Gingerbread oatmeal cookies are a chewy oatmeal cookie filled with molasses, lots of spices, and topped with a sweet and tart lemon glaze. A delicious holiday cookie that would be a great addition to any cookie box.
These gingerbread oatmeal combine all my favorite flavors and textures together in one winning cookie. They're warm, sweet, chewy, hearty and bright. You won't be able to stop with just one!
For more ginger cookie recipes try my soft cut out gingerbread cookies, my gingerbread snickerdoodles or my popular molasses crinkle cookies.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love These Cookies
- Chewy: These cookies are extra chewy from the molasses.
- Perfectly Spiced: Lots of spices make these cookies taste so cozy and warm.
- Lemon Glaze: I love the pairing lemon and gingerbread together. They're sweet, spiced and tart.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: I love using salted butter, but unsalted works great too.
- Dark Brown Sugar: The dark brown sugar has some added molasses for even more flavor and chewiness.
- Molasses: I always suggest using unsulphured molasses for cookies.
- Oats: You will lightly blend or pulse your oats to chop them up a bit.
- Spices: These cookies are loaded with spice.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Place the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Step 2: Add molasses, egg and vanilla and mix until all combined.
- Step 3: Pulse oats in your blender a few times to make them smaller.
- Step 4: Slowly mix in flour, oats, salt, soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Step 5: Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop for these. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, this will help the cookies from spreading.
- Step 6: Place 6 cookies on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a nice light golden brown around the edges.
- Step 7: When cookies are done baking mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice. You can add a little more lemon juice if needed.
- Step 8: Brush or dip cooled cookies with lemon glaze and allow to firm up.
Expert Baking Tips
- It is not necessary to chill the dough, but will help the cookies hold their shape.
- If you don't like lemon you can sub in milk or water for a standard glaze instead, or even skip the glaze all together.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, these cookies are great with or without it.
Yes, just sub in gluten free flour (my favorite is cup4cup) and make sure your oats are also gluten free.
I like pulsing or blending them down just a bit so they aren't as big in the cookies. You can also use a knife to chop them up a bit.
Storing & Freezing
Gingerbread oatmeal cookies will remain fresh if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also prep the cookie dough in advance and store it in the fridge for about a week.
You can freeze your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months with them remaining fresh. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls if you would like to bake them one at a time.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) salted butter
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (56 g) molasses
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (140 g) oats pulsed to make smaller
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoons (1.25 teaspoons) ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cloves
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) nutmeg
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add molasses, egg and vanilla and mix until all combined.
- Pulse oats in your blender a few times to make them smaller.
- Slowly mix in flour, oats, salt, soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, being careful not to over mix. I usually stop when I still have some flour remnants around the bowl.
- Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop for these. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place 6 cookies on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You're looking for a nice light golden brown around the edges.
- When cookies are done baking mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice. You can add a little more lemon juice if needed.
- Brush or dip cooled cookies with lemon glaze and allow to firm up.
Bailey
An iced oatmeal cookie but 10 times better! Such a fun holiday cookie!
Sandy
I love these chewy spiced cookies! The glaze is a great addition to make them a notch above!