These classic iced oatmeal cookies are old-fashioned style with soft centers, crisp chewy edges, and are topped with vanilla icing that sets after a couple hours. Pulsing the oats before adding to the cookie dough will give you a compact and uniform textured cookie.
These iced oatmeal cookies are old-fashioned style with buttery soft centers, crisp chewy edges, and plenty of cozy spice flavor. They’re topped with a light coating of vanilla icing that sets overtime, making cookies perfect for stacking and gift-giving. You know the packaged iced oatmeal cookies you can buy at the store? That’s what these are but, you know, fresh from your oven!
Video Tutorial
How to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe is adapted from my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies: soft & chewy oatmeal cookies from which you can make oatmeal raisin cookies, white chocolate chip cherry oatmeal cookies, and oatmeal scotchies. Since I love it so much, I used this recipe as my starting point today. I played around with the ingredients so that I could replicate the texture of store-bought iced oatmeal cookies with the taste of homemade.
Texture: We want a compact oatmeal cookie with soft centers and crisp edges. I switched up the oats to flour ratio in my original recipe. Less oats and more flour proved successful. I went even further and pulsed the oats a few times to gently break them down into a coarse powdery consistency. Ding ding ding! This was the winning answer.
Taste: Now that the texture is spot-on, what about the flavor? To instill that delicious old-fashioned oatmeal cookie flavor, make sure you reach for:
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- and a spoonful of molasses
Consider these 4 ingredients as flavor powerhouses. The brown sugar actually plays two roles: flavor and softness. Its soft and moist texture translates directly into the baked cookie.
The Trick Is Pulsing the Oats
This is an extra step, but—as mentioned above—taking an extra minute to pulse the oats will completely transform your iced oatmeal cookies. No matter if you’re using whole oats or quick oats, you must pulse them a few times in your food processor to obtain the correct consistency. This is the same trick we use for gingerbread oatmeal cookies and gingerbread latte cookies. I used my Ninja. Here’s the texture you want:
THIS COOKIE DOUGH SMELLS INCREDIBLE.
This is a soft cookie dough and will over-spread in the oven unless you chill it. Chill the cookie dough for about 45 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
Use a cookie scoop. Can I admit something? I never use a cookie scoop when making chocolate chip cookies, but I swear by this tool for oatmeal cookies. Oatmeal cookie dough is sticky, textured, and soft. A cookie scoop not only prevents a mess, it helps ensure all cookies are the same size and shape. I recommend the medium cookie scoop, which holds 1.5 Tablespoons of cookie dough. The cookies spread nicely, so I recommend baking only 8 or 9 cookies on each baking sheet.
How to Ice Oatmeal Cookies
There are two tricks to icing oatmeal cookies.
- Thick icing. The thicker the icing, the more likely it will set. This vanilla icing is super thick. Start with sifted confectioners’ sugar and a splash of vanilla extract, then only add enough milk until you have a perfectly thick and creamy texture. Literally only 2 Tablespoons. Very little liquid.
- Light dip. Want to replicate the crackled icing appearance? The trick is to *lightly* dip the tops of the cookies into the icing. Don’t submerge the cookies; just a quick dip!
With every cookie recipe I test, I always set 6 or 7 cookies aside to see how they’ll taste a few days later. Results are often mixed—sometimes cookies lose their softness or just taste old… you get the idea. These iced oatmeal cookies? Still tasted fresh 1 week later. 1 WEEK.
As the days past, the spice flavor intensified. The centers were softer, the icing settled into the tops. By no means will your batch of iced oatmeal cookies last an entire week, but use my test as proof that these are damn good cookies!
One batch of these iced oatmeal cookies will launch you into cookie stardom. They evoke emotion. They’re the kind of nostalgic cookie that grandma used to make, which is why they’re so popular on store shelves. I’m confident that this recipe will result in marriage proposals, 1st-place medals, and sold-out signs at bake sales!!
Exaggerating? I would never.
If you love recreating nostalgic treats, be sure to check out these copycat desserts to make at home for more ideas!
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 28 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These classic iced oatmeal cookies are old-fashioned style with soft centers, crisp chewy edges, cozy spice flavor, and are topped with vanilla icing that sets after a couple hours. Pulsing the oats before adding to the cookie dough will give you a compact and uniform textured cookie.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (170g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) sifted confectioners’ sugar*
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 – 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Make the cookies: Pulse the oats in a food processor 10-12 times until you have a variety of texture—chopped oats with some oat flour. See photo above for a visual.
