick cooking oats	2 cups
baking soda	1 teaspoon
baking powder	1 teaspoon
cinnamon	1 Tablespoon
salt	1 pinch
soft unsalted butter	8 oz
sugar	1 cup
brown sugar	1 cup
corn syrup or honey	1 Tablespoon
vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
eggs	2

Method of prep:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream together soft butter and both sugars until light a fluffy.  Make sure to scrape the bowl down in order to yield proper creaming.  Next mix in one egg at a time until fully incorporated.  Mix in the corn syrup and vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture 1/3 at a time, alternating with remaining quick cooking oats until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated. 

Scoop cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.  From the freezer, place the cookie sheets directly into the oven.  Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. 

For the Italian Meringue

Bottled Water (tap water may have too many minerals)	3 fl oz
Corn Syrup	2 oz
Egg Whites or 4 oz pasteurized egg whites (room temperature)	4
Sugar	1 ½ cups
Vanilla Extract	1 tsp

Method of Prep:

Pour egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer or stainless-steel bowl if using a hand mixer. Next, add water, sugar, and corn syrup to a stainless-steel saucepan. Bring the sugar syrup to 225 degrees. Once the syrup reaches 225 degrees, begin to whip eggs. Remove the sugar syrup from heat when it reached 245 degrees. Allow the bubbly syrup to cool down slightly. Once the bubbles settle slightly, pour the sugar syrup into the mixer while it is whipping. Be careful not to spill any syrup on your skin. If this happens, immediately submerge the affected area in ice water. Pour a steady stream of the sugar syrup into the mixer between the beater and the side of the bowl until there is no more syrup. If using a hand mixer, be sure the bowl is resting on a wet towel to prevent the bowl from moving. Once the sugar syrup is incorporated into the egg whites, continue to whip until the bowl is cool to the touch, about 5 minutes. Fill your meringue into a piping bag with a small star tip.

Pipe the filling onto one side of the oatmeal cookie and sandwich with a second cookie.  Chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  Cookies can be frozen as well!