Iced Oatmeal Cookies

5 from 10 votes

Iced oatmeal cookies blend hearty oats, aromatic spices, and a sweet and simple icing for a delightful mix of textures—crispy, chewy, and wonderfully flavorful.

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These Iced Oatmeal Cookies are an upgraded version of the classic store-bought iced cookie, delivering chewy, oatmeal cinnamon-spiced cookie goodness and sweet vanilla icing in every bite! These Iced Oatmeal Cookies are easy to make, perfect for school lunches, and always a hit with kids and adults alike.

Iced oatmeal cookies on a plate with wire rack of more cookies nearby.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe At a Glance
  2. Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies
  3. For the Oatmeal Cookies
  4. Popular Substitutions & Additions
  5. How to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies
  6. Tips for making the best chewy iced oatmeal cookies
  7. How to store iced oatmeal cookies
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. More Cookie Recipes:
  10. Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Once you learn how to bake at home, the cookie aisle at the grocery store isn’t very tempting, but there are a few packaged cookies that are hard to resist. I think iced oatmeal cookies are one of them! Some brands are chewy, other brands are crispy, but they’re all finished with that thin layer of glossy vanilla icing that adds just enough sweetness, without overdoing it.

Well, I’m about to make those store-bought frosted oatmeal cookies a lot easier to pass by. These homemade iced oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, cozy, and even better than the ones they sell at the grocery store!

This is an everyday kind of cookie recipe, but the cozy spices make them fitting for the holidays, too. And they’re a breeze to make!

Recipe At a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Warm Cinnamon and Vanilla
Skill Level: Easy

Standouts

  • An Old-Fashioned Favorite: In a world of over-the-top cookies topped with mounds of frosting and candy bars, these iced oatmeal cookies are a classic! If you grew up eating the store-bought version of these cookies, you’ll get a hit of nostalgia as soon as you take a bite.
  • Soft and Chewy: No offense to the crispy versions of frosted oatmeal cookies, but I think soft and chewy cookies are the best! If you enjoy the texture of my Oatmeal Cookies or Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Cookies, you’ll love these too.
  • Easy to Make: There’s nothing complicated or fussy when it comes to making this iced oatmeal cookie recipe. The dough comes together in a snap, and the cookies are simply dipped into the icing.
  • Hearty and Satisfying: Oats add fiber to these cookies, which makes them feel more substantive than your standard cookie recipe. They’ve got a bit more staying power, and the oats give them a satisfying texture, too.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients for recipe: oats, butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, an egg, brown sugar, and flour.

For the Oatmeal Cookies

  • Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter is important; it gives you control over the flavor of the finished cookies.
  • Dark brown sugar: While light brown sugar will work, dark brown sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavor and a bit more moisture, contributing to these iced oatmeal cookies’ soft and chewy texture.
  • Granulated sugar: Also known as white sugar.
  • Egg: Let this come to room temperature; it’s not as critical as room temperature butter, but it does mix more easily into the dough and improve rise.
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds vanilla flavor and enhances the overall taste of these cookies. Basically, it brings out the best in every ingredient!
  • All-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour in my baking.
  • Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon is a key player here, so make sure yours is fresh! It should be fragrant when you open the jar.
  • Baking soda: For rise.
  • Salt: A bit of salt adds balance.
  • Old-fashioned rolled oats: Don’t use quick oats, which won’t give these iced oatmeal cookies their satisfying chewiness, or steel-cut oats, which are far too hard.

For the Icing

  • Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
  • Milk: Any kind you have on hand.
  • Vanilla extract: For that classic icing flavor!
  • Switch up the spices. Cinnamon is the classic choice, but another warm spice like cardamom or ginger, or a blend of spices like pumpkin pie or apple pie spice would work well in these chewy iced oatmeal cookies.
  • Add raisins. People either love them or hate them, but if you’re a fan, you can fold raisins into the dough.
  • Give them some crunch. Chopped pecans or walnuts can also be added to the dough. I recommend toasting them first for a little more depth of flavor.
  • Add some flair. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the icing before it sets for a little bit of sparkle. Colored sugar or sprinkles are perfect if you’re making these for the holidays!

