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Add another layer of deliciousness to an old-fashioned favorite with this Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe. Dipped in a sweet, vanilla glaze, these chewy cookies blend hearty oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and molasses in each amazing bite.
Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies harken back to a simpler time when cookies were baked with love and a dash of tradition. A stark contrast to the here and now where I bake with impatience and hunger pangs. In my kitchen, nostalgia is out the window. Not literally–at the moment, I can’t open the window because there’s a twitchy-tailed squirrel on the sill and my husband will go completely nuts if it gets inside. So in lieu of a furry sous chef and a certifiably crazy spouse, all cookie nostalgia is hereby tossed out a figurative window.
No offense to oatmeal cookies. I used to think they were the keepers of cookie tradition, but now my brain can’t correlate the past with the present because there’s a nut-hoarding rodent staring at me through a pane of glass. In bygone days, baking hearty oats with cinnamon and nutmeg evoked a sense of warmth and home. Today, home comes with two beady eyes watching me and my cookie scoop like a stalker. That’s not nostalgia, that’s an invasion of privacy.
What’s wild is that my great-grandmother actually had a recipe for baked squirrel. If a furry Peeping Tom looked at her the wrong way, she didn’t put up with it, she put it in the oven. Those were the good old days. Fast forward two generations and my squirrel has established dominance. I threatened him with a roasting pan, he called my bluff and now the only thing getting baked is cookies. My great-grandmother is probably rolling over in her grave, our family has gone from girl power to squirrel power and it’s all my fault.
Hopefully I can make amends by making her oatmeal cookie recipe. Subtly sweet and rustically charming, these chewy cookies are the perfect companions for a coating of vanilla glaze. Of course, anything tastes great with vanilla icing on top (this, I think to myself, mid staring match with a squirrel). Before I get any other crazy ideas, I’m closing the blinds to peering eyes, cozying up with a book on rodent extermination and savoring every bite of my Italian grandma’s oatmeal cookies. Bon appétit!
Before sharing this Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe, here are a few baking tips to help you out:
Ingredient Tips
This recipe calls for old fashioned oats. Avoid using quick cook oats.
Grandma’s Molasses is recommended for this recipe but any brand of unsulphured molasses will work great. Do not use blackstrap molasses, the flavor is too overpowering.
Eggs need to be at room temperature before beginning. If you’ve forgotten to take yours out of the refrigerator ahead of time then speed up the process by placing it in a bowl of warm water. Don’t use hot water; we want to warm the eggs, not hatch them.
Preparation Tips
Always use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Scooping flour is a no-no. That technique overpacks flour into the measuring cup which will result in dry, dense cookies.
If you prefer a crispier cookie, bake for an additional 2 minutes.
A simple hack for perfectly round cookies is to place the rim of a large drinking glass over cookies when they are hot out of the oven then swirl the glass in a circular motion until each cookie takes shape.
How to Store Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
Can you freeze oatmeal cookies? Yes, these cookies freeze well with or without icing. After cooling completely simply place them in a freezer bag and store up to 3 months. If freezing iced cookies, place parchment paper in between cookie layers.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Iced Oatmeal Cookies. Please leave a rating and review when you try it yourself. And, while you’re at it, sign up for my weekly Recipe Newsletter so you never miss a tempting treat.
Finally, if you like baking with oats then you’ll love these Blackberry Muffins with Oats and Honey Made from scratch with no refined sugar, these wholesome breakfast treats are the perfect use for summer berries.
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookies
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt fine
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract pure
- 3 tsp molasses *do not use blackstrap
Vanilla Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract pure
Instructions
Oatmeal Cookies
- Place oats in a food processor and pulse 10 times or until oats break down and resemble the consistency of dry instant oatmeal.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy – approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla and molasses then beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Reduce mixer speed to low then add dry ingredients to wet. Mix until just combined.
- Using a large 2 tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls and place onto parchment lined baking sheets spaced 2 inches apart.
- Cover dough balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove wrap from cookies then bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Avoid overbaking or cookies will be dry.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before topping with icing.
Vanilla Icing
- Place icing ingredients in a small bowl then whisk until smooth and lump free.
- Partially dip cookie tops into icing, shake off excess then place on a wire rack until icing has set.
- Cover and store cookies at room temperature up to 5 days