- Whisk the pulsed oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be thick and sticky. Cover and chill the dough for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before scooping and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop cookie dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- Make the icing: Place sifted confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla extract and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Use a fork to whisk until combined. It will be impossible to fully combine because this isn’t enough liquid. Add only enough extra milk to make a very very thick icing. I only add about 1 more Tablespoon of milk. Lightly dip the tops of the cookies into the icing. Icing will set after a few hours, so you can stack and gift the cookies.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 5. Baked cookies with or without icing freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Oats: Pulsing the oats in step 1 is the trick to this recipe. If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender. Even if you’re using quick oats, pulsing the oats is necessary—you just won’t have to pulse them as much as whole oats.
- Molasses: 1 Tablespoon of molasses helps give these cookies incredible flavor. Be sure to use unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand). If you don’t have any, use pure maple syrup instead.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sift confectioners’ sugar before measuring.
Reader Comments and Reviews
could you use eggnog instead of milk in the icing, and put that on the eggnog oatmeal cookies from the eggnog oatmeal cream pie cookies?
Can’t see why not!
My cookies ended up not quite as flat in the center. Any suggestions? The flavor was amazing though! I’m new at baking and obsessed with your website! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Hannah! How did you measure the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
Made these gluten free using cup 4 cup flour. Best cookies I ever made. I couldn’t stop eating them!
I’m so excited to make these for Christmas! I’m going to use browned butter in lieu of milk in the icing though, inspired by the iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies on this site. Thanks Sally and team!!
I’ve used both maple syrup and molasses in this recipe, and I highly recommend molasses if you can swing it. It adds more depth and richness to these cookies than maple syrup.
Soooooooooo good! These were amazing both with and without icing. I am at high altitude but didn’t have to make any adjustments. Thank you sally for another keeper!
Hi! I am making these and also your gingerbread men. Can I use this same icing on the gingerbread instead of the royal icing to get the same effect? Just wondering if I can get away with making one type of frosting for both cookies. Thanks!!!
Hi Amber, you can certainly use this icing on the gingerbread men. It won’t have the same “crackled” effect that it does on the oatmeal cookies, and it’s not the best for piping, but you can absolutely use it to swipe on top of the cookies. Or, you may enjoy this easy cookie icing instead of the royal icing on the gingerbread men, if you are hoping to pipe designs.
I’ve made these wonderful cookies several times, they are always a favorite. Today I added chopped cranberries and pulsed pecans. Wow.
This is the third cookie recipe I’ve tried from Sally’s site, and the second flop. As with the soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, these cookies spread very thin. (Yes, my butter was properly softened each time and I took care to observe the other necessary details.) Additionally, a whole teaspoon each of salt and baking soda makes them taste, unsurprisingly and unpleasantly, very much like baking soda. But I think I’ve discovered the issue here: If these recipes are developed in Maryland (as per Sally’s bio) then it’s likely that there is a major difference between the elevation at which the recipe was developed and the elevation at which I live (likely a couple thousand feet, at least). Apparently cookies baked at higher elevations should have the sugar and leavening decreased and extra flour added. What a coincidence: that would correct all three flavor and texture issues I’ve experienced! I look forward to altering this recipe for successful oatmeal cookies. I’m rating it 3 stars because it simply didn’t work as written, and that’s all I have to go on.
These taste great…but…the cookie tasted a little salty. Any idea why? I used the recommended salt and unsalted butter.
Hi Lily! How strange, you can always adjust the salt to a lower amount to fit your tastes next time.
So excited to try this out. I have also printed out your Homemade Marshmallow Creme. Could these be combined into an extravagant oatmeal creme pie?
Hi Erin, you absolutely can do that! So tasty. Or here is our separate oatmeal creme pies recipe!
Oh I should’ve NEVER read this review.. Oatmeal creme pies are my arch nemesis. I hate how I love them lol. I’m making these cookies for my husband today. I can’t wait. I have never, never, never had a recipe fail from Sally’s Baking Addiction!! Keep up the good work team!!
These cookies are absolutely phenomenal! I made exactly as you have instructed, though and the outcome is truly amazing. I have to compliment you on both the cookie itself, but also the thickened frosting. I doubled the recipe and have separated and frozen half the dough into enough to bake a dozen or so, that I bake them as my sweet tooth arises. Can you recommend a “tweak” so that the resulting cookie will be more on the crunchy side? Perhaps something simple as adjusting the leavening agent?
Hi Yvonnie! We’ll often bake the cookies for an additional 2 minutes to get them nice and crisp. So glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe!
Made these for an anniversary party. 1/2 were iced and half weren’t. They went like hot cakes! My husband doesn’t like iced and he LOVED them so I made them again the following week without it and they are just too good to put down! The recipe is perfect. So so good.
