Gluten Free Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten Free Iced Oatmeal Cookies are my go-to treat when I’m craving something sweet and comforting. With their chewy, hearty texture from the gluten free oats and that irresistible, crackling vanilla glaze, they’re simply impossible to resist.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this recipe for Gluten Free Iced Oatmeal Cookies with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1-1. While both gluten-free flour blends work great, it's important to mention that King Arthur produced more compact cookies while Bob's Red Mill spread more. Both cookies tasted delicious.

Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats: For the best results, make sure to use Old-Fashioned Oats (rolled oats) in this recipe. Unlike quick oats, which are rolled too thin, old-fashioned oats retain their hearty texture, giving the cookies their signature chewiness. A key step in this gluten free cookie recipe is pulsing some of the oats in a food processor or blender. Pulsing breaks the oats down slightly, creating a mix of smaller and larger pieces. This combination creates a smoother, more cohesive dough while still maintaining the rustic, chewy texture that makes oatmeal cookies irresistible. Avoid over-processing, as you want to retain some of the oats' structure for that perfect bite.

Brown Sugar: I like to use dark brown sugar in this chewy oatmeal cookie recipe. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar giving them a deeper, more caramel-like taste.

Molasses: Adding a little extra molasses boosts the flavor of this recipe even more. I recommend using unsulphured light molasses, such as Grandma's Molasses, for the best flavor. Avoid using blackstrap molasses, as it has a much stronger, bitter taste that can be overpowering and create an unpleasant flavor. If you don't have molasses on hand, maple syrup makes a great substitute.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookie Dough

A key step in this gluten free cookie recipe is pulsing some of the oats in a food processor or blender. Pulsing breaks the oats down slightly, creating a mix of smaller and larger pieces. This combination ensures a smoother, more cohesive dough while still preserving the rustic, chewy texture that makes oatmeal cookies so appealing. Avoid over-processing, as you want to retain some of the oats' structure for that perfect bite.

1. Place 125 grams of gluten-free old-fashioned oats in a blender or food processor and pulse 6–8 times until the oats are slightly broken down but not fully ground. You will see a blend of oat flour and small pieces of oat meal.
2. Combine the pulsed oats with the remaining 50 grams of old fashioned oats, gluten free flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. To make the gluten free oatmeal cookie dough, place the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl. Cream the ingredients at a medium speed for 2-3 minutes until they become fluffy and pale. Remember to pause halfway through and use a flexible spatula to scrape the bowl and beater.

4. With the mixer running on low, add the large egg and the egg yolk, letting it fully incorporate. Pause your mixer to scrape down the sides. Scraping down the sides ensures all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
5. Next add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

6. With a flexible spatula stir the gluten free cookie dough for iced oatmeal cookies a few times. Just to make sure everything is well combined. It always seems like there are a few pockets of plain oats hiding at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
7. Oatmeal cookie dough can be tricky to portion once it's been refrigerated, so I prefer to portion it beforehand. Using a #20 cookie scoop or just a regular spoon, I measure out about 55 grams of dough per cookie. I then roll each portion into a smooth ball and gently flatten it slightly, shaping it more like a hockey puck than a round ball. (The dough might be a tad sticky - oatmeal cookie dough tends to be this way before chilling). This recipe makes 12 cookies. If you like to make the gluten free iced oatmeal cookies smaller, please be aware that the baking time will decrease.
8. Arrange the shaped cookie dough on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover it, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before baking. Chilling is Mandatory!

Baking Instructions

1. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I recommend baking 6 oatmeal cookies at a time.
2. Arrange 6 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Make sure you leave some room for spreading. Place the remainder of the cookie dough in the fridge (or freezer for future use). If you’ve refrigerated the cookie dough for an extended period, let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
3. Bake the gluten free oatmeal cookies for 14-16 minutes or until lightly golden and beginning to set. The cookies will look puffy. The baking time depends on personal preference (and your oven). You want the cookies slightly underdone since they will continue to set as they cool. My magic number was 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and with a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to scoot them into a perfectly round shape.
5. Allow the cookie to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking pan before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Vanilla Icing for Iced Oatmeal Cookies

For the perfect finish, keep the vanilla icing slightly thick so it clings to the tops of the cookies without running off. Instead of fully coating the cookies, I prefer to lightly dip just the tops for a clean, classic look.

1. Prepare the Icing: In a shallow bowl, mix powdered sugar with a splash of milk (dairy-free works too) and a touch of vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. The icing should coat the back of a spoon but still drip easily.
2. Dip the Cookies: Once the gluten-free oatmeal cookies have cooled, hold each one upside down and dip the top into the icing. Make sure to apply a light, even coat.
3. Remove Excess: Gently lift the cookie out of the glaze, letting any excess drip back into the bowl.
4. Set the Glaze: Place the gluten free iced oatmeal cookies glaze-side up on a wire rack lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Let the icing fully set before serving or storing.

Storage & Freezing

While these Gluten Free Iced Oatmeal Cookies are delicious the day they have been baked, they are delicious for a few days. The glaze helps keep them soft. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to stack them, place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking.

I haven't tested freezing the glazed cookies. But I had no problems freezing the plain cookies and glaze them once they had been thawed. To freeze the dough, scoop it into portions. Then press each dough ball down a little (this will ensure the cookies will spread), place them on a lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag or container. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.