Recipe: Iced gingerbread oatmeal cookies

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As the festive decorations are packed away and the echoes of joyous celebrations linger in the air, there’s a charming way to extend the warmth of the holiday season through the comforting flavour of iced gingerbread oatmeal cookies. Deliciously chewy with a delightful combination of warm spices, molasses, and the comforting texture of oatmeal, these are sure to appeal to cookie lovers. The hearty texture of oatmeal cookies and the spicy flavours of gingersnaps is a marriage made in cookie heaven.

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I’m particularly fond of these because of their soft and chewy middle, coupled with their crisp and slightly crunchy edges. The thin layer of sweet icing not only enhances their visual appeal but also adds a delicate, sugary crunch to these sweet treats.

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Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (227 g) salted butter

1 cup (200 g) brown sugar

1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup (80 g) fancy molasses, not black strap molasses

2-1/4 cup (225 g) rolled oats, not instant oats

2-1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

1-1/4 tsp (6 mL) baking soda

3 tsp (15 mL) ground ginger

2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground allspice

In a stand mixer outfitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Add eggs and molasses and continue beating on medium-high speed for another 7-8 minutes until mixture is light and creamy.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk oats, flour, and spices together. Add to butter mixture. Mix on low speed until dough clumps together and no streaks of flour are visible. Do not overmix.

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Using a 1-1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, transfer level scoops of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Freeze dough for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place frozen cookie dough 3” apart onto a separate parchment lined cookie sheet. Note, cookies will spread. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are set. The middle will look underdone but that’s okay. The cookies will set up as they cool.

Remove baked cookies from oven and while cookies are still hot, use a circle cookie cutter or a round drinking glass to spin and reshape the cookies.

Allow cookies to cool on the tray for another 20 to 30 minutes before transferring them onto a baking rack to finish cooling. Serve as is, or ice cookies as described below.

Spiced Icing

1-1/3 cup (160 g) confectioners’ sugar

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground ginger

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon

1-2 tbsp (15-30 mL) milk

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Icing should be quite thick.

Holding the edge of the cookie with your fingers, lightly dip them facedown into the icing. Lift and allow excess to drip off. Place on baking rack to set, approximately 1 hour. Enjoy!

Store leftover iced cookies in an airtight container. Layer cookies with parchment paper.

Makes approximately 20 cookies.

Karen Gordon is a Food Blogger from North Vancouver who shares her recipe creations online at karentology.com, on Instagram at @karen.t.ology, and on Pinterest @karentologyblog.

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