I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, Little Debbie NEVER came to our pantry. I’m not sure why, really. My mom wasn’t a health food nut or anything. Oreos, Ding-Dongs, and Chips Ahoy regularly found their way to our kitchen. But Little Debbie was not invited. Nope. Not at our house. When I got older and drove my own grocery cart, I eventually discovered Little Debbie and her collection of artificially flavored, chemical infused, individually wrapped snacks, and I loved them. Well, I loved the Oatmeal Cream Cakes, anyway. I don’t have much recollection of any of the others. I didn’t buy them for my own kids, of course, but I did harbor my own secret knowledge that these little cream-filled oatmeal cookies were sinfully good. And then I tried to forget about them.
Fast forward to one day last spring. I was in Paris, reading the day’s installment of Pioneer Woman, and what do you think she dangled in front of me, on my over-sized Mac screen? Yep- homemade Oatmeal Cream Cakes, said to taste just like Little Debbie’s. At that moment I knew I had to try them. I begged Mlle. Cordon-Bleu to make me some, but she never got around to it (humph). I never really stopped thinking about them, though, and when my sweet sister and my three niecelets came to spend a few nights with me here in Houston, it seemed like the perfect excuse to attempt to re-create the sweet snack I remembered.
The recipe is here, on Pioneer Woman’s site. You probably recall that she and I used to be BFF’s. * But her blog went viral after I began reading it, and then she started publishing cookbooks, and then Food Network discovered her, and now she is All That, and we aren’t as close. But I still regularly bookmark her recipes, because I’m not the jealous type, and because sometimes I need to throw all sanity to the wind and make something guaranteed to shorten my life by at least a few minutes.
Like these.
My sister and I baked the cookies and made the frosting and then let the girls construct a few. We went with the cooked icing over the marshmallow cream version. It just seemed right. And it was.
A little precautionary parchment paper!
Look what I made, Aunt Kate!
Just her size!
My sistah liked them, too!
Nothing like being back home with family. And Little Debbie.
Let me know if you attempt these high-brow concoctions at your house. But if you do, keep in mind my sister’s warning that eating two will give you a stomach ache. I wonder how she knew that? I didn’t tell her. Eating two didn’t bother my stomach a whit.
*Well, in MY mind we were BFF’s. I worshipped her from afar and then was able to meet her (twice) when she came to Blue Willow Bookshop (where I worked) on her book tours. I think that pretty much makes us BFF’s, don’t you?
Mais Oui Paris 
I’ve got to make these too! My mom never allowed Debbie in the house either and now that I know what’s in them, I’ve banned her too!
That’s neat you were friends with Ree. I’ve been trying like crazy to get her to respond to my messages. Oh well..
Hope life back in Texas is treating you good 🙂
Ha! My being friends with Ree has been quite the running joke in my real life, and I guess I just assumed everyone in my blog life knew that! I have clarified the post after your comment made me realize people would take me seriously. I do have two cute photos of me with her, though! Make the cookies anyway- they are awesome!
I see, I see. That’s neat you met her though. And yes–I’m giving my Chef the recipe.
Yay – we made the blog! I have to admit that the ones I brought home with us were put in to the freezer (after the girls each had another) and I have jealously guarded them (of course that means eaten them after bedtime). I LOVE Little Debbie! And you… xoxo
Love you, too, Little Sistah!
I will have to make these!! When growing up Keith’s mom did allow them in here house. He would tear the cellophane off the little window on the front of the package, pull as many out as he could without being detected. and then secretly eat as many as he could. Didn’t want to open the box because that would draw too much attention. And now he would never
want them in our house!! Little Debbie’s!!!!
Yeah, somehow I don’t see Keith shoveling LD’s into his mouth anymore.
Those oatmeal cakes sound really yummy, and I’m dead certain they are just the kind of sugary stuff my little boy, Leo, would love. Will have to make them when things get more settled (am shortly going to be moving to the LA area — strange but true). Thought the photo was of you, btw, until I read the caption stating it was your sis. Hugs from Brownsville (but not for much longer —– yeaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!).
Congratulations!!! Will you be hanging out with the stars, like your friend Tracie? Good luck with it – moves are hard, even when you’re thrilled to be moving!
Em…..could be, but I doubt it (well … unless Colin Firth is in town and available). I do have a cousin who is a casting agent in LA. Haven’t seen her for years, but we are planning to get together so who knows?? And you are right about moves! It has been the most stressful summer of my existence (Fabio had three offers in three months — all in different places!). I didn’t know if I was coming or going, but now it’s set and in fact, I’m going. Will definitely keep more up to date with the blog once we’re settled in a place and I can send the seven year old back to school (oh yeah do I miss school!!!!!!). When are you headed back to la belle Paris??