Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

These old-fashioned cookies soft and chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Iced Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect after school snack with a glass of milk or whenever you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Add these homemade cookies to your holiday baking list! They will be a welcome addition to your cookie jar. Everyone always says they are the best iced oatmeal cookies and I’d have to agree.

I love a good old-fashioned recipe because it reminds me of visiting my grandmother’s house. Her kitchen was always filled with scrumptious treats including a variety of cookie recipes. Those memories are everything to me.

If you are looking for a good oatmeal cookie recipe, you need to give this one a try. It makes a lovely Christmas cookie for cookie exchanges in the holiday season or whenever your sweet tooth is calling. They also look pretty with the tops of the cookies drizzled with vanilla icing.

Why You’ll Love This Iced Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

• Mouthwatering chewy cookies with the perfect texture and crisp edges
• Great cookie to make for the holidays
• Simple pantry ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store
• A classic cookie recipe that has stood the test of time
• Makes a good amount of cookies (26 to 28 cookies)
• Minimal prep time; Chilling the cookie dough is the longest part of the recipe
• Vanilla icing drizzle take these cookies over the top

Ingredients

• Old-fashioned rolled oats
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Cinnamon
• Unsalted butter
• Light brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

Vanilla Icing

• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk – I use 2% milk.

How to Make Classic Iced Oatmeal Cookies

• Step One: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

• Step Two: In a large bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until thoroughly mixed (about 1 to 2 minutes).
• Step Three: Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on high until combined, about another minute. 

• Step Four: Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, being careful to not overmix. 
• Step Five: Chill dough for 45 minutes.

• Step Six: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 
• Step Seven: Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie, and place about 2 to 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. 
• Step Eight: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned on the edges.
• Step Nine: Remove from the oven and let sit on baking sheet for at least 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

• Step Ten: While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Place the sifted confectioner’s sugar in a shallow bowl. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, adding more until desired consistency is reached. The icing will be fairly thick.

• Step Eleven: When the cookies are completely cooled, dip the tops of the cookies by turning them upside down and dip in the icing. Pull the cookie straight up, letting the excess icing drip back into the bowl. Turn the cookie right-side-up and transfer back to the cooling rack. Let icing set for 15 to 30 minutes.

Equipment Needed

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• Cookie sheet
• Hand mixer
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium cookie scoop
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack

What to Serve with Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

• Glass of milk (perfect for dunking)
• Coffee, tea or other hot beverages. Try my Mocha Latte or Gingerbread Latte.
• Hot chocolate like this Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.
• Homemade Eggnog or Christmas Punch.

Variations and Substitutions

• Replace the unsalted butter with salted butter, but make sure to reduce the kosher salt amount to ½ teaspoon.
• Add raisins, nuts, chocolate chips or butterscotch chips to change the flavor.
• Use dark brown sugar if you don’t have light brown sugar.
• Try a different extract in the icing recipe. Some ideas are almond extract, lemon extract, coconut extract or maple extract.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use room temperature ingredients if you can. It will make everything easier to blend together.
• Don’t skip out on chilling the dough. It helps to let the flavors combine and allows the rolled oats to absorb moisture and soften.
• These cookies turn out better if they are on the smaller side. For example, use a 1 ½ tablespoon (0.75oz) scoop if you have one or measure it out when placing on the cookie sheet. Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop is fine, but the cookies will be thinner because they spread more when baking.
• Make sure to let the cookies cool completely before dipping them in the icing mixture. If you add the icing before they’ve cooled completely, the tops of the cookies won’t be hard enough for the icing to stick.
• Add the milk slowly to the icing mixture. If you add too much milk at once, the icing will be too thin and you’ll have to add more powdered sugar.
• Use a shallow bowl for the icing so that the dipping process is easier.
• Don’t let the cookie sink too much into the icing or it may break. You’ll want to get the icing on the very tops of all those bumps created by the oats. 

Storage Instructions

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can I Freeze?

Yes, you can definitely freeze both the cookie dough and the baked cookies!

If freezing the unbaked cookie dough, roll the dough into balls and place in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Bake as directed, but add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time. You don’t even need to thaw the cookie dough first.

If freezing baked cookies (plain or iced), place in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. 

Are old-fashioned oats and rolled oats the same thing?

Yes, they are the same thing! These oats have been cut and rolled into flakes and are larger than quick oats.

Can I Use Quick Oats?

I wouldn’t use quick oats in this recipe unless you like dry and crumbly cookies. Old-fashioned oats are the best oats to use for a chewy, moist cookie.

Can I Use Steel Cut Oats?

No. Steel cut oats would be tough and dense in this cookie recipe. They require more liquid and a longer cooking time. 

Why Are My Oatmeal Cookies Hard?

Your oatmeal cookies may be too hard because they were over-mixed. Over-mixing cause the gluten to over develop and make a tough cookie. 

When you’re using a mixer, the dough should be mixed just until steaks of the dry ingredients can’t be seen. You can even mix the dry ingredients in by hand if you prefer.

Can I Spoon the Icing on the Cookies Instead of Dipping?

Yes, you can definitely use a spoon to drizzle the icing on the cookies if you wish!

You won’t have the classic look of an iced oatmeal cookie, but the taste will be the same. 

Dipping the cookie helps to accentuate that bumpy looking top with the icing clinging to the bumps. 

Oatmeal Cookie Recipes

• Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookies
• White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
• Pineapple Oatmeal Scotchies
• Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oatmeal Cake

Try Christmas Spritz Cookies, Bear Paw Cookies, Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies, Sugar Pie and Homemade Fig Newtons.

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