Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies ~ Soft in the middle and crispy on the edges, sweet, but not overly so, and the cinnamon and nutmeg really shine through. A really terrific cookie!
I still remember when we installed our first push button telephone. (I was a very, very, very young girl ) I remember being young enough that I didn’t really have any friends to call at the time. We just jumped on our bicycles and road over to their house if we had something to discuss. But I wanted to call people just to use the new phone with the raised plastic numbers and lighted background.
We often regale our grown children with stories of what life used to be like without microwaves, Internet, cable, email, Facetime or hands-free anything. Technology is amazing and the pace with which it’s being developed is nothing less than astonishing.
First of all, what does that have to do with Iced Oatmeal Cookies? So glad you asked! I was thinking about when I was a kid and how it was a special treat to get a store bought cookie, cake, or candy bar. We started getting Little Debbie’s in our lunches in later years, but being one of 5 kids, hand-me-downs were the norm and we didn’t waste money on things we didn’t need.
Oh if our kids could live without things they didn’t need – how the world would be very different. I also remember Mother’s Iced Oatmeal Cookies that came in the bright blue and red package and each cookie was perfectly shaped, crispy and delicious. I think it’s interesting that home-made is now the ‘special treat’ and store bought anything is the norm. Let’s not even get started on restaurants!
These ‘homemade’ Iced Oatmeal Cookies are so much better than store-bought. They’re soft with crispy edges, sweet, but not overly so, and the cinnamon and nutmeg really shine.
My husband said they have the perfect texture and just the right amount of icing. I love the way the icing looks and was afraid I could not duplicate it.
However, by dipping the cookies in icing instead of spreading it on top, the icing doesn’t seep to the cracks and crevasses. That’s how you get the authentic ‘old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookie’ signature look.
I have to apologize to my official taste testers, I don’t think these are going to make it to the office!
Don’t forget to PIN to your favorite cookie board!
Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Adapted from a recipe posted on Mother Thyme
Author: Tricia
Recipe type: Dessert, Cookies
Serves: 27-30
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
- (you may substitute milk for the cream - start with 3 tablespoons then add more milk if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
- Add the rolled oats to a food processor and pulse 10 times. Don't over process because you want a variety of textures not just a ground oat flour. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk or stir to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter on medium-high about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars and mix on medium-high until the batter lightens and becomes fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears into the batter. Lightly beat in the vanilla. Add about ⅓ of the oat and flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture, mixing on a low speed just until blended. Continue adding the flour mixture until it is fully incorporated.
- Using a 2 tablespoon size ice cream or cookie scoop (not heaping - leveled straight across the top of the scoop), roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. I was able to fit 6 cookies at a time on each pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms just being to brown. Do not over bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the icing combine the confectioners' sugar with the milk or cream and water. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the icing is somewhat thick. Place the icing in a shallow dish or container, about 4x4 inches. Quickly dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing and let the excess drip off. Set the dipped cookie on the rack until the icing has set.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container or refrigerator. I stored mine in the fridge and they were perfect!
Notes
*NOTE: This recipe has only been tested using Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats processed in a food processor for the combination of textures that appear above. Do not substitute quick oats or oat bran for the rolled oats.
IMPORTANT: I've had many comments that the cookies did not spread and create the cracks like those in the photos. Be careful not to over-process the oats. Pulse quickly, do not make oat flour. The texture is created by having chunkier oats not powdery oats.
Tips for the icing: due to varied humidity and seasonal changes, you may need more or less milk or sugar. The icing should stick but not be runny when you dip the cookie. If it's too thick it will not adhere to the cookie at all. Hope that helps and thanks so much for the feedback!
IMPORTANT: I've had many comments that the cookies did not spread and create the cracks like those in the photos. Be careful not to over-process the oats. Pulse quickly, do not make oat flour. The texture is created by having chunkier oats not powdery oats.
Tips for the icing: due to varied humidity and seasonal changes, you may need more or less milk or sugar. The icing should stick but not be runny when you dip the cookie. If it's too thick it will not adhere to the cookie at all. Hope that helps and thanks so much for the feedback!
Here are a few more cookie recipes you might enjoy:
- Doubletree Cookie Recipe ~ from The Little Kitchen
- Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies ~ from Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Triple Threat Oatmeal Cookies ~ from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Orange Milano Cookies ~ from Saving Room for Dessert
Finally … I was wondering … what is the very first ‘cool technology’ thing you remember?
If you say an IPhone I’m going to feel old! A few of the other things I remember coming along were fax machines, Federal Express, memory and correcting typewriters. I actually had one of those first cell phones – you know the giant ones that mounted in your car? I also remember it was $.25 a minute and there were no usage plans! I relied heavily on my pager and the cell phone to check messages. I would run to a pay phone to call people back instead of racking up the cell phone bill. Sheesh – it is so much easier now.
