Whether you grew up eating homemade or store-bought cookies, these Iced Oatmeal Cookies are guaranteed to be a nostalgic bite.
Even though I love to bake, I grew up with a mom and a grandma who bought cookies instead of home-baking them. They were both working moms and neither one particularly liked to bake, so no harm, no foul. Oreos, Keebler Soft Batch chocolate chip cookies, and Archway iced oatmeal cookies are what I remember when I think about childhood treats. My grandma always had the Archway iced oatmeal cookies on hand, and I loved their soft, chewy texture and light icing.
Since I do love to bake, how hard could it be to recreate a similar cookie in my own kitchen? As it turns out, it’s pretty straightforward, and the results are pretty amazing! Old-fashioned rolled oats are the backbone of the cookie, and the warm and cozy flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses add that nostalgic touch. As an adult, homemade iced oatmeal cookies are by far my preference over store-bought.
You will love making iced oatmeal cookies in your own kitchen because they are delicious yet simple to make—they are perfect cookies to get kids into the kitchen to help with. The soft, chewy texture paired with the warm flavor profile of the cookie is so tasty, and the thin, sweet icing on top is just right. It adds a layer of sweetness without being heavy or cloying.
Notes on molasses
If you haven’t baked with molasses very much, you might not be too familiar with this wonderfully thick and potent syrup. Molasses is a byproduct of the sugar-making process. Its dark color and strong flavor imbue cookies, cakes, and other baked goods with a chewy texture, brown color, and earthy sweetness. When buying molasses for this recipe, do not buy blackstrap molasses, as the flavor will be too strong. Stick to just unsulfured (sometimes called “original”) molasses.
How do I store leftovers?
Leftover cookies will keep in your cookie jar or other airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days at room temperature. They also freeze well. You can freeze them iced or uniced. Lay them out flat on a baking sheet and flash freeze for an hour. This will help them not stick together during the longer freeze. After an hour’s time, put them into a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
For me, all I need with iced oatmeal cookies is a tall glass of milk; this takes me back to many after-school snacks. If you prefer a hot beverage, a cup of hot tea or coffee goes really well with these cookies as well—especially if you like to dunk your cookies. For a dessert spread or cookie tray, iced oatmeal cookies go well with Butterscotch Cookies, Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, and Snickers Cookie Bars.
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for icing
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk, for icing
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, for icing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the rolled oats in a food processor and pulse 10-12 times until coarsely ground.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk and slowly add more until the icing reaches a consistency you can dip the cookies in.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing and let the excess drip off.
- Place the cookies back on the wire racks and allow the icing to set before serving.
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