Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars – Easy Cookie Recipes You'll Love
You know those oatmeal cookies from your childhood—sweet, chewy, with that crackly icing on top? These bars are basically that, but upgraded for grown-ups who still want to sneak cookie dough off the spoon. I made these one weekend when I just needed something cozy, fast, and nostalgic. Spoiler alert: they didn’t last two days in our house. There’s something comforting about the warm cinnamon scent wafting through the kitchen while these bake. The edges get just golden enough, the center stays soft, and that icing—don’t even get me started. If you like your cookies with personality (and a bit of texture), these bars have your name written all over them. They’re great for dessert, snack time, or breakfast—no judgment. Let’s be honest: I don’t always have the patience for scooping dozens of cookies. Bars are my shortcut to sweet success, and these are too good not to share.
Servings: 12 bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (for icing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit hanging over the sides.
- In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Give it a quick stir so everything’s evenly distributed.
- In another bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. No over-stirring—we want tender bars, not oat bricks.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Use a spatula or your hands (honestly, hands are faster).
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the bars out using the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Mix the powdered sugar and milk together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle or spread over the cooled bars.
- Let the icing set before slicing into squares. Or don’t—if you like sticky fingers, I won’t judge.