Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Name: Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature (2 sticks)); 1 cup light brown sugar (packed); ½ cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk; 2 cups confectioners' sugar

ByLeigh Harris Published: March 11, 2015March 9, 2023 Updated onMarch 9, 2023

Iced oatmeal cookies bring back memories of childhood. Not only are these cookies delicious they look impressive too! No more store-bought cookies!

These cookies look like you spent all day in the kitchen. So don’t tell anyone any different, it’s your secret.

Iced oatmeal cookies drying on a wire rack.

Recipe Ingredients

Old-fashioned Oats – Use old-fashioned oats not quick oats for this iced oatmeal cookie recipe. We will be pulsing them in the food processor to break them down a bit.
Light brown sugar and granulated sugar – The brown sugar adds taste and a soft texture.
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg – This gives the cookie a great taste!

Tips

Icing – This is a very thick icing, which is what you want for these cookies. It helps give that signature crackle look.
Use unsalted butter that is at room temperature. Salted butter differs in salt content.
Measure your all-purpose flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pulse the oats in the food processor, which gives the cookie a smoother texture. Don’t pulse too long and finely grind the oats. You don’t want an oat flour.

Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the softened room temperature butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears into the batter.

Lightly beat in the vanilla. Add about half of the dry ingredients mixture to the butter and egg mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended.

Oatmeal cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Using a 2 tablespoon size cookie scoop (not heaping – leveled straight across the top of the scoop), roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms just start to brown. Do not overbake.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before removing them to a rack to cool completely.

To prepare the icing, combine the powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) with the cream.

Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the icing is somewhat thick.

Place the icing in a shallow dish or container.

Quickly dip the tops of cookies in the icing, let excess drip off and place back on the cooling rack to dry and set.

Set the dipped cookies on the cooling rack until the icing has hardened and set.

You’re going to love this recipe, I promise!

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FAQ

Can you use oat flour?

No, oat flour is too powdery and doesn’t have a texture to it. It won’t give the cookies the correct texture. We want a little chunkier texture.

Storage

Store the cookies in an air-tight container with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers.

Can you freeze these cookies?

Yes, you can freeze the dough. Shape the dough balls, freeze in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Once frozen store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months.