Chewy Maple Oatmeal Cookies with Ground Oats and Maple Icing
Soft and chewy oatmeal cookies featuring ground oats for tender texture, brown sugar and maple sugar for deep sweetness, and warm spices. Topped with a simple maple syrup icing that adds extra maple flavor. Perfect for fall gatherings, cookie exchanges, or anytime you want homemade cookies with maple character. The ground oats create a more tender cookie than traditional whole oat versions while still maintaining that classic oatmeal cookie taste.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups oats, plus 1 Tbsp
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple sugargranulated sugar1:1substitution
Use granulated sugar if maple sugar unavailable
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- ⅝ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup, for icing
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream, or half and half, or milk
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350F
- 2
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, or grease with butter or cooking spray
- 3
Grind the oats in a food processor until it resembles coarse meal, with some large flakes showing but mostly powdery and clumpy
- 4
Whisk together all dry ingredients in a large bowl
- 5
Whisk together butter, maple syrup, and eggs in a small bowl
- 6
Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix together until combined
- 7
Scoop balls of dough about 2 Tbsp in size onto cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart
- 8
Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating and switching the pans halfway through
- 9
Cool the cookies on wire racks
- 10
Let cookies cool completely before icing
- 11
Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream for icing
- 12
Drizzle icing over cooled cookies
Tips
Use a food processor to grind oats for more consistent texture - aim for mostly powdery with some flakes remaining
Space cookies 3 inches apart as they spread during baking
Let cookies cool completely before adding icing to prevent melting
Good to Know
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week
Dough can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, or shaped cookies can be frozen up to 3 months
Best served at room temperature, allow icing to set for 30 minutes
Common Mistakes
Don't overbake to avoid hard cookies - tops should be evenly browned
Don't ice warm cookies or icing will melt and run off
Don't overgrind oats or they become flour-like and dense
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I use quick oats instead of regular oats?
Quick oats work but will create a different texture - less chewy and more cake-like since they're already partially processed.
What if I don't have maple sugar?
Substitute with equal amount granulated sugar or brown sugar. You'll lose some maple flavor but cookies will still be delicious.
How long do these cookies keep?
Store in airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months without icing.