There’s nothing quite like a batch of homemade frosted oatmeal cookies, just like Grandma made! They’re soft, chewy, perfectly spiced, and always satisfy those cookie cravings. This glazed oatmeal cookie recipe will become a new favorite!
By the way, these old-fashioned oatmeal cookies, oatmeal cookies without raisins, and our festive cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies should also be in your recipe box!
Easy glazed oatmeal cookies
You’ll love all the rich, cozy flavor and the sweet glaze in these frosted oatmeal cookies!
They’re just one of those classic cookies that everyone loves, and you want to bake time and time again.
There’s just something so nostalgic about glazed oatmeal cookies. They taste just like Grandma’s!
You want to keep this easy recipe in your back pocket when you need a cozy, satisfying treat.
And, of course, the ultimate way to enjoy these cookies is freshly frosted with a tall glass of cold, creamy milk. Yum!
Check out these scrumptious snickerdoodle cookies, homey chocolate chip cookies, and my buttery Irish shortbread cookies for more classic recipes.
Reasons to love frosted oatmeal cookies
- Delicious: Frosted oatmeal cookies are utterly irresistible with crispy edges, soft and chewy centers, and topped with a sweet glaze.
- Simple ingredients: You need just 11 ingredients to make this oatmeal cookie recipe.
- Quick recipe: Glazed oatmeal cookies are fully baked and ready to enjoy in less than an hour.
- Crowd pleaser: One batch creates 24 cookies, making the recipe great for holiday gifting, bake sales, parties, and everything in between.
- Easy storage: Once baked, leftover iced oatmeal cookies keep well, and the unbaked dough is easy to freeze, too.
Ingredients
These frosted oatmeal cookies utilize basic ingredients you’re likely to have on hand. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Cookies
- Old-fashioned rolled oats are hearty, toothsome, and bake wonderfully. Unlike other varieties of oats, they add extra texture to these oatmeal cookies.
- All-purpose flour forms the base of the cookies and helps them hold their shape.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg create a subtle warmth to balance the sweetness of the sugar.
- Baking powder helps the cookies rise.
- Light brown sugar gives these glazed oatmeal cookies a delicious, caramelized sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: You only need a small amount to help the cookies spread.
- Salted butter adds moisture and richness. Unsalted butter is fine as well, simply add 1/2 tsp of salt.
- Egg: A room-temperature egg binds the dough together.
- Molasses: A tablespoon of molasses makes the cookies extra chewy and adds a rich, deep flavor.
Frosting
- Powdered sugar is the sugar of choice because it dissolves quickly and provides a smooth consistency.
- Water makes the frosting pourable. Feel free to substitute milk for a slightly creamier frosting.
- Vanilla: I like to add a touch of vanilla for flavor. Almond extract tastes amazing, too.
Rolled oats are a baking staple. If you love it as much as we do, try our banana oatmeal breakfast cookies, yummy apple crumble, and McDonald’s fruit and maple oatmeal too!
How to make frosted oatmeal cookies
Making this glazed oatmeal raisin cookie recipe couldn’t be easier. Let’s go over the instructions step-by-step:
1. Combine dry ingredients
- Whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and cinnamon.
2. Cream butter and sugar
- Beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Incorporate egg and vanilla
- Reduce speed to low; add the egg and molasses. Beat until well combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients
- Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.
5. Drop cookie balls
- Using a cookie scoop, drop heaping balls of dough onto the lined baking sheets.
6. Bake
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
7. Mix frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the water and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
8. Ice cookies
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing.
- Lift them straight up, letting the excess drip off.
- Place the frosted cookies back on the wire rack to set.
Baker’s tips
Follow the tips below, and these frosted oatmeal cookies are a breeze to make. The hard part is waiting for them to cool before frosting and digging in!
- Use room temperature ingredients: Let your cold ingredients (like butter and eggs) sit out and come to room temperature before mixing them together. This makes mixing easier and will create a soft, moist texture.
- Measure carefully: Using proper measurements is crucial in baking. Use a kitchen scale to portion the ingredients for the most accurate results. Otherwise, employ the spoon and level method to measure the flour and tightly pack in your brown sugar.
- Take your time beating the butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. It will require at least 2-3 minutes of mixing, which is essential to create the best texture.
- Don’t overmix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they are combined. Continuing to mix will overwork the dough, leading to tense, tough cookies.
- Avoid overbaking: Keep a close eye on your oven and take the cookies out as soon as the edges are browned and set. The centers might still look a little undercooked, but they will continue to bake and set up as the cookies cool.
Tips for making the frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar: To avoid lumps in your frosting, sift the powdered sugar with a fine-mesh sieve. After adding the water, whisk thoroughly until the icing is smooth.
