Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars

As someone who bakes a lot, I have a lot of people who think that I only like homemade cookies, and that the ones from the store don’t interest me. That couldn’t be further from the truth! There are some store-bought cookies that are my favorites. I don’t always like it when the cafeteria-type kitchens make cookies; those often leave a lot to be desired.

I can think of a couple of store-bought cookies that I love. Oreos are one, because the crunch of an Oreo is hard to replicate at home. Another favorite of my childhood is the Mother’s Iced Oatmeal cookies. I could eat so many of those! Whenever I see a recipe that replicates those, I try to make it right away.

I have previously made a cookie version of iced oatmeal cookies, but not a bar version. You do want to cut the oats down some, but thankfully I have a small food processor that works for about a cup of ingredients. Otherwise, these bars come together easily and bake quickly. I added the icing after an hour, then went about my day and cut them later. These bars capture the flavors of the iced oatmeal cookies fantastically. I gave some to my friend and she mentioned to me that they are WONDERFUL. I agree completely.

Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars
1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon molasses

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8” square baking pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the microwave and cool for 10 minutes. While the butter is cooling, place the oats in a food processor and pulse until the oats are cut into smaller bits, but not so long that the mixture becomes like flour. In a medium bowl whisk together the processed oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

Place the melted butter in a large mixing bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Mix on low for about a minute until the sugar and butter combine. Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses, mixing on medium to incorporate. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour/oat mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated- do not over mix. Spread the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 20-24 minutes, until the edges are golden. Allow the bars to cool for at least an hour before topping with the icing.

Make the icing: in a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and the vanilla. If the glaze is too thick, add additional milk. Drizzle the glaze over the bars, allowing some of the cookie to remain visible. Allow the glaze to set before cutting into bars.

Recipe from Browned Butter Blondie