These Iced Oatmeal Cookies are a nostalgic treat with a modern twist, combining chewy, hearty oats with a sweet, glossy icing. Each bite delivers a perfect balance of soft texture and subtle crunch, making them irresistible. Ready in under 47 minutes, they’re ideal for satisfying a sweet craving or impressing guests with minimal effort.
Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg mingle with rich butter and brown sugar, creating a cozy, comforting flavor. The smooth icing adds a delightful contrast, elevating these cookies to something truly special. Whether enjoyed with coffee or as an afternoon pick-me-up, they’re a guilt-free indulgence that’s as wholesome as it is delicious.
Ingredients for Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 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 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups (190 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
For the Icing:
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ – 2 Tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, for shine)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir until well mixed.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Stir until fully incorporated, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
- Place the rolled oats in a food processor and pulse 7-10 times (do not over-process). Stir the oats into the cookie dough.
- Scoop the dough by heaping 2-teaspoon portions, roll into balls, and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Gently flatten each cookie with your fingers.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Add more milk if needed until the icing drizzles in a thin ribbon.
- Dip each cookie into the icing, holding it by the base. Place icing-side up on a cooling rack and let set for several hours until firm.
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
These iced oatmeal cookies are a delightful treat on their own, but they pair wonderfully with a glass of cold milk or a warm cup of coffee. For a cozy afternoon snack, serve them alongside a chai latte or hot cocoa. They also make a great addition to dessert platters at gatherings—just arrange them with other cookies or mini pastries for variety.
Keep Them Fresh: Storage Tips
Store your iced oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To prevent the icing from sticking, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers. If you’d like to freeze them, skip the icing and freeze the baked cookies in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature and add the icing just before serving.
Mix It Up: Recipe Variations
Want to add a twist? Try mixing in ½ cup of raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts for extra texture and flavor. For a spiced version, increase the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves. If you prefer a glaze over icing, thin the powdered sugar mixture with a bit more milk for a lighter finish.
Quick Tips for Success
To save time, melt the butter in the microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between. When pulsing the oats, aim for a coarse texture—over-processing will turn them into flour. If the dough feels too crumbly, gently press it together with your hands before rolling into balls. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheet halfway through the cooking time.
Common Questions Answered
Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats?
Yes, but the texture will be slightly finer.
What if I don’t have corn syrup?
You can omit it, but the icing may not set as smoothly.
Can I use whole eggs instead of just yolks?
Yes, but the cookies may be slightly less tender. These small adjustments won’t drastically change the recipe, so feel free to experiment!
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled 10 minutes
- 1 cup dark brown sugar tightly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
ICING
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ -2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
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.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and stir well. Set aside.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 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!).
- 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).
- 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.