These gingerbread oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy with warm holiday flavor from molasses, cinnamon, and ginger. A vanilla glaze on top makes them irresistible!

Freshly baked gingerbread oatmeal cookies with white icing drizzle arranged on a marble countertop.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.

Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

These gingerbread oatmeal cookies combine everything you love about a cozy, spiced holiday cookie with the hearty texture of oats. If you enjoy my ginger molasses cookies, you’ll love this frosted gingerbread version!

They also have the same soft, chewy centers and lightly crisp edges you get from my classic oatmeal cookies, with a hint of spice similar to my pumpkin oatmeal cookies. The simple vanilla glaze on top gives them an extra festive, nostalgic feel for the holidays.

Ingredients Notes

Overhead view of the ingredients needed to make gingerbread oatmeal cookies, including oats, flour, sugars, spices, and molasses.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Old-fashioned oats: Using both whole oats and lightly pulsed oats gives these gingerbread oatmeal cookies their soft, chewy texture. Avoid quick oats, which can make the dough dense.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and helps the cookies stay soft. Make sure it’s softened so it creams smoothly with the sugars.
  • Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper molasses flavor, while granulated sugar gives the cookies their lightly crisp edges.
  • Eggs: Bind the dough and add structure so the cookies stay thick and chewy.
  • Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and balances the spice.
  • Molasses: The key to classic gingerbread flavor. Use unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap) for the best sweetness and depth.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the dough. Measured correctly so the cookies stay soft, not cakey.
  • Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves give these cookies their cozy holiday flavor. Don’t skip the ginger, it’s the star here.
  • Salt, baking soda, and baking powder: Salt enhances flavor, while the two leaveners help the cookies rise and stay soft without spreading too much.
  • Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla: Whisked together to create the simple powdered sugar glaze that adds an old fashioned finish to an iced oatmeal cookie.

How to Make Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Add 1 cup of the oats to a blender or food processor and pulse just a few times until they break down into smaller pieces. This gives the gingerbread cookies a soft, chewy texture.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until pale and creamy. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and molasses until everything is well combined.

Gingerbread cookie dough before adding oats to make oatmeal gingerbread cookies.

Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix the cookie dough just until combined, then add the remaining flour along with both the pulsed and whole oats.

Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.

Powdered sugar icing in a glass bowl.

Let the cookies sit on the pan for a couple of minutes, then move them to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before glazing.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let the glaze set before serving or including on a Santa plate at Christmas.

Gingerbread oatmeal cookies cooling on a wire rack with vanilla glaze drizzled on top.

Recipe Tips

  • Pulse just half the oats. Blending a portion of the oats gives the cookies a soft, chewy texture without losing that classic oatmeal bite.
  • Measure the flour correctly. Spoon and level the flour so the cookies stay soft and tender instead of dry or cakey. Learn how to measure flour without a scale.
  • For the best gingerbread flavor, use all the spices in their full amounts.
  • Don’t overbake. For the softest centers, pull the cookies out when the edges are just starting to turn golden. They’ll finish setting on the pan as they cool.
Stack of gingerbread oatmeal cookies with a bite taken out of the top cookie to show the soft center.

More gingerbread recipes to try include gingerbread cake, gingerbread bars and this homemade gingerbread house.

More Cookie Recipes to Try

Gingerbread oatmeal cookies with vanilla glaze arranged on the countetop.

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

No ratings yet
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 36
Soft and chewy gingerbread oatmeal cookies made with warm spices, molasses, and oats, then finished with a simple vanilla icing.
Print Pin This! Rate

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups (200 grams) old-fashioned oats , divided
  • ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (175 grams) light brown sugar , packed
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 ¼ cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour , divided
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a blender or food processor, pulse 1 cup oats 5 times, or just until the oats are broken.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale and smooth. Mix in 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/4 cup molasses until combined. 
  • Add 1 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Mix just until combined. Then mix in the remaining 1 1/4 cup flour, pulsed oats, and remaining 1 cup oats. 
  • Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until the edges are just light golden brown. Take them out a little early for softer cookies and bake a little longer for crispier cookies. 
  • Let cookies rest on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely.
  • Whisk together the 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 Tablespoons milk in a bowl. If it's thick, add the last Tablespoon milk. Then drizzle glaze on each cookie. Allow to set until harden.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Freezer instructions: Cool cookies completely and then place in a freezer bag or an airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 1 hour before ready to serve, or eat frozen. You can also warm in the microwave for 10 – 15 seconds.
Storage: Store in a covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 209kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 88mg, Potassium: 126mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 140IU, Vitamin C: 0.003mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use instant oats?

Instant oats aren’t recommended because they break down too quickly and can make the cookies dense. Old-fashioned oats give the best chewy texture.

Why didn’t my cookies spread?

If your cookies didn’t spread, the dough may have had too much flour or the butter wasn’t soft enough when creamed with the sugars. Overmixing can also make the dough stiff. I like to slightly flatten the dough balls before baking to help them spread evenly.

How do I store gingerbread oatmeal cookies?

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep the container covered so they stay soft.

Can I freeze them?

Yes. Freeze baked and cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.