How to make old-fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies! These cookies are densely packed with chewy pulverized oats and then dipped in a shiny vanilla frosting. Recipe includes a how-to video at the bottom of the post!
I’ve already shared quite a few oatmeal cookies: my soft, bakery-style oatmeal cookies, an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe, and my popular no-bake cookies! Today I’m sharing a fun, old-fashioned, frosted favorite!
Hello and Happy Monday! I’m back in cold and snowy Pennsylvania after spending the weekend in 75 degree Florida (and Disney!) with my family.
Returning to icy weather isn’t exactly my idea of the best way to start off the week, but at least we have Iced Oatmeal Cookies, right?
With firm exteriors and chewy centers, these cookies aren’t as soft as some of my other favorites, but they were specifically designed to have this firm but chewy texture. These are fun and beautiful cookies (can cookies be beautiful? these are to me), so let’s get started!
Tips for Making Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Start with melted butter, but let it cool!
Using melted butter is one of my favorite techniques when making cookie recipes. It imparts a chewy texture and excellent flavor. However, let the butter cool until it’s near room temperature before adding your sugars. It should still be liquid (not re-solidified) but if the butter is hot it will melt your sugars, leaving you with a greasy and unusable dough.
You will need a food processor for this recipe
To give these iced oatmeal cookies that dense, chewy texture, I found the best method was to briefly pulse the oats in a food processor. You don’t get the same results using instant oats, so I do recommend starting with old fashioned oats and pulsing them. This is the food processor I use and love (affiliate).
Your dough will be crumbly once you add your oats
This is OK and the dough is supposed to be this way! Because of this, though, you will want to use your hands to work the dough together and roll it into smooth balls (for neat, uniform-looking iced oatmeal cookies).
It’s also very important (with all cookies, but especially these) that you do not over-measure your flour or you’ll end up with dry, crumbly cookies. I’ve included notes in the recipe below on how to properly measure your flour: stir, spoon, and level, never scoop your flour!
Oatmeal Cookie Icing
The frosting that I used for these iced oatmeal cookies is essentially the same as my sugar cookie icing. I absolutely love this recipe because 1) it’s not royal icing, which I don’t care for, 2) it’s simple to make –essentially foolproof, and 3) it dries shiny and hard on your cookies.
It does use light corn syrup (this is what helps give these cookies their beautiful shiny finish), but I’ve learned that not everyone keeps corn syrup on hand or loves using it (which I thinks comes from a misunderstanding… corn syrup is not the same as high fructose corn syrup). I tested the icing without and found that it will work if you leave out the syrup. However, you won’t get the signature shine and the icing doesn’t seem to set up quite as firmly as it does with the corn syrup.
When made as directed, iced oatmeal cookies will take several hours at room temperature for the frosting to set completely and for the cookies to be stackable without messing up the icing.
Enjoy!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Oatmeal Muffins
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled 10 minutes
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar tightly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cup (250 g*) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups (190 g) old fashioned rolled oats
ICING
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ -2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoons light corn syrup**
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine melted, cooled butter and sugars and stir until well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and stir well. Set aside.2 large egg yolks, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.2 cup (250 g*) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined.
- Now you'll need to prepare your oats. Add old fashioned oats to the basin of a food processor and pulse briefly (7-10 times, don't over-do it or you'll end up with oat flour!)2 cups (190 g) old fashioned rolled oats
- Stir your oats into your cookie dough until well incorporated.
- Scoop dough by heaping 2 teaspoon-sized scoops and gently roll between your palms to form a smooth round ball (dough may be crumbly). Place cookie dough at least 2" apart on baking sheet and use your fingers to gently press down on each cookie to lightly flatten.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before covering with icing.