I wonder if I would have believed you if you told me that one day I would have my own website – nahhh- I don’t think I would have bought that one! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you’ll make some old-fashioned treats for someone you love!
Tricia
Oh yum! I haven't had these kinds of cookies in so long!
Just SEEING those cookies brought a flashback of memories! Wow! I remember getting a TV!! Mercy. Now, I feel really old. LOL! But, I'm with you… who'da thunk we'd have our own spots on an INTERNET… and what the heck is that?! 😉 These sound delicious. Have a great week, Tricia! blessings ~ tanna
Do you really mean 1 tablespoon baking powder? Unfortunately I went with the recipe as written , spacing them 3 inches away from each other and got 1 huge cookie. Unfortunately I wasted a lot of ing
Hi KB. Yes the recipe is correct as written. So sorry you had problems. I’m not sure what went wrong but I have not had that kind of experience. We love these cookies and I’m sure you would too – hope you’ll try again sometime.
I love that these cookies come with memories of childhood. And any cookie with icing gets a vote from me 🙂
These really do look perfect and delicious, Tricia! I love how the icing looks too.<br /><br />I remember the whole switch from film cameras to digital and how easy it made take pictures. Where would we be without digital cameras for our blogs 🙂 It's funny, though, how so little has changed over the years when it comes to making cookies.
Love these cookies Tricia !! We remembered littles Debbie as well! <br />The fax machine was really cool for my husbands business when they first came out. Anyway, I will be making these cookies for my grandchildren this week while I am babysitting. My daughter will be giving birth to our third grandchild – another boy! Thanks for the recipe !! Warmly. Anna
These look so wonderful Tricia, like a delicious, old fashioned bakery. I do remember getting our first push button phone and thinking it was so cool. But I always wanted my own "princess" phone and that never happened, oh well. It is funny how everything has changed and seems to be changing faster every day!
Oh how I remember our first push button phone, and our first remote control TV. Glorious, both of them. My favorite story that I tell my children is how we used to have to plan a day in advance for a baked potato. They aren't impressed. I guess you had to have been there to get it. I bet you understand LOL! These cookies look amazing. One of my favorites.
Hi Tricia, these cookies do look like the Mothers Old Fashioned that I remember, they were my favorite growing up. Can't remember exactly what cool technology thing but I'm thinking the remote control for the tv as us kids were the remote control before the actual devise.
Did they have fudge stripes and ginger? They were my mom’s favorite and would love to fine a recipe
No fudge stripes on these cookies. And no ginger – but if I come across something like that I will pass it on! Have a happy Thanksgiving
These oatmeal cookies look stunning, Tricia. Really love how the icing looks…simply irresistible.
girl! GIRL! They truly look exactly like the old fashioned oatmeal iced cookies- even down to how the icing falls in between those cracks on the top. WOW! I am amazed and hungry and so impressed.
These really do look like those cookies. Amazing!!! I used to wish those were in my lunch! And as for the first cool thing…I hate to say it but I remember getting a color tv. And then a microwave. It was gigantic and heavy and took up an entire counter.
I had such a grin on my face as I read this post — I remember these cookies and yours are GORGEOUS! Pinning and sharing!
I had such a grin on my face as I read this post — I do remember those cookies and yours are GORGEOUS! Pinning and sharing!!
I just made these, and they turned out thick and soft not crispy. Any idea what went wrong? My icing definitely does look like yours either. Help!
Sorry you had trouble Emilie. Mine were soft in the middle and crispy on the outside edges but the icing has something to do with keeping the cookie soft. I think it is essential to pulse the old-fashioned oats in the food processor, just until you have a combination of whole oats and some oat flour. Ten pulses and mine was perfect. Don't substitute quick oats or oat bran for the
I too just made these and I pulsed 10 quick times and no cracks! Puffy in the middle too. They have great flavor and if I very lightly dipped cookie the icing looks great. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Karen – sorry to be so late in replying. I was in the mountains for 5 days with no internet. I am not sure why these crack for some and not for others. It may have to do with humidity, brand of oats, etc. It sounds like you did everything right but perhaps a slightly longer (full 1 second) pulse would help? I hope to test these again and will update the recipe if I find the answer. Sorry they didn’t crack but hope you liked them anyway.
Me too. Puffy and soft.
Sorry – don't submerge the cookies in the icing … not "emerge." It's early! Have a great weekend.
