Scottish oatcakes are a family favourite cookie for Sharyn Thompson

Scottish oatcakes are probably our families favourite cookie. I have been making them for over 40 years. The recipe originally came from Margo Oliver’s column from the Montreal Star.  It is a simple recipe with few ingredients. The trick is to roll out the cookie dough as thinly as possible for the most tender and crisp cookie ever! If you try this recipe, you will be forever hooked to make them. Many mornings, when our daughters were still at home, I would start baking this recipe at 6 am for their breakfast. It is that good! Try it!

SCOTTISH OATCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1- 1/2 cups white sugar

2 level tsp. fine salt

1 lb. Crisco shortening (don’t use butter)

3 cups quick cooking organic rolled oats (we carry this at Sharyn’s Pantry, the quality of these oats are far superior to regular oats)

1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water (or enough to hold the cookie dough together)

METHOD:

-Combine the flour, sugar, salt and rolled oats in a large bowl.

-Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until it resembles a pie dough, with small pieces of shortening no larger than peas. I use a pastry blender to do this.

-Add the cold water, mixing as you do this. You must have enough cold water to hold the dough together, but you don’t want the dough to be wet. I squeeze a chunk of it in my hand to see if it holds together.

-Flour your counter top- I use my marble pastry board and I place a rolling pin cover over my rolling pin. This is such a great help when rolling pie or cookie dough. You use way less flour and therefore, your dough will be more tender. (we carry a pastry cloth and rolling pin cover at Sharyn’s Pantry)

-Take a hunk of the dough. Pat it down and lightly flour the dough. Flour your rolling pin cover if you have one or just your rolling pin. Roll the dough as thinly as possible. About 1/8″ thick.

-Cut it into squares about  3″ x3″. With an egg lifter, gently lift the squares of oatcakes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue rolling and cutting.

-Bake the trays of oatcakes in a 350 degree F. oven until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

-Allow the oatcakes to cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before lifting them to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

-I know you will just love this recipe! Pour yourself a nice cup of tea or a cold glass of milk. ENJOY!