Vegan Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (2024)

• 1 1/2 cups (150g) old-fashioned GF rolled oats, NOT quick oats
• 6 tablespoons (60g) white rice flour, do not use brown, they will crumble
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup (240g) pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup (204g) raw cashew butter* (with NO added oil or sugar)

CLASSIC WHITE FULL ICING (This will yield the best most classic result and is enough to frost 18 cookies. For a lower sugar option, do half the recipe for the drizzle effect)

• 2 tablespoons (30g) canned "lite" coconut milk, can shaken well first
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (140g) powdered sugar, sifted if it is lumpy
• Please understand that other milks tested...soy, almond, rice ALL made a thinner, less white frosting that did not dry as well and is NOT recommended. Something magical about coconut milk that works best.

LOW-FAT & COCONUT-FREE ICING (this was my favorite for the drizzle effect & the one I used in the photos. It has a delicious cream cheese flavor)

• 4 teaspoons (20g) soy or almond dairy-free yogurt
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (70g) powdered sugar

UNREFINED SUGAR & NUT-FREE ICING (this obviously has a coconut flavor and is more yellow than white and is for drizzle only)

• 1/4 cup (60g) melted LIQUID coconut butter (make sure you've thoroughly mixed the jar before measuring)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (30g) maple syrup, room temp
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (25g) non-dairy milk (I used coconut)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

UNREFINED SUGAR & COCONUT-FREE ICING (my least favorite for these cookies and I ONLY recommend the drizzle effect for this version)

• 2 tablespoons (40g) pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons (64g) raw cashew butter
• 2 teaspoons any milk to thin

NOTE

• You MUST use raw cashew butter with no added oil. Otherwise, the flavor and texture will be off. You can see how to make it here.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.

• To a large bowl, add the oats, white rice flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir well.

• Pour the maple syrup and cashew butter over the dry ingredients and stir for a couple of minutes until it all comes together into a very thick and sticky batter.

• Drop by large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons) onto the pan, placing 9 on each sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart as they will spread a lot. With damp fingers (dipped in water), press the cookies down to about 1/4 inch thick and form a round shape with your fingers in a patting motion and round out the edges. The batter will be way too sticky to roll into balls. Please refer to my video above for a visual. This is an important step for how the cookies bake up beautifully and round and flat.

• Bake one pan at a time on the center rack for 12 minutes. The cookies should have spread nicely and have a beautiful crackle and light golden top. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack with a spatula. Do not use your hands to pull them off. They will firm up as they cool, so let them cool!

• For the classic icing (this was my favorite), add the powdered sugar and milk to a small bowl and whisk until completely smooth. It will seem too dry at first but keep whisking and it will come together. Do not be tempted to add more milk! It should become thick and white. Ice the cookies quickly as it does start to dry out fairly quickly. Use a spoon to dollop each cookie and spread out with the back of the spoon. Or, for a less sugar topping, add the icing to a baggie, cut a small tip off the corner and drizzle it on. FYI: I used the yogurt version for the drizzle. Please place the cookies in the fridge to allow the icing to set quickly and then you can either store them at room temp or fridge. I place a piece of parchment paper in between each layer of cookies so the icing doesn't stick to the other cookies.

• If using the coconut butter version, melt it gently (if it's hard) in the microwave for 30 secs or until warm and soft and is liquidy. Add the syrup, milk and vanilla and mix with a fork until totally smooth and a thick pudding consistency has formed. Add to a baggie and trim off a small corner and drizzle on the cookies. Place in the fridge to set.

• If using the cashew butter icing version, add the ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a fork until smooth. Add to a baggie and trim off a small corner and drizzle on the cookies. Place in the fridge to set. This will not harden as well as the powdered sugar version and it wasn't my favorite. The cashew flavor is strong, which is why I only recommend drizzling, not completely frosting.