TO MAKE ICING
- Combine powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk until well-combined, if frosting is too thick, add more milk as needed. The frosting has reached the correct consistency when you lift up the spoon and it drizzles a thin ribbon of icing back into the bowl, that should hold its shape for just a second before dissolving back into the rest of the icing (see my video below for a visual).1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ -2 Tablespoons milk, 1 Tablespoons light corn syrup**, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- To dip cookies, grip cookie by the base and dip just the surface of each cookie into the frosting. Pull straight out and place dipped cookie icing-side-up on a cooling rack to set. It will take several hours at room temperature for the icing to set completely and for the cookies to be stackable.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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Rena Martin
The first time I did these cookies they were perfect but the last time the dough was so dry. Can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.
Sam
I’m so sorry this is happening, Rena! Are you weighing your flour? If not you may accidentally be adding too much. 🙁
Rena Martin
Thank you so much.
pam
Sam,
Thank you so much for such an awesome recipe. I made these cookies several times and everyone loved them.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they were a hit, Pam! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment 🥰
Janis
The other thing I wanted to thank you for was including the ingredients and the amounts within the text of your instructions. I cannot tell you how helpful that is and how much scrolling it eliminates. I love that you do this.
Sam
You’re welcome, Janis! I’m so glad to hear that it’s helpful. 🙂
Janis
I haven’t made these cookies yet, but I’m about to. I want to compliment on your fantastic video. You did an amazing job of presenting the recipe. Easily explained the process clearly and made it simple to follow the instructions. I look forward to seeing more videos from you.
Sam
Thank you so much, Janis! 🙂
Missy
I made these to take to the lake with us this past weekend and they were a delicious treat!!!
Everyone raved about how delicious they were and how I have to make them again next weekend. These are absolutely the best iced oatmeal cookies I have ever ate. I will definitely make them again!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Missy! I hope you love my other cookies just as much! 🙂
SUSAN WOLKE
This was my first year in my new kitchen which was a big change from my previous kitchen. I know have an electric oven/stove and no longer have my kitchen aid mixer. It seemed all my old time recipes which I used for years were just failing, LOL. Luckily I used this recipe for my oatmeal cookies and they came out perfect! Thank you so much. Was super easy and delicious.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Susan! 🙂
Rebecca Wiedman
soooo good!!!
Amethyst
The best. Perfect recipe. I will be making again and again.
Tammy
This will be my third year making the iced oatmeal cookies. They remind me of my childhood and eating the iced oatmeal cookies from the store. This homemade version tastes even better. I follow the recipe almost exactly as written with the exception of using salted butter instead of unsalted, decreasing the added salt a little. My favorite part about making these cookies is when it’s time to ice them. They always turn out so pretty and really stand out on my cookie trays.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy them so much, Tammy! 🙂
Amber
So easy and so delicious. Best cookie recipe I have found from a search in a long long time. Will be making them often. Didn’t use corn syrup and the icing is still very good. Thanks!
Sam
So happy to hear you enjoyed them so much, Amber, thank you so much for trying my recipe, I appreciate it! 🙂
Karissa
I made these today, and they were delicious!! and that’s saying something, because I am not usually a fan of oatmeal cookies. I think the glaze made it for me. I used a gluten free flour blend (no xanthan gum), and I chilled the dough. It was too soft without chilling. I did not have corn syrup, but the glaze still set quickly and beautifully! I even made some glaze with Maple syrup. 🙂 Great recipe! I will definitely make these again!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Karissa! 🙂
Cryatal
Hello, thanks so much for he recipe!! Please how long can you store these…or shall I say how long is the shelf life? Thanks so much.
Sam
Hi Crystal! They will be good for up to 5 days in an air tight container. 🙂
Tom E
The wife and have always enjoyed the store bought iced oatmeal cookies and we sure like these. I am amazed how well you have replicated them with no additional test tube additives.
Well done Sam
Sam
Thank you so much, Tom! I’m glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Shanda
What if you don’t have a food processor?
Sam
Hi Shanda! Unfortunately, I don’t really have a great alternative. The food processor helps to chop up the oats for the texture in these cookies. 🙁
Michelle
I made this today and it turned good! It is so yummy that my hubby told me to keep this recipe! Thank you for sharing your all great recipes!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yay! So glad it was a hit, Michelle 😍