How to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Although I used my stand mixer for this recipe, you can use a mixing bowl and hand mixer if you don’t have one!

  1. Cream together the butter with the sugars then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly mix them into the bowl with the butter mixture.
  3. Add the oats.
  4. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold them in.

Bake the Cookies

  1. Form the dough into balls, then chill in the refrigerator.
  2. Bake until the cookies are golden on the edges, with soft centers.
2 image collage of cookies before and after baking.

Dip the Cookies in Icing

  1. Dip the tops of the cookies into the bowl of frosting.
  2. Place the cookies on a wire rack while you wait for the icing to set.
2 image collage adding icing to cookie by dipping it in the glaze and showing cookies after on a wire rack.

Tips for making the best chewy iced oatmeal cookies

  1. Soften the butter. When the butter is softened, it holds more air, which works with the egg and baking soda to help the cookies rise. It’s also easier to beat into the rest of the dough ingredients!
  2. Don’t over-mix the dough. Over-mixing will result in tough, dense cookies. It’s okay if a few streaks of flour remain after you’ve added the dry ingredients because you can finish incorporating those bits when you’re folding in the oats.
  3. Don’t be scared by the soft centers. The cookies will continue to “bake” from the residual heat on the baking sheet after you pull them out of the oven. Removing cookies when they’re still a bit soft is how you get that perfect chewy texture!
  4. Drizzle instead of dip. If you’d rather have less icing on these oatmeal cookies, you can use a spoon to lightly drizzle the cookie with the icing.
Iced oatmeal cookies on a wire rack with a small dish of oats.

How to store iced oatmeal cookies

Once the icing has set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If it’s humid in your kitchen, you may want to place wax paper or parchment paper between the layers.

How long will iced oatmeal cookies last in the fridge?

You can store iced oatmeal cookies in the refrigerator for up to a week; they’ll last 2 to 3 days stored at room temperature.

Can i freeze frosted oatmeal cookies?

Yes, you can store chewy iced oatmeal cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my oatmeal cookies hard?

The most likely culprit here is over-baking. If you make the cookies until the centers are dry and set, they’ll get hard as they cool.

Why did my cookies spread?

If you skip the hour of chilling, your cookies may spread. Chilling the dough helps you get thick, chewy cookies!

How do I keep oatmeal cookies from falling apart?

Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a wide spatula that supports the entire cookie to transfer them to the wire cooling racks. Once they’re on the racks, don’t move them until they cool! Racks with a criss-cross design (as pictured above), rather than wires that only run in one direction, also keep soft, chewy cookies from falling apart.

Plate of iced oatmeal cookies with a bite taken out of one.

Whether you tuck them into a lunchbox or add them to your holiday cookie tins, these iced oatmeal cookies are the cozy kind of treat everyone loves. So much better than store-bought, with a soft, chewy texture, you’ll love how easy it is to make this recipe!

If you try this feel good Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Iced oatmeal cookies blend hearty oats, aromatic spices, and a sweet and simple icing for a delightful mix of textures—crispy, chewy, and wonderfully flavorful.
5 from 10 votes
Servings 18 cookies
Course Dessert
Calories 173
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies

For the Icing

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars. Mix at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Fold in the oats using a spatula or wooden spoon.
  • Using a medium spring-loaded cookie scoop, level, and roll about 1.5 tablespoons of the cookie dough and place it on one of the prepared baking sheets, spaced at least two inches apart. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should be slightly soft.
  • Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • While the cookies cool, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the milk and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
  • Holding the cooled cookies upside down, dip the cookie tops in the icing. Allow cookies to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the icing hardens and sets.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 71mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 174IU, Vitamin C: 0.004mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Dessert

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Comments

  1. Seriously amazing ! I loved them , my husband loved them , and all 3 picky toddlers loved them! Cannot wait to make these again !!