These old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookies are soft in the middle and crisp on the edges, the perfect combination! With warm spices that are balanced by the vanilla icing on top, these oatmeal cookies will delight the whole family!
I used to love the big bag of iced oatmeal cookies my grandfather would bring home from the store from time to time. My cousins and I would dig in with a cold glass of milk and breathe in the summer air while we ate them on the porch.
Now, we tend to make our treats from scratch, whether it's homemade Oreos, or a pile of Oatmeal Raisin Cream Pies. Adding these iced oatmeal cookies has been a delightful walk down memory lane, and they are on the permanent rotation for snacks!
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
The process for making these oatmeal cookies might seem a bit more involved than other cookie recipes, but I can promise you, they are worth it! A plate of homemade iced oatmeal cookies doesn't last long around here (usually the icing isn't even set yet!) and I'm sure it will be the same way for your family.
Let's take a look at the ingredients for this recipe. I tend to get a lot of questions about possible substitutions, so I want to cover that right off the bat!
- Oats - We use old-fashioned rolled oats, but instant oats would work fine too. I wouldn't use steal-cut oats, but if you do, just be sure to pulse them longer than you would rolled oats.
- Flour - Any all-purpose flour will work here. We use einkorn flour in our home, but if you don't, just use what you have in a 1:1 measurement! For whole wheat, use 235g instead. And if you're using freshly ground, use 250g by weight (not by volume).
- Butter - Salted butter is my preference, but you can also use unsalted if that's what you have on hand. Non-dairy butter will also work well, as will lard or shortening. However, coconut oil is not a good substitute in this recipe.
- Eggs - Whole eggs are called for in this recipe, but if you can't have eggs, just substitute 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (total) for the eggs.
- Sugar - We use organic, unrefined cane sugar or panela for this recipe. It's perfect! However, you can use any powder/granulated sugar you prefer. Liquid sweeteners will not work for this recipe, but you can use any zero-calorie powdered sweetener, as long as it's 1:1 ratio listed on the packaging.
- Molasses - Dark or unsulphured molasses works best. If all you have, or can find, is blackstrap, you can use that. Just note that the taste will be stronger in that case.
- Warm Spices - Cinnamon and nutmeg give these cookies their classic taste. You can omit either, but the flavor will be different. Ground spices work best.
- Vanilla Extract - We enjoy our homemade vanilla extract, but use whatever you have on hand! If using store-bought, use the given measurement but taste the dough to see if more is needed.
- Baking Soda - This gives the cookies their rise, there are no substitutions for this ingredient.
- Salt - We use pink salt, but any salt you have on hand will work! This is a flavor conductor, so don't skip it!
- Powdered Sugar - This is used in the icing for the cookies, and can be regular powdered sugar, maple powdered sugar, or zero-calorie substitute as long as the texture is very fine.
- Milk - Nut milk, oat milk, raw milk... any type of milk will work!
Instructions
While you can simply add everything to a bowl and mix it, there are a few things you can do to make this the best batch of iced oatmeal cookies ever!
Here's how I bring these ingredients together:
- Prep - In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until you have a variety of textures. You want some chopped oats and some oat flour. I've discovered that this process will allow the oats to absorb more of the liquid and helps create that crunchy texture without a ton of whole oats in the mix!
- Beat - In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I prefer to use a mixer for this, but you can do it with a whisk as well, it just takes a little more arm strength!
- Add - To the butter/sugar mix, add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Beat again until light and fluffy.
- Mix - Add the dry ingredients to the mix and mix on low. The dough will be sticky!
- Chill - Cover and chill in the fridge for about 45 minutes before scooping. You can chill for several days if needed, but if you chill for longer than an hour, set the dough out for about 30 minutes before scooping.
- Prep - Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper (if needed).
- Scoop - Using a heaping tablespoon to measure, scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Leave about 3 inches between each ball as these cookies like to spread! Flatten the balls with clean hands before baking.
- Bake - Bake each sheet for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. I like to bake them on the longer side because I like them a little more crunchy!
- Cool - Set the cookies aside to cool before icing them!
Adding the Icing
Arguably the most important part of this recipe is the icing! Now, I like a thick layer of icing, but you can also go lighter for that classic crackly texture.
- Icing - Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl (a small bowl means you need less icing and can dip cookies for longer) until smooth. Be careful about the milk measurement, you want a very thick icing, so go slow and only add as much as is needed to create that THICK texture.
- Ice - Lightly dip the top side of each cookie into the icing. I like to give it a little shake while it's face down to get the icing amount right. Lift the cookie out and let the excess drip off for a moment before placing the cookie on a flat surface. It will take a few hours for the icing to harden (though you don't have to wait that long to eat them!). It may take longer if the icing layer is thicker.
