Cookies • Currently Craving • Seasonal
Strawberry Iced Oatmeal Cookies
April 23, 2024
These Strawberry Iced Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect addition to my cookie roster. It’s no secret that I’m a huge […]
These Strawberry Iced Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect addition to my cookie roster. It’s no secret that I’m a huge cookie lover (ICYMI, I did write a book all about cookies!) and these cookies keep me coming back for more. When the idea of a fruity cookie came to mind, I knew that my recipe for these classic iced oatmeal cookies was the place to start. All those craggly, cravased tops are the perfect vessel to hold a sweet strawberry glaze. Say no more.
Why I love these cookies
My standards are high when it comes to cookies so you can rest assured that if a cookie recipe is published on these pages, it’s a good one. Not only are these cookies absolutely delicious, but they’re pretty too. Here’s a few reasons why I love these cookies:
Delicious flavor and texture – these cookies have it all! Soft, buttery centers, deliciously chewy edges and a sweet strawberry glaze that I dare you not to eat by the spoonful!
Easy to make – My stand mixer and I are basically BFF’s but who doesn’t love a cookie that can be made with just a bowl and whisk? Yes, you will need to chill the dough. And yes, it’s true what they say….good things come to those that wait.
The perfect warm weather treat! Strawberry season is upon us and this summery twist on the classic Mother’s iced oatmeal cookies ( a childhood favorite!) delivers in both flavor and nostalgia. Come summer, I might just have to top these with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
Good news! You probably have everything you need to make these strawberry iced oatmeal cookies already stashed in your pantry. Grab a bag of freeze dried strawberries and you’re in business! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flour – nothing fancy here, just regular all-purpose flour. For consistent results, measure the flour using a digital kitchen scale.
- Butter – browning the butter first takes these cookies up a notch! Don’t skip it.
- Sugar – the recipe calls for both brown sugar and granulated sugar which give our cookies both sweetness and chew.
- Egg – one whole egg helps bind the ingredients together. Make sure your egg is at room temperature.
- Baking soda – always check to make sure your baking soda is not expired.
- Oats – old fashioned rolled oats give us the perfect craggly tops for dipping in icing.
- Vanilla – just a splash adds an added depth of flavor you’ll love.
- Freeze dried strawberries – for plenty of sweet strawberry flavor. Do not substitute with fresh strawberries as fresh berries contain too much moisture. You can find the freeze dried version at Trader Joes or online.
How to make homemade strawberry iced oatmeal cookies
These cookies are easy to make but they do require chilling. For best results, make the dough, pop it in the refrigerator overnight and then bake the cookies off the next day. The good news is you’ll just need a bowl and a whisk to make these cookies – no fancy mixer required! Follow this easy step-by-step guide and check the recipe card below for ingredients and detailed instructions.
Step 1: Brown the butter. If you are new to browning butter, check out this post for my favorite Brown Butter Brownies where I walk you through it step-by-step. Set the butter aside to cool for 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, pulse the old fashioned oats in a food processor until they are a mixture of fine crumbs and larger bits. Set aside.
Step 3: Once the butter has cooled down, add the sugars and whisk to combine well.
Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
Step 5: Add the molasses (or honey) and stir to combine.
Step 6: Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 7: Add the dry ingredients and the pulsed oats to the butter and sugar mixture. Swap out the whisk for a large spatula and fold the ingredients together. Be careful not over mix the dough.
Step 8: Scoop the cookie dough into equal size balls (I recommend using a kitchen scale for perfectly uniform cookies). Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for three hours or overnight.
Step 9: Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the cookies one sheet at a time in the center rack of the oven for about 10 minutes. The edges should be set and the centers will be puffy and slighty underbaked. The cookies will deflate a bit while cooling.
Step 10: Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 11: Cool the cookies completely and then dunk them in a shallow bowl filled with the glaze. Do not submerge the entire cookie in the glaze, just dunk the top. The icing should be fairly thick so that when you try to pull the cookie away you meet a little resistance. You just want to give the glaze a little “kiss” with the top of the cookie. This gives you that pretty, lacy effect on top once the icing dries. Allow the excess icing to run off the cookie before flipping it back upright. Set on a wire rack to set. The icing will fully set in 1 to 2 hours.
Tips for the best cookies
Follow these tips and tricks for picture perfect cookies every time!