I made another half batch tonight, and they turned out better! I only pulsed 1/2 of the oats because my blender pulverizes quickly. So half oat "flour" and half whole oats. I also smooshed the dough balls down some and cooked longer. With the icing, I added very little liquid to the sugar, and it was perfect! This recipe is going in our recipe book, and will likely be a Christmas
Mine came out think too and icing was transparent! They were soft and delicious.. I followed the recipie to the tee… I think I will have to flatten the balls too and less milk and water on icing so it looks white like in the pics!
Sorry these didn’t come out like the photos. I don’t know what to recommend other than check the original post at Mother Thyme for tips about processing the oats. I think I’m going to have to make them again and see if they come out different for me. Glad they tasted good though – thanks for the comment, it helps to hear from readers!
Mmh, these cookies sound heavenly!<br />Just perfect to accompany my daily cup of coffee.
Love those cookies! Yours are picture perfect and I wish I had one right now! I remember how thrilled I was in college to borrow a friend's calculator and not have to use my slide rule. 🙂
Is the 1 Tbs baking powder a typo? Seems like alot of baking powder. I made these cookies and they didn’t look anything like the picture, but they were still good.
Sorry they didn’t turn out the same as mine but happy they still tasted good. No typo on the 1 tablespoon baking powder – that is correct. Thanks for trying the recipe. Was it just the icing part that looked different?
No, the cookies didn’t spread out and didn’t have the little cracks. After the first batch I spread them with a fork.
Hello again – thanks for the followup. The recipe is adapted from one posted on Mother Thyme. You may have seen my note at the bottom of the recipe, but she indicated they would not turn out like this unless you process the oats in a food processor. NOTE: This recipe has only been tested using Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats processed in a food processor for the combination of textures that appear above. Do not substitute quick oats or oat bran for the rolled oats. (recipe adapted from Mother Thyme) I hope this helps and truly hope you will try again. I’ve only made these once and they turned out as you can see in the photos. Read over her notes and see if that helps. Good luck and thanks so much for reading and trying the recipes.
I just got done making these cookies. I followed the recipe to a “T”. I even pulsed the oats in the food processor like suggested, but they were not flat like the cookies shown above. My icing looked good until i put it on the cookie. It did not get the pretty crakes as in the picture. Im not sure what went wrong…
Oh Brianna … I am very sorry. Did you dip the cookies upside down in the icing instead of spreading? My icing was a little thick and more on the sticky side. If it was too runny it would go down into the cracks. I adapted the recipe from one posted at Mother Thyme I’ve only made these once and those are the ones in the photos. I used rolled oats and processed them in the food processor as described. She notes that you don’t want to over-process the oats as they will not spread. Perhaps they were too finely ground? If you try again and they turn out for you, please let us know so I can share the comments with our readers. Thanks for getting in touch. I hope it helps and hope you had a beautiful holiday season.
I haven’t even gotten to the frosting part yet, but I can’t believe how beautifully round and flat these cookies are turning out. They look and SMELL perfect. I can’t wait to add the frosting. My dad is going to love these. Thank you for the recipe, Tricia.
Thanks so much for the feedback Jaclyn! So happy they turned our for you 🙂 We love them!
This is a tricky recipe, I made 2 batches, the second WITHOUT baking powder which makes them rise and puff, and they were perfectly flat and round; I wonder if your baking powder was old or just a bad batch -it’s happened to me before a few times even with name brands that were just opened. I tried the icing a few different ways in small batches, and the addition of the water just seems to make it runny and gives the cookies more of a glazed look; the cream is best. I wanted mine crispier like the store bought kind( if I could find them) so I baked them a few extra minutes and the texture was right but it turned them too dark.. Ugh!! A friend who is a chef told me to try a cookie press next time , plus I’m going to try adding raisins.
Wow Patricia – you really did some testing. I just didn’t have any trouble with them. I will test again but no I don’t think my baking powder was old. I bake a lot and keep fresh ingredients since my blog business depends on it. Not sure if you were responding to another commenter – but thanks for letting us know how it went for you.
I want mine flat and crispy. Thanks for the tip.
Have you tried it with the raisins yet? How was it?
I have not tried these with raisins – so please let me know if you do! Thanks Bethy – hope you love them
These turned out just perfect! A big hit in my house.????
I am so happy to hear from you Sally! Thank you very much for the feedback – we loved these cookies 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
Do these freeze well? Can I bake them in advance and pop them into the freezer?
Hi Terri! I have not tried freezing these cookies, but unfrosted and well sealed, I bet they would be great. I would love to know how they turn our for you! Thanks so much for commenting and reading.
I only had quick oats and I took a chance and tried it anyways……. They came out great!
