These soft, iced oatmeal cookies taste exactly like the ones grandma used to make. They have chewy oats, warm cinnamon, and that perfect sweet glaze that hardens just enough to crack when you bite into it. One batch fills your kitchen with the smell of home and your cookie jar with pure nostalgia.
I’ve been making these for my family for years, and they disappear faster than I can ice them! I originally found this recipe in an old church cookbook, and I just love the easy reliability of it.
No chilling required, no special techniques, just mix, scoop, and bake. Some cookies have fancy ingredients and complicated methods, but these old-fashioned oatmeal cookies prove that simple beats flashy every time.
Even the icing couldn’t be simpler. You dip each warm cookie into the glaze and let the excess drip off. These are perfect whether you’re making them for a bake sale, holiday cookie exchange, or because you need something comforting on a random weekday.
Let me show you the simple steps to make these cookies, along with all my best tips. Whether you’re craving a nostalgic treat or want to try the best oatmeal cookie you’ve ever tasted, this recipe is precisely what you need.
Looking for more old-fashioned cookie recipes? Try apple pie cookies, peanut butter and jelly cookies, or butterscotch cookies.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
These classic cookies use baking staples: sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
You will also need:
- Molasses: To add rich, deep flavor.
- Oats: Regular old-fashioned oats work best here. Quick oats make the texture too fine, and steel-cut oats are too tough.
How to Make Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter with both sugars until smooth and creamy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, molasses, whole egg, and egg yolk until well combined. The mixture should look smooth and uniform.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture and beat until combined. Gradually mix in the oats. The dough will be thick but shouldn’t be crumbly.
- Roll dough into 1½ tablespoon balls and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each cookie with your palm or a measuring spoon. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
- Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Dip just the tops of the cooled cookies in the icing, let excess drip off, and place back on the rack until the icing sets.
Serving Ideas
My family loves to eat these soft oatmeal cookies straight from the cooling rack once the icing has set! Of course, they are fabulous served with a big glass of milk.
Here are some other ideas:
- Pack them in lunch boxes for a sweet back-to-school treat.
- Create an afternoon coffee break by pairing them with your favorite coffee.
- Stack them on a pretty plate for holiday cookie exchanges.
- Package them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon for homemade gifts.
How to Store
Store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh for 3-4 days. Place wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Freezing Tips
If you want to make these ahead, you have two options: freezing the unbaked dough or freezing the baked cookies. If you are freezing the baked cookies, don’t ice them.
Unbaked Dough
- Roll the dough into balls. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
- You can bake them straight from frozen. Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Freeze Baked Cookies
- Cool the cookies completely.
- Layer between wax paper in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw completely before icing.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Proper mixing makes a huge difference in the final texture. So, scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl frequently.
- Add the oats gradually while mixing. Dumping them all in at once can overwhelm your mixer.
- While I recommend storing these in the fridge, they will have a better texture if you let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Start with less milk than the recipe calls for and add more gradually until you reach the right consistency.
- The recipe works best with old-fashioned oats because they give the cookies a chewy texture. But if all you have is quick oats, you can still use them.
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Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookies
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 ounces butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
For the icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, add the sugar, brown sugar, and butter and beat using a mixer until the butter is completely smooth and mixed with the sugars.¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 6 ounces butter
- Add the vanilla extract, molasses, egg, and egg yolk to the bowl, and beat until thoroughly mixed. In a small bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 egg yolk, 1 egg, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat with the mixer until combined. Slowly add in the oats as you are mixing with the beater.2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- Once it’s mixed, roll the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart from each other. Lightly press down with your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Once they are cool, make the icing.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and stir until there are no more clumps. Take the cooled cookies and dip just the tops of the cookies into the icing, letting some of the icing drip off back into the bowl. Place them back on the wire rack and let the icing harden.2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons milk
Notes
- Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl frequently.
- Add the oats gradually while mixing. Dumping them all in at once can overwhelm your mixer.
- While I recommend storing these in the fridge, they will have a better texture if you let them come to room temperature before serving.
- The recipe works best with old-fashioned oats because they give the cookies a chewy texture. But if all you have is quick oats, you can still use them.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