NOTE: If you want that crackly texture on top, dip the cookies VERY lightly into the icing until you get the desired effect.
More Recipes To Try Next
If you loved these classic iced oatmeal cookies, here are a few more recipes you'll love next!
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
These old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookies are soft in the middle and crisp on the edges, the perfect combination! With warm spices that are balanced by the vanilla icing on top, these oatmeal cookies will delight the whole family!
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Servings: 45 cookies
Calories: 134kcal
Cost: $12
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 170g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g (we use einkorn)
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-6 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until you have a variety of textures. You want some chopped oats and some oat flour. I've discovered that this process will allow the oats to absorb more of the liquid and helps create that crunchy texture without a ton of whole oats in the mix!
- In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I prefer to use a mixer for this, but you can do it with a whisk as well, it just takes a little more arm strength!
- To the butter/sugar mix, add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Beat again until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mix and mix on low. The dough will be sticky!
- Cover and chill in the fridge for about 45 minutes before scooping. You can chill for several days if needed, but if you chill for longer than an hour, set the dough out for about 30 minutes before scooping.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a heaping tablespoon to measure, scoop the cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Leave about 3 inches between each ball as these cookies like to spread! Flatten the balls with clean hands before baking.
- Bake each sheet for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. I like to bake them on the longer side because I like them a little more crunchy!
- Set the cookies aside to cool before icing them!
Adding The Icing
- Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl (a small bowl means you need less icing and can dip cookies for longer) until smooth. Be careful about the milk measurement, you want a very thick icing, so go slow and only add as much as is needed to create that THICK texture.
- Lightly dip the top side of each cookie into the icing. I like to give it a little shake while it's face down to get the icing amount right. Lift the cookie out and let the excess drip off for a moment before placing the cookie on a flat surface. It will take a few hours for the icing to harden (though you don't have to wait that long to eat them!). It may take longer if the icing layer is thicker. NOTE: If you want that crackly texture on top, dip the cookies VERY lightly into the icing until you get the desired effect.
Notes
Let's take a look at the ingredients for this recipe. I tend to get a lot of questions about possible substitutions, so I want to cover that right off the bat!
- Oats - We use old-fashioned rolled oats, but instant oats would work fine too. I wouldn't use steal-cut oats, but if you do, just be sure to pulse them longer than you would rolled oats.
- Flour - Any all-purpose flour will work here. We use einkorn flour in our home, but if you don't, just use what you have in a 1:1 measurement! For whole wheat, use 235g instead. And if you're using freshly ground, use 250g by weight (not by volume).
- Butter - Salted butter is my preference, but you can also use unsalted if that's what you have on hand. Non-dairy butter will also work well, as will lard or shortening. However, coconut oil is not a good substitute in this recipe.
- Eggs - Whole eggs are called for in this recipe, but if you can't have eggs, just substitute 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (total) for the eggs.
- Sugar - We use organic, unrefined cane sugar or panela for this recipe. It's perfect! However, you can use any powder/granulated sugar you prefer. Liquid sweeteners will not work for this recipe, but you can use any zero-calorie powdered sweetener, as long as it's 1:1 ratio listed on the packaging.
- Molasses - Dark or unsulphured molasses works best. If all you have, or can find, is blackstrap, you can use that. Just note that the taste will be stronger in that case.
- Warm Spices - Cinnamon and nutmeg give these cookies their classic taste. You can omit either, but the flavor will be different. Ground spices work best.
- Vanilla Extract - We enjoy our homemade vanilla extract, but use whatever you have on hand! If using store-bought, use the given measurement but taste the dough to see if more is needed.
- Baking Soda - This gives the cookies their rise, there are no substitutions for this ingredient.
- Salt - We use pink salt, but any salt you have on hand will work! This is a flavor conductor, so don't skip it!
- Powdered Sugar - This is used in the icing for the cookies, and can be regular powdered sugar, maple powdered sugar, or zero-calorie substitute as long as the texture is very fine.
- Milk - Nut milk, oat milk, raw milk... any type of milk will work!
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 134
Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 18mg6%
Sodium 113mg5%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 139IU3%
Vitamin C 0.003mg0%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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I’m wondering what these would taste like using coconut sugar???
Not sure, but probably great!
The recipe calls for vanilla extract in the icing, as well as throughout the details of your blog instructions, yet it doesn’t say to mix it in with the powdered sugar and milk in the actual recipe. Are you using the extract in the icing or was that a typo in the directions?
Hey there! Yes, it should have said “powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk” in the icing line. But the amount is in the directions. I’ve updated it :-)