I'm a pro baker who can't resist this Little Debbie treat: Here's my homemade version

When you bake for a living, as I did for several years, people assume you only enjoy eating desserts made from scratch. Now, I won't speak for other bakers, but as for me? Several store-bought treats have a special place in my heart, especially the ones I grew up eating as a kid. Nostalgia is a powerful ingredient, y'all! That said, and speaking of ingredients, I'm less inclined to consume the never-ending list of hard-to-pronounce components that make up many of these snacks nowadays. That's why I set out to make my own versions at home, the first being one of my all-time favorites: Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies.

As a native New Englander, marshmallow fluff was a staple of my adolescent diet (probably explains my enormous sweet tooth), and I've always preferred a soft oatmeal cookie to its popular chocolate chip cousin. Put the two together, and you basically have an OCP. However, the older I get, the less interested I am in foods colored with Red 40 Lake, for instance. (Is that really necessary here, Deb?) I'm not cutting them out entirely — there's a time and place for everything in moderation, in my opinion — but if I'm able to make a version free of filler ingredients that's just as satisfying, if not more, I'm going that route.

To that end, I've come up with a take on this cookie sandwich that I'm quite pleased with. The base recipe is a riff on my go-to oatmeal cookie from Joy Wilson of Joy the Baker. I used instant oats instead of old-fashioned to more closely resemble the Little Debbie's soft texture, and added molasses to emulate the original's toffee notes. As for the cream (sorry, creme) filling? A classic Swiss meringue made with just sugar, salt, vanilla and egg whites (I promise it's worth the cost of a carton these days).

The end result is, in my opinion, a more refined version of the classic — a Little Debra, if you will. The cookie isn't quite as thin or cakey, but I actually prefer the heartier texture, which nicely contrasts with the sweet filling. And on that note, you can add as much or as little meringue as you'd like. Want to make 'em yourself? Here's how:

(Note: This recipe yields about a dozen cookies, or six cookie sandwiches. You'll likely have leftover meringue filling, which would be killer on a fluffernutter sandwich...)

Step 1: Heat and mix the meringue ingredients

While this recipe isn't particularly difficult, making meringue is particularly ... particular; as in, you'll need some special equipment, including a stand mixer and thermometer, preferably of the instant-read variety. (If you're thinking, "Nope!" feel free to use store-bought Fluff or vanilla frosting and skip to the cookie recipe — it'll still be delicious!)

If you'd like to try your hand at homemade filling, you'll want to fill a small saucepan with about two inches of water and bring to a simmer on the stove. While you're waiting for the water to simmer, you'll want to thoroughly wipe off a heat-proof bowl (I use the metal one that came with my stand mixer), a whisk and your stand mixer's whisk attachment with a little bit of white vinegar. Yes, it sounds strange, but this ensures there's no trace of fat left on your equipment. Even small amounts of fat can prevent your egg whites from whipping up while you're making meringue, so I wipe down everything that comes in contact with them.

Once that's done, separate five large eggs and place the whites into the heat-proof bowl — make sure no yolks sneak in! Add 1.5 cups (300 grams) of granulated sugar and a pinch of kosher salt, then whisk everything together.

Once your water is simmering, place the bowl over the pot and, whisking constantly, heat the egg white and sugar mixture until it reaches 160°F (that's where the thermometer comes in).

Step 2: Whip the meringue

Pour the heated egg whites and sugar into your stand mixer's bowl (if they're not already in there), add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and start beating the mixture on medium-high speed using the whisk attachment. Keep beating until you achieve stiff peaks (to test, stop the mixer, remove the whisk attachment and see if the meringue on the whisk holds a peak without flopping over). You can raise the speed if needed, but be careful not to overwhip, or the meringue could become dry.

Once your meringue is at the right consistency, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for a few hours. I like to do this to firm up the meringue a bit before I spread it onto the cookies; otherwise, it's very runny!

Step 3: Make the oatmeal cookie dough

Alright, now for the straightforward part — no electric mixer required for the cookies. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Take the pan off the heat and allow the butter to cool down. Next, add the cooled, melted butter to a large mixing bowl with 4 tablespoons of softened butter, 1/2 cup (100 grams) of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (53 grams) of light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses. Mix with a sturdy spatula until all ingredients are incorporated.

Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 large, room-temperature egg, then mix until fully incorporated.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, then mix. Next, add 1.5 cups (135 grams) of instant oats and 1 cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour, then fold with the spatula until everything is evenly mixed.

Once the dough comes together, you can portion it out. It will need to be chilled before baking so that the cookies keep their shape, but portioning it out before it hardens in the fridge makes things so much easier.

Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough into evenly sized balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each). I place my cookie dough balls on plates, since I never have enough room in my fridge for a whole tray. Cover them with plastic wrap, then place the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) to chill.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a half-sheet (i.e., 18" × 13") tray with a nonstick baking mat. Place 6 balls of dough on the tray, spaced about 2 inches apart from one another. Bake the cookies for about 7 minutes, then rotate the tray. Bake for another 7 minutes, or until the cookies lose their raw appearance and have nice browning around the edges. All ovens are different, so using your senses is always the best method!

Place the tray on a cooling rack for five minutes.

When the tray is safe to handle and the cookies have set up a bit, use a thin spatula to move them to the cooling rack. The cooled-down tray can now be used to bake the second batch.

Once all of the cookies have cooled, pair each one up with another that's about the same size and shape. Flip one cookie from each pair over so that they're upside down on the cooling rack, then spread a dollop of meringue filling over them. (Try starting with less than you think you'll need so it doesn't spill out of the sides when you press the cookies together.) Place the remaining cookies over their creme-filled counterparts and dig in!

(Not serving all of the cookies right away? My recommendation is to store the unfilled cookies in airtight containers — they'll last a few days at room temperature — and keep the meringue filling in an airtight container in the fridge. Then, fill your cookies just before eating them so they don't get soggy.)

The kitchen gear I used to make this recipe: