Iced oatmeal cookies are an old-fashioned recipe with soft centers and crisp edges. Each cookie is infused with molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg then topped with a sweet glaze.
This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
I love a good oatmeal cookie. And today's recipe is even better than my popular old-fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal cream pie cookies.
There are quite a few oatmeal cookies on the site. But, I think the old-fashioned ones are my absolute favorite.
There's just something so comforting about biting into a cookie that takes you back to days of baking cookies with grandma.
Why this Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe works
- The cookie itself isn't overly sweet so it balances well with the sweet icing.
- The spices are warm and cozy just like an oatmeal cookie should be.
- Bob's Red Mill Products make all the difference in the texture of the cookies!
Iced Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients
Most oatmeal cookie recipes call for similar ingredients. I'm sticking with those staple ingredients but adjusting the ratios so the cookies have the perfect texture. Let's go over all the ingredients:
- Butter: Unsalted butter that is softened will be your best friend for this recipe. It adds flavor and helps the cookie become slightly chewy.
- Sugar: I used a combination of granulated white sugar and light brown sugar. Light brown sugar is great when making chewy cookies!
- Eggs: To get the texture just right, I chose to use a whole egg plus an egg yolk.
- Molasses: Only a little is added for flavor.
- Vanilla: Also added for flavor.
- Flour: Bob's Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour is the best and will ensure the cookies turn out fabulous.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda are used to help the cookies rise and spread slightly.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt are the only spices needed. There's just enough without being overpowering.
- Oats: Bob's Red Mill Organic Regular Rolled Oats give the best texture to the cookies.
How to make Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Every recipe I've seen for iced oatmeal cookies calls for pulsing the oats. We're skipping that! It's completely unnecessary and omitting that extra step will save some time.
The Batter – The batter comes together in just a few minutes. It doesn't require chilling so the cookies can be baked right away. And it takes about 25 minutes from start to finish.
The Icing - The icing is made with just 3 ingredients and it takes only a couple minutes to whip up. Wait until the cookies have cooled completely before making the icing, though.
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven
It is essential to use softened butter and room temperature eggs. Room temperature ingredients combine more easily.
Set the butter and eggs out on the counter 1 hour before you plan to make the cookies. Measure out all the other ingredients and have them ready to use.
Prepare your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer with beaters. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. And preheat the oven about 30 minutes before you begin making the dough.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar together
The butter must be room temperature in order for it to cream properly with the sugars. This is why it is so important to set it out 1 hour ahead of time.
If you are in a hurry, you can warm butter in the microwave. But you have to be extremely careful when doing so because melted butter will not cream properly. I have found that one or two 10-second zaps work best to get the butter soft without melting it.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-low speed for about 1 minute. If you beat them any longer than that you'll incorporate too much air. This will cause the cookies to not bake up properly.
Step 3: Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla
Make sure the eggs are at room temperature or they'll cause the batter to curdle. You can quickly warm eggs by placing the whole egg in a cup of hot water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Add the egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla to the butter mixture. And beat on medium-low for 30 seconds or until well combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a whisk to stir everything together well.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Once all the flour has been added, continue to beat on low until the batter is smooth, about 10 seconds.
Add the oats and beat on low speed for 20 seconds, until well incorporated.
Step 5: Bake the cookies
Roll the dough into 1 and ½ tablespoon-sized balls and place them 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use your fingertips to gently press each dough ball down into a disc that is ¾-inch thick.
Bake the cookies just until the edges are crisp and the centers are almost fully set. This could take anywhere from 13 to 16 minutes depending on your oven.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing them.
Step 6: Make the icing
Once the cookies are completely cool, combine all the ingredients for the icing. Gradually stir in the milk until the icing is slightly thick.
It's important to get the icing just right. If it's too thick, it will glob up on the cookies. If it's too thin, it will run off and not look as pretty.
Dip the tops of each cookie into the icing and let the excess drip off. Place the cookies on a wire rack until the icing has set. It takes about 2 hours for it to harden.
Tips for making the best Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Use quality ingredients! As mentioned above, this recipe was developed using Bob's Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour and Organic Regular Rolled Oats.
- Properly measure the flour. Don't scoop the flour directly out of the bag with the measuring cup. Since flour compacts, this method will add too much flour to the recipe.
- Use the right oats. Make sure you are using regular rolled oats and not the quick cook kind.
If you like this oatmeal cookie recipe, try these others:
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Iced oatmeal cookies are an old-fashioned recipe with soft centers and crisp edges. Each cookie is infused with molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg then topped with a sweet glaze.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses - SEE NOTE 1
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (130 g) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour - SEE NOTE 2
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups (203 g) Bob’s Red Mill Organic Regular Rolled Oats
For the icing
- 2 cup (240 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla; continue to beat until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together and add it to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until incorporated and smooth, about 10 seconds.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the oats and mix for about 20 seconds, until well incorporated.
- Roll the dough into 1 and ½-tablespoon sized balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press down the balls to a ¾-inch thickness.
- Bake for 13-16 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and the centers are almost fully set. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.
Make the icing
- Whish the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla together until the sugar is dissolved the icing is slightly thick. You may not need all the milk. Start with 3 tablespoons and add 1 to 2 tablespoons more as needed to get the right consistency.
- Press the tops of each cookie into the icing and let the excess drip off. Set the cookies back on the cooling rack until the icing has set.
Notes
- If you don't have molasses on hand you can use dark corn syrup or maple syrup in its place.
- Make sure to properly measure the flour. Lightly spoon it into the measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife. Or weigh it for more accurate measurements.
Make ahead tips
- Store baked cookies with or without icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Baked cookies with or without icing will keep for up to 3 months stored in the freezer.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 28 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the values shown are just an estimate.
Savannah R says
Hi! I followed the recipe exact for the frosting. I'm confused why my frosting didnt stay white, instead it dissolved on the cooled cookie. Any suggestions why? The cookies were cooled when I put the frosting on...
Jen Sobjack says
It sounds like the frosting was too thin. You may not need all the milk to get the right consistency.
Joni says
I was disappointed at how much they spread out on the first dozen, so I did not press them down to 3/4-inch thickness the second dozen and they were perfect! I like that the oats In this recipe are whole, rather than made into a flour. Will make them again.
Silvia says
When I tried making this recipe, the cookies spread a lot and actually ended up turning into a tray of goop, what did I do wrong?
Jen Sobjack says
Unfortunately, it's really hard for me to say what you did wrong when I didn't see you make the recipe. My advice is to double-check the measurements of your ingredients and make sure you're following the recipe exactly as it's written.
Shannon says
Can you freeze the iced cookies?
Jen Sobjack says
Yes. They'll keep for up to 3 months.
Amanda Deem says
I need a V/GF version of these cookies. Can I substitute your GF flour product, vegan butter and vegan milk ie. almond, cashew milk? Idk what to substitute for the egg white and yolk if separating them, I’m only familiar with flax or aqua favs.
Thanx,
Amanda
Jen Sobjack says
I'm not super experienced in vegan recipes but I imagine if those are the products you typically use in place of regular butter and milk, and the recipes work, then it should be fine for these cookies as well.
Susan says
Did you end up making them? I was thinking of just replacing both eggs with flax eggs. I use almond milk and vegan butter/"butter" flavor shortening all the time with great results
Nancy says
Iced oatmeal cookies are such a classic recipe. I can't wait to try yours!