Thanks so much Lisa! I absolutely love these cookies. Thank you for the feedback. Enjoy 🙂
Wow these look amazing! Will definitely be making these this weekend!:)
Thanks Alyssa – I hope you love them as much as we do. Please read the directions a couple of times before starting – it’s easy but you need to follow the directions exactly to get the cracked top. No worries! Thank you so much!
Opps! I didn’t read the recipe all the way through and did not put any of the oats in the food processor! No fear! Just flattened the dough a little with a spatula. Look and smell great! Iced nicely once I got the consistency right. I think the nutmeg is a nice inclusion.
Yeah! So glad they worked out for you. Funny little cookies but so worth making! Love them – thanks for letting me know 🙂
Just made these for our youth group in the morning. These are a great. Only change I made was using white whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. Thanks!
Thanks for the comment and feedback Prudy. These are wonderful cookies – one of our favorites. Great substitution too 🙂
Frosting tip! Use a silicone brush and brush it on if you want it to look like the picture. I also had to add a lot more powder sugar to thicken. Next time I will start with less liquid since it made more than enough frosting! I also flattened my dough balls before putting in oven to make the cookies come out more flat.
What a great idea Alissa! Thanks so much for the feedback and for trying the cookies. They are one of our favorites 🙂 Have a great week and thanks again!
I love crunchy iced oatmeal cookies with a hot cup of straight black coffee! There is just something about the coffee that makes those cookies so good! Anyway, All I had in the cubboard was Quaker quick oats. I decided to try it anyway and mine cracked. They were delicious! Although I did tweak it a little and add more cinnamon. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Thank you Darla! Glad the quick oats worked out for you. Have a lovely weekend and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
Hi there,
Do you know if these freeze well. And would you think i should freeze baked unbaked or baked.
Thank you.
Kelly
Hi Kelly – I would bake the cookies, then freeze. I would wait to do the icing after they are thawed out. But either way, they should be great to freeze! Thanks for the terrific question Kelly! Have a super holiday season.
Just finished making them and both my husband and daughter said they were delis. Couldn’t get them to spread and was very careful about the oats but after seeing that the first ones out of the oven were still quite puffy I took the bottom of my 1/2cup measuring cup, dipped it in sugar – just enough so it didn’t stick to the cookie – and applied a little pressure to flatten them out a bit. They turned out perfect. Waaay too much icing left over so just had to make sugar cookies to use up lol
Thanks so much for the feedback! Glad they liked them!
I made these cookies today and they are amazing! I followed the recipe exactly as written (I just halved it) and they spread perfectly, had a bumpy texture on top, and the icing looks just like yours do in your pictures. I love how the icing on top resembles snow– they’re perfect Christmas cookies! Thank you again for the fabulous recipe, it’ll now be a go-to winter cookie for me!
Hi Sydney!!! I cannot thank you enough for commenting about your experience with these wonderful cookies. People often comment when things don’t turn out completely right – but less so when they are happy. So thank you very, very much! I loved these cookies and can’t wait to make them again. They do look like wintertime! Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks again.
I will never buy oatmeal cookies again after finding this recipe! These are exactly what cookie lover needs, buttery, savory,soft, crunchy and sweet but not too sweet!
Thank you Sophia! I love these cookies too – and they are such a treat. Thanks again for the feedback and for trying our recipe!
Help! The first time I made these they were perfect. Since then, however, they’ve been super puffy! I’ve tried different types of pans, grinding the oatmeal less, grinding it more and I even smushed them down at various times in the baking. They still taste good but it’s not the same! Any thoughts?
Hi Shannan – I’m not sure what is going on unless you changed brands of oats, butter or live in a location with big swings in humidity maybe. I’m sorry I don’t have a full-proof answer 🙂 I’ve always had good results with this recipe and just love it. Again sorry!
The cookies I made turned out perfect! I was a little leary about making them for the first time after reading all the comments. The one thing everyone said was the cookie was delisious whether it turned out like the picture or not so I had to give them a try. Although I used vegan butter and Aquafaba instead of eggs for the cookie and coconut milk from the can in place of milk for the icing. My grandchildren and the children that come over to play with my grandchildren loved the cookies! I’m not Vegan, but my good friend and her family are so I enjoy trying new recipes that I can share with them. This oatmeal cookie recipe was a hit and I know I will be making it again….. Next time I make them I am going to try grinding up some nuts and snipping some raisins to add to the cookie dough. Thank you for sharing this deilous cookie recipe!
Yeah! Thanks for the feedback Brigitte and I’m so happy it turned out with your changes too. I love these cookies, and they’re so pretty too. Thank you for letting us know. Your comment will help our readers and it makes me happy too!
Thanks for the link! Lovely recipe – it sounds wonderful. Have a great week!