Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Spice Cookies

Time has made the emptiness easier, but my boy is never far from my mind.  I know he's happier than ever... seriously, who wouldn't be living the college life in Santa Barbara with fraternity activities and a beautiful, smart girlfriend?  But I miss him each and every day.

And today he's coming home and I get him all to myself for a few hours.  We have a date to go beer shopping as he's found a few brews he thinks I will enjoy (apparently the fraternity has good taste...), and I can hardly contain my excitement.

His room is cleaned and his bed turned down, but most importantly the cookie jar is full.  College life may have introduced him to craft beer, but it definitely lacks in the home cooking category and I'm making up for that over the next few days.

First up, these Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Spice Cookies.  Crisp yet tender, the spice shines in these beauties, but it's the sweet glaze that really shoots them into the irresistible category.

These cookies travel well and bring the sweet life with you where ever you choose to take the.  I'll keep you posted how well they pair with the beer.  :)

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Spice Cookies
Crisp yet tender, these cookies rank as one of our family favorites.  Dairy free if you use a butter alternative, and with all those oats I can easily overcome any guilt when I reach for a third.

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal, split 1 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup - see directions
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup spelt or whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
scant 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
pinch all spice
3/4 cup butter, softened (we use Earth Balance butter alternative)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbs water or milk (I've used both water and almond milk with success)

Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare baking sheets.

Pour 1 1/2 cups oatmeal into a blender or food processor (I used my Blendtec) and pulse a few times until you have coarse oats... not powdered (flour), but just chopped - sort of like instant oatmeal size.

Pour pulsed oats and the remaining 1/2 cup of oatmeal into a medium bowl.  Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.  Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a stand mixer (or alternatively a mixing bowl with electric mixer), cream the butter and the sugars.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Add the vanilla mixing again to incorporate.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix just until combined.  Allow to rest about 10 minutes.

Scoop about 2 Tbs sized scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets spacing 2 inches apart.  I slightly flattened the dough with the palm of my hand.

Bake 10-12 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  Allow cookies to cool completely before icing.

Icing
Place powdered sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the water or milk and whisk until smooth.  Add liquid slowly and use more or less as needed to get your desired consistency.  

Dip top of cookies into the glaze then return to the wire rack (I found placing newspaper or a paper bag underneath makes clean up easier!) until the icing is set.