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Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

These Iced Oatmeal Cookies are crispy and full of cinnamon and nutmeg flavor! There’s no chilling required, making these perfect for last-minute cravings!

three iced oatmeal cookies on a white plate. A wire rack of cookies sits in the background.

I know we still have a few more days until Thanksgiving, but I am officially moving on to all things Christmas!  (I hope you have your menu planned for Thursday, but if not, this Southern Cornbread Dressing, Easy Yeast Rolls, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites are a good place to start.) 

I’m not one to rush Christmas but I found myself resisting the urge to put up my tree pretty early this year.  I guess I’m just ready to usher in some holiday cheer… and cookies, definitely cookies!

These Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  The oatmeal cookie is crispy and delicious, and full of spicy nutmeg and cinnamon flavors.  Like my White Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut Cookies these have a delicious coating of icing to put them over the top.

What’s Needed for Iced Oatmeal Cookies?

To make these old-fashioned oatmeal cookies with white icing, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • Old-fashioned oats
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Unsalted butter
  • Light brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream
  • Confectioners’ sugar

How to Make Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, followed by the vanilla.
  4. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
  5. Scoop the cookie dough onto parchment paper-lined baking trays.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then let cool completely.
  7. While the chewy oatmeal cookies cool, make the icing.
  8. Drizzle the icing over the cooled old-fashioned oatmeal cookies.

overhead view of frosted old fashioned oatmeal cookies on a wire rack.

Can I Use Quick Oats?

No, you must use old-fashioned (rolled) oats in these iced oatmeal cookies. Quick oats aren’t as chewy and may result in dry cookies.

How to Store Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Store these frosted oatmeal christmas cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last up to 5 days.

Tips for the Best Oatmeal Cookies

Your butter needs to be at room temperature before creaming it together with the sugars. If the butter is still cold, it won’t cream properly.

Don’t skip the salt in this frosted oatmeal cookies recipe. Don’t worry, it won’t make the cookies salty! It just enhances the flavor overall.

Be careful not to over bake these old-fashioned oatmeal cookies. 10 to 12 minutes is perfect. Remember that the cookies continue “baking” as they cool on the baking sheet.

More Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes:

 

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

4.60 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 36
Calories: 156kcal
Author: Emily Grace

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup unsalted butter , room temperature (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs , room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the icing:

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
  • Use a food processor to give the oats a course chopping (about 10 times). You just want to break them up, not grind them fine.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the brown and white sugars and mix on medium-high until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears into the batter.
  • Lightly beat in the vanilla.
  • Slowly add the oat and flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture, mixing on a low speed just until blended. Continue until everything is fully incorporated.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to place the dough on the prepared baking pans. (Scoops should be leveled, not heaping, and be sure to leave room between each cookie for baking.)
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, be careful not to over-bake.
  • Allow the cookies to rest on the pans for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To prepare the icing: combine the confectioners' sugar with cream and water.
  • Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the icing is somewhat thick.
  • Quickly dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing and let the excess drip off.
  • Set the dipped cookies back on the rack until the icing has set.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 70mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe? Mention @GraceGoodEats or tag #graceandgoodeats!
Recipe Rating




Alix @A Hedgehog in the Kitchen

Sunday 4th of December 2016

I love the idea of a cookie exchange party for the holidays and these cookies look AMAZING!

Isabelle Clover

Monday 28th of November 2016

Hello Emily

Nice recipe. Unlike cooking, baking is a science. Therefore, to make the perfect oatmeal cookies, one has to be meticulous with the ingredients that they add. If care is taken in putting only the best ingredients, only the best cookies will come out of the oven.

Best wishes.

Jake Tyler

Sunday 27th of November 2016

Yum!!! These cookies are perfect for Christmas!!!

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