Pulse the oats. Those delightful nooks and crannies on top of the cookie are thanks to all that texture from the oats. To achieve this I highly recommend using old-fashioned whole oats. Quick oats will prevent the cookies from spreading evenly in the oven and the cookies will be dry. And steer clear of steel cut oats when baking. For the perfect texture, pulse the oats in a food processor or blender until the mixture is part oats, part oat flour.
Do not over bake. These cookies can easily end up over baked if you don’t keep an eye on your oven. Begin checking your cookies before the suggested bake time. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers of the cookies are slightly under baked, but not raw.
Don’t skip the strawberry icing! I’m telling you, this strawberry icing is something to write home about. Made with just three ingredients, it’s SO easy and sooooo delicious! Be sure to cool the cookies completely before dunking them in the strawberry icing. If the cookies are too warm, the icing will melt into the cookie. They’ll still be delicious but you’ll miss out on those pretty pink tops.
How to store
These cookies are seriously scrumptious! Good luck not eating every last crumb in one sitting. If you do happen to have a few cookies left over, store them tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days (if they last that long!).
To freeze the cookies, you can freeze them before or after icing. Cool the cookies completely and if adding the icing first, be sure to let the cookies sit at room temperature until the icing set completely. This can take up to two hours. Wrap the cookies in two layers of plastic wrap and place in a large freezer bag for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
FAQ’s
Fresh strawberries contain more moisture than their freeze-dried counterparts which will throw off the consistency of the glaze. I recommend freeze-dried strawberries here but you could also try a dollop or two of strawberry jam for flavor.
Absolutely! Simply swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend. I like this one from King Arthur Baking.
Yes! These cookies actually taste even better a couple of days after baking. They’re the perfect make ahead dessert for potlucks, summer bbq’s and school bake sales!
Feel free to add 2 tablespoons of the freeze-dried strawberry powder to the cookie dough along with the dry ingredients.
Happy baking!
Looking for more easy and delicious cookie recipes? I’ve got you!
Strawberry Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These strawberry iced oatmeal cookies are a delicious twist on an old-fashioned classic. Made with super soft centers, chewy edges and a sweet strawberry icing, these cookies will catapult you straight to star baker status!
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (95 g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (140 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon molasses (or honey)
Strawberry Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
- 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 drop gel pink food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter has melted. Continue stirring often as butter begins to foam and crackle. Do not leave the butter unattended at this stage. Stir the butter as it sizzles and after about 4-5 minutes, bits of golden brown butter will fall to the bottom of the pan. The crackling sound will stop and the butter will be aromatic and amber in color. Do not brown the butter too much – we don’t want it dark, just golden.
- Pour the butter into a large bowl. Be sure to scrape all of the brown bits from the pan. Set aside to cool for 20 to 25 minutes.
- While the butter cools, pulse the oats in a food processor until they are a mix of fine crumbs (oat flour) and larger bits. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- Once the butter is cool to the touch, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine, about 1 minute.
- Add the egg and vanilla, whisking to combine well.
- Add the molasses and stir to incorporate.
- Add the dry ingredients and the pulsed oats to the bowl and use a large spatula or wooden spoon to fold the ingredients together. Do not over mix.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, divide the dough into uniform scoops and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Cover and chill overnight (or at least 3 hours).
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and transfer the dough balls onto the lined cookie sheet, about 2 to 3 inches apart. The cookies will spread a bit while baking. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10 to 11 minutes. The cookies should be set on the edges and golden brown. Do not over bake.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. For perfectly uniform, round cookies, use a large circle cookie cutter or spatula to “scoot” the edges of the cookies towards the center. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the icing.
Strawberry Icing
- To make the icing, add the powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberries and milk to a medium, shallow bowl.
- Whisk together with a large fork. Mix until smooth and free of any lumps and bumps. The icing should be quite thick so that it grips on to the cookie tops when dunked. If adding pink food coloring for a more intense pink hue, stir it in now.
- Dip the top of each cookie gently into the icing. You should feel some resistance as you try to pull the cookie away from the icing. If not, your icing is too thin.
- Cover the top generously and then quickly flip the cookie upright and place on a wire rack to set.
Notes
**Note: Prep time does not include chilling time.
Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. For best results, allow icing to dry completely before storing.
May be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
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