I’m not good at following recipes; I always get ideas on how to tweek them a bit. So I added ground flax seed to this recipe – just 2 level tablespoons – and they are absolutely fabulous! Next time I make them, I’m adding some diced dried fruit – I think I have cran-raisins and tart cherries in the pantry. Looking forward to trying out LOTS of different additions to the basic dough – like butterscotch chips. Great with or without icing and good coffee dunkers. Thank you SO MUCH for this one. I love the nutmeg and molasses flavors.
Hi Sally, I just made these wonderful cookies today, and they are amazingly good! I’d like to thank you for sharing all of your timeless recipes, you’ve made me a much better and more knowledgeable baker. One thing I did try was I left out 1/2 cup of oats and put in 2 small packets of flavored, instant oatmeal (I used apple cinnamon), which I pulsed with the whole oats. My house smells like a bakery, and the cookies are so flavorful. Thank you again for your help in making me a much better baker.
I’ve made this recipe twice and the cookies are gone within days. Everyone who has tried them says these cookies are the best! I agree!
My 10 year old grandson gave this cookie a 10 out of 10. My husband loves them too. Amazing recipe. Thanks Sally.
I’ve tried to reply to a review a few different times now & when I hit the reply button, nothing happens….there’s nowhere to type a reply….only the Leave a Review! form is at the bottom of the page under the reviews (which is where I typed this). Am I supposed to be able to reply to a review?
Hi Jennifer! If you tap the reply button, a new form should pop up right under the comment you’re replying to. Does that happen for you? It will look very similar to the Leave a Review box.
Great recipe very easy to follow through my husband loves them I was curious about where u get ur recipes from where they hand me downs from grandma
Outstanding flavor!! The cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses are everything! Thanks for another amazing recipe Sally!
These cookies are AMAZING! So simple yet so good! Soft and chewy – just delicious. The only changes I made were to use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon Penzeys Cake Spice, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. And in the icing I added a generous amount of kosher salt – which put these cookies over the top!
Great cookie. Can I make bar cookie with this recipe? 9×13 pan? Thank you
Hi Christine, glad you loved them! We haven’t tested these as bars, but they should work. We would suggest a 9×9 pan and baking time may vary. Let us know if you give it a try!
My friend loves oatmeal cookies and since we live far away, these are great for mailing her when I want to let her know she’s loved!
Sally, could peanut butter be added to the recipe or would a different oatmeal cookie recipe be better?
Hi Amy, we’re so glad you and your friend enjoy these cookies! For a peanut butter + oatmeal cookie, we recommend these Big Fat Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Let us know if you give them a try!
Any high attitude changes for this recipe?
Hi Sheila, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I made these and they are great. Today I made them into bars. I needed 24 bars for a meeting . Plus bars are easier (and cleaner) to serve. Baked in 9×12 sheet pan. Baked for 17 mins. I cut them when cooled before I drizzled the icing. Served them in cupcake liners. I’ve also made bars out of the cake batter cookie recipe.
Would love to add raisins to this recipe, can I just add them or should I just use your original oatmeal raisin recipe and ice those cookies.
Hi Patti, you can follow this recipe and add 1 and 1/2 cups of raisins. Enjoy!
These were the best oatmeal cookies I have ever had!
Phenomenal tasting cookie-I would give the flavor 5+ stars! For some reason my cookies turned out flat? I even weighed the ingredients. Was it because my butter was too warm? I would be willing to try this recipe again-my daughter just tried a non-iced cookie and said it tasted great!
This recipe is great! For me, I used quick oats and didn’t process the dry ingredients. Also, I didn’t need to refrigerate dough. For the icing, I made a traditional royal icing: egg white, cream of tartar, powdered sugar and vanilla. Hardens well and quicker.
Just placed the dough into the fridge. I don’t have enough parchment to bake them on. Should I grease the cookie sheet before dropping the dough?
Hi Tina, we don’t recommend spraying cookie sheets as it can sometimes cause the cookies to overspread. They should be fine directly on your baking sheet, just be sure not to overbake them which can make it tough to remove the cookies once baked.
I found this recipe as my son and husband love ice oatmeal cookies and I thought I’d try to make them myself. After a Google search I found this page which looked and sounded the best and I made these. OMG these are the best cookies, my son absolutely loves them and my husband said these are now his favorites. Thank you so very much for sharing this and Google for having you for me to find.
Can I make the cookie dough balls ahead of time and freeze?
Hi MKA, Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Click here for our tips and tricks on freezing cookie dough.
Sally always has rock-solid recipes, and this is no exception. My office thinks I’m a god. I used fresh-ground nutmeg and feel that it made a big difference. Well spiced, soft, and irresistable.
These are the best cookies I’ve ever made. The recipe is easy and worth finding space in the fridge to chill the dough. Thank you for this.
I loved these cookies!! Any idea how many calories each one is?