- Adjust the consistency: It’s really simple to fix icing that’s either too thin or thick. If the icing turns out too thin, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time, stirring, until it thickens. If the icing is too thick, add more water (1 teaspoon of water at a time), stirring, to thin it out.
- Let the frosting dry: Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the glaze to set and dry up. While you can enjoy a frosted oatmeal cookie right away, the icing should be set before storing and stacking the cookies.
Mix-ins
I love the simplicity of these easy frosted oatmeal cookies, but you can always mix and match different ingredients to customize the flavor. Here are some add-ins to include. You can add 1 to 2 cups, depending on how loaded you want them.
- Raisins (as seen in this old-fashioned oatmeal cookie recipe)
- Chocolate chips or chunks, e.g., semisweet, milk, white, and dark chocolate chips.
- Chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or slithered almonds.
- Butterscotch chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Shredded coconut flakes
- M&M’s
- Dried fruit such as cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or dates.
Storage & make-ahead
Frosted oatmeal cookies keep well. You can also make and store the dough to bake later. Here are some tips below to keep them fresh.
How to store frosted oatmeal cookies
Let the cookies fully cool. Then, transfer them into an airtight container or a sealable bag and store them at room temperature for about a week.
Place sheets of parchment paper between layers so the frosted cookies don’t stick together.
Make glazed oatmeal cookies ahead of time
- Cookie dough: If you want to prepare in advance, prepare the dough, transfer it to a sealable container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before baking.
- Frosting: The glaze will last for 1 to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freeze frosted oatmeal cookies
Both the dough and the baked cookies can be frozen and saved for later.
- Cookie dough: Once mixed, scoop dough into portions onto a lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls into a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Bake frozen cookie dough: Bake the dough from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time to ensure the oatmeal cookies cook all the way through.
- Fully baked cookies can be stored in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw them in the fridge.
Can I freeze oatmeal cookies with frosting?
Yes, you can freeze frosted oatmeal cookies. The frosting holds up surprisingly well and will still taste wonderfully fresh after defrosting.
FAQ
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, you can use quick oats, but doing so will change the texture. Since quick oats act more like flour and absorb more liquid, your oatmeal cookies will become soft rather than having a chewy bite.
Should I chill the cookie dough?
With this recipe, it’s not absolutely necessary to chill the dough. However, if your kitchen is warm and the dough seems too soft to form cookies, pop the dough into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
Chilling makes it easier to roll the dough into balls and the cookies will keep their shape better.
Can I use a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer?
Yes! A stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) works just as well to prepare this frosted oatmeal cookie recipe.
Why are my oatmeal cookies crispy?
If your oatmeal cookie recipe turns out too crispy, hard, or tough, it’s likely because the batter was over-mixed or the cookies were over-baked.
Be sure to combine the ingredients until they’re just smooth.
Then, watch your cookies bake. Remove them from the oven when the edges are puffy and golden brown, but the centers still look slightly underdone.
More favorite cookies
Once you start baking cookies from scratch, you won’t go back! I’ve rounded some of our all-time favorite cookie recipes for you to try next. There is something for every occasion and craving!
- Condensed Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Lemon Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
- Pink Velvet Sugar Cookies by I Am Baker
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Frosted Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
There's nothing quite like a batch of homemade frosted oatmeal cookies, just like Grandma made! They're soft, chewy, perfectly spiced, and always satisfy those cookie cravings. This glazed oatmeal cookie recipe will become a new favorite!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups / 180 g / 6.3 oz all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups / 170 g / 6 oz old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup / 170 g / 6 oz salted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup / 150 g / 5.3 oz light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup / 50 g / 1.8 oz granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp molasses
Glaze
- 2 cups / 225 g / 8 oz powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare for baking. Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C / gas mark 5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick baking mats.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and cinnamon; set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Incorporate egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add the egg and molasses. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients. Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.
- Drop cookie balls. Using a 2-tablepoon cookie scoop, drop heaping balls of dough onto the lined baking sheets. Leave about 2.5 inches / 6 cm between each dough ball because they will spread as they bake.
- Bake. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. They are ready when the edges look golden brown and the tops are set.
- Cool. Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Mix frosting. Sift the powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Add the water and vanilla and whisk until smooth and you no longer see pockets of powdered sugar. The consistency should be thick, but still liquid enough to pour when a spoonful of icing is drizzled back into the bowl.
- Ice cookies. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing. Lift them straight up and let the excess drip off. Place the frosted cookies back on the wire rack and allow the icing to set for about 1 hour.
- Store. Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 62mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g
