These Iced Oatmeal Cookies have been a favorite in my kitchen for years, perfected through countless batches baked for family and friends. With decades of hands-on experience, I’ve created a recipe that delivers soft and chewy centers, crisp edges, and topped with a vanilla glaze. The steps are clear, tested, and reliable so you can bake with confidence and enjoy cookies that turn out just right every time.
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Why We Love These Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Tried and True: Perfected over time and tested in my home kitchen, so you know the results are reliable every time.
- Irresistible Texture: The combo of soft, chewy centers with lightly crisp edges creates the perfect texture which equals cookie perfection in every bite.
- Sweet Vanilla Glaze: A simple icing that adds just the right amount of sweetness and makes the cookies look as good as they taste.
- Easy Recipe: Clear, step-by-step instructions make the recipe foolproof for bakers of all skill levels.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make ahead and freeze for holiday trays, after-school snacks, last-minute guests or anytime you're craving a sweet treat.
- Nostalgic Flavor: Brings back the comforting, homemade taste of classic iced oatmeal cookies, but better than anything store-bought.
- Crowd Favorite: A guaranteed hit at bake sales, parties, or family gatherings. They disappear fast!
Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Ground Cinnamon
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Quick Cooking Oats
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
Substitution Suggestions
- Salted Butter: Unsalted butter can be used, but I suggest adding an additional ½ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough.
- Honey: you can also use molasses or light corn syrup. I like using honey best because it provides a natural and smooth flavor in the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: I say this over and over, but it is so important. Use pure extracts in your baked goods. Imitation extracts can leave a unpleasant after taste.
- All Purpose Flour: White whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour can be used in the recipe. A blend of all purpose flour and whole wheat is also a great option. The whole wheat flour gives the cookies a little extra boost in flavor.
- Quick Cook Oats: This recipe works best with the quick oats rather than the old fashioned rolled oats. The quick oats create the right texture in the cookies. If you need to use rolled oats, pulse them in the food processor a few times to break them down just a bit.
- Milk: I use 2% cows milk, but you can use whatever type of milk you drink. You can also use water.
Nothing beats the perfection of homemade iced oatmeal cookies with their chewy texture, soft centers, and sweet vanilla icing. A timeless treat that delivers pure nostalgia in every bite.
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies with Icing
- First, preheat oven to 350°F and line a couple cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with hand beater, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time beating well after each egg.
- Now mix in the vanilla extract.
- Then add the dry ingredients: cinnamon, baking soda, salt, all purpose flour and oats. Mix on low speed just until evenly combined. Fold the dough a few times to make sure the bottom of the bowl has all been combined evenly.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or 2 level tablespoons, scoop dough and place scoops 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven on center rack for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown and the centers no longer look wet and glossy.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip: Once the cookies come out of the oven use a biscuit cutter, circle cookie cutter or a glass and gently go around the cookie to create perfect round cookies.
Oatmeal Cookie Icing Recipe
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, make the icing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. If you need to use more milk, only add about ½ teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. You want the icing to be just a little bit thick and spreadable, not too runny so it drips off the sides of the cookies.
- Drop about 2 teaspoons of icing on top of the cookie and spread using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush. I like using the spoon best.
- Let cookies rest until icing has set, about 30 minutes or so.
Looking for more classic oatmeal cookie recipes? Don't miss these delicious recipes:
Storing Oatmeal Cookies with Icing
Storing: Place cookies in an airtight container between layers of wax paper. Keep them in a cool dry place and they'll last at least a week. If you notice the leftover cookies starting to get a little dry, add a small piece of bread or a flour tortilla to the container with the cookies. It will add moisture back into the cookies, but be careful because it can also cause the icing to become wet again.
Freezing: These cookies freeze well with or without the icing! Place the baked cookies in a freezer safe airtight container in single layers, between pieces of wax paper or in a freezer bag. Label, date and freeze. Cookies will last 3-4 months in the freezer.
Thawing: To thaw the frozen cookies, simply let them sit at room temperature for a few hours.
Freezing Cookie Dough
To freeze the cookie dough, place portioned cookie dough scoops on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in freezer. Once the dough is frozen, place the dough in a freezer safe container or freezer bag. Don't forget to label and date! Freeze for up to 4 months.
To bake the frozen cookie dough, bake as directed in the instructions and add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- My MOST favorite tool in my kitchen is my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's the best ever for making cookies, frostings and so many other things.
- Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. Their cookie sheets are the only ones I use for cookies. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to a set. These aluminum sheet pans from Nordic Ware are a great option too.
- A medium sized cookie scoop that holds about 2 tablespoons is great for these cookies. Again I use the pampered chef one but this medium scoop from OXO on Amazon is a great one.
- Pre-cut parchment paper is a life saver and so easy. No cutting my fingers!
- Or this silicone baking mat is great for baking too!
- You can package these cookies up for family and friends in these Self Sealing Cellophane Bags. They are the best!
Tips for Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Gather all the ingredients before you start. It is so much easier to bake when all the ingredients are ready. There is also less room for error, like forgetting an essential ingredient. I'm not saying I've done this, however, I am speaking from experience!
- Read the recipe from start to finish before you start. Again, I am speaking from experience.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It helps the dough come together better, and also helps with even baking.
- Always fluff your flour and then spoon and level it to measure. Doing this will prevent too much flour being added and ultimately making the cookies too dry and crumbly. To fluff your flour, just scoop it and dump it a few times and then measure it out, or give it a fluff using a whisk.
- If you need to use old fashioned rolled oats, pulse them in the food processor a few times to break them down just a bit.
- Use a cookie scoop to get the same size cookies, that way they will all bake evenly. I like to use the Pampered Chef medium scoop which is equal to about 2 tablespoons.
- If using cookie sheets more than once during baking, make sure the cookie sheet is completely cooled before adding scoops of cookie dough on it.
- For best results don't over bake the cookies. Over baking will cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly.
FAQs
First, make sure you are fluffing your flour before measuring it. Flour becomes compacted when it just sits for awhile. Second, this recipe calls for honey which helps keep the cookies soft and chewy. Lastly, don't overbake the cookies. Overbaking automatically creates dry cookies.
For this recipe it is not necessary to flatten the cookies before baking. The recipe is made to be a simple drop cookie so you can just scoop and bake.
For this recipe it is best to use the quick oats. If you need to use old fashioned oats, pulse them in a food processor a few times to break them down.
More Drop Cookie Recipes:
- Chocolate Chip and M&M Cookies
- Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Maple Cookies Recipe
- Churro Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Rate it!
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Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 2½ cups quick cooking oats
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a couple cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each egg.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients: cinnamon, baking soda, salt, all purpose flour and oats. Mix on low speed just until evenly combined. Fold the dough a few times to make sure the bottom of the bowl has all been combined evenly.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or 2 level tablespoons, scoop dough and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven on center rack for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown and the centers no longer look wet and glossy.
- Let cookies cool on pan for 3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. If you need to use more milk, only add about ½ teaspoon at a time until it's reached your desired consistency. You want the icing to be just a little bit thick and spreadable, not too runny so it drips off the sides of the cookies.
- Drop about 2 teaspoons of icing on top of cookie and spread using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush..
- Let cookies rest until icing has set, about 30 minutes or so
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