Pumpkin Iced Oatmeal Cookies

These beautiful Pumpkin Iced Oatmeal Cookies are soft and chewy oat cookies made with pure pumpkin and a sweet vanilla icing. This is a nice way to elevate your typical oatmeal cookie, and they are so festive for Fall and Thanksgiving. I love to enjoy these with a cup of coffee which gives a pumpkin spice latte kind of experience. If pumpkin cookies are your thing, be sure to also check out my Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Chewy Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - you don't need a mixer or any special equipment to make this recipe. The cookie dough comes together with a bowl and a spatula.
• Soft and chewy oatmeal cookies - pumpkin gives these cookies a nice chewy texture and they stay soft in storage as well. They are not cakey like a lot of pumpkin cookies tend to be.
• Pure pumpkin flavor - there's ¼ cup of pure pumpkin puree in the cookie dough and you don't need to blot or dry it out before using it.
• Pumpkin spice cookies - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice and nutmeg adds warm cozy flavor to these cookies.
• Eggless cookies - that's right! You don't need eggs for this recipe. The pumpkin provides moisture and structure to make these chewy cookies.
• Vanilla icing - the signature look of iced oatmeal cookies is a thick icing that coats the bumpy surface so they look frosted from a fresh snowfall.

INGREDIENTS FOR PUMPKIN ICED OATMEAL COOKIES

• Butter - I highly recommend salted butter for this recipe because it adds a richer flavor to enhance the pumpkin and the spice. You'll melt the butter for this recipe so no need to leave it out to soften before baking.
• Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a subtle butterscotch flavor that complements pumpkin so well. I use light brown sugar in this recipe, however either light or dark brown works well.
• Granulated sugar - this will help create those slightly crisp golden edges.
• Pure vanilla extract - good vanilla is absolutely essential to making delicious cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Canned pumpkin - canned pumpkin is easily accessible and inexpensive. I recommend using store-bought pumpkin since it is more consistent. If you make your own, it is important to reduce it down so it is very thick otherwise the moisture balance will be off in the recipe. You do not need to dry out or blot out the pumpkin puree since it is the only source of moisture in this recipe.

• All-purpose flour - I always use unbleached all-purpose flour to make cookies.
• Quick oats - this recipe is designed to use quick-cooking oats so they absorb evenly into the cookie dough and bake thoroughly into the cookies. This will create a very chewy texture throughout and create evenly sized cookies.
• Baking soda - it gives the right amount of spread and also helps with browning.
• Baking powder - the blend of bicarbonate and baking powder creates the right amount puff so the cookies aren't too flat.
• Pure vanilla extract - I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Pumpkin pie spice - use your favorite brand, or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. It's easy and so delicious!
• Powdered sugar - the vanilla icing is a simple blend of powdered sugar and light cream or milk. It's nice and thick to create a melting texture over the cookies.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Combine butter and sugar. Combine melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk to blend until smooth.
• STEP 2). Blend dry ingredients. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk it together to blend evenly.
• STEP 3). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add this to the butter mixture with the oats and use a rubber spatula fold it in until just combined.
• STEP 4). Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
• STEP 5). Bake. Use a 1-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and release them onto the baking sheets leaving about 3 inches of space between them. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are brown and the center looks puffed and golden. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a 2 minutes. They will deflate and flatten as they cool and have beautiful cracks on top. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• STEP 6). Make the icing. Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of cream, salt and vanilla. You're looking for a thick opaque icing that is spoonable, but still drizzles. If necessary, add a bit more cream. 
• STEP 7). Ice the cookies. Dip cookies top side down evenly in icing without pushing down to far. You want to dip it shallow so it only coats the humps and bumps on the cookie instead of getting deep into the crevices and valleys to get the snow-capped look.
• STEP 8). Let set. Transfer cookies to a rack or clean cookie sheet and let icing set before storing.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will make the cookies dry and crumbly, and too little will cause them to spread excessively. Using just the right amount of flour is what will make these cookies taste great too.
• Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion these cookies for even baking.
• Do not over-bake. These cookies are ready when the edges are set and the centers feel a tiny bit soft. The will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking tray.
• Cool the baked cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them. They are delicate while still warm so they need a few minutes to set up.

RECIPE FAQ

If you love oats, check out these recipes:

Gooey Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (gf, df option) Chewy Reese’s Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies Ultimate Monster Cookies Thick White Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Dark Chocolate Cherry Coffee Oatmeal Cookies