Are you looking for a healthy biscuit that's easy to make? These Scottish oatcakes are a super simple recipe to whip up and cook on your stovetop. They taste great with a variety of toppings as well.
Looking for more Scottish recipes? You'll love these recipes for vegetarian haggis and cranachan!
About
Oatcakes have been a staple of Scottish cuisine for hundreds of years--most likely even before the Romans invaded Britain in A.D. 43. They were traditionally cooked on one side on a girdle (griddle in Scots) over an open fire and enjoyed at most meals, but can be baked in the oven now to make the cooking process easier.
The texture of oatcakes can range from fine to coarse, depending upon how finely ground the oats are. The texture of the oatcakes can be hard and dry, or slightly chewy depending upon how much water is added to the dough.
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to whip up these Scottish oatcakes? Let's talk about the most important ones.
- Medium Oat Flour: You can buy this already ground, or make your own by blitzing steel-cut or rolled oats until they have a coarse, floury consistency. We recommend using Scottish oats (affiliate) if you can find them.
- Water: This brings the dough together to make it smooth enough to roll out.
- Salt: This adds flavor to what would otherwise be a bland oatcake.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Oat Flour: You can use a variety of textures of ground oats for a different result. Try finely ground first, then experiment with coarser ground oats as well. You can start with steel-cut (pinhead) oatmeal or rolled oats and grind them in a blender or food processor.
- Oven Baked: Don't want to cook the oatcakes on the stovetop? Bake them at 375°F for 30 minutes, flipping them after 20 minutes.
How to Make Scottish Oatcakes
Start with a few basic ingredients: oatmeal, butter, salt, baking soda, and boiling water.
- Pour all the dry ingredients into a bowl. (image 1)
- Mix until well combined. (image 2)
- Add the boiling water and stir everything together to get a thick dough. (image 3)
- Roll out the dough and cut out the oatcakes. (image 4)
- Fry in a cast iron skillet until cooked, or bake in the oven at 375°F for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through. (image 5)
- Serve with jam, cheese, chutney, or other toppings you enjoy on crackers. (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Yes, oatcakes are a healthy snack! Oats are filled with fiber and protein, which makes these oatcakes packed with vitamins and healthy nutrients.
You can serve oatcakes with butter, jam, cheese, or chutney, or any other topping you like on crackers or sandwiches. You can also serve them along with a bowl of soup. Experiment to see what you like best.
Yes, oatcakes are healthier than bread. They're not made with refined flour, which means they are full of fiber and protein to keep you full longer.
Scottish oatcakes consist of ground oats (oatmeal), butter, salt, baking soda, and water mixed together to form a smooth dough. They are rolled out and cut into thin circles, squares, or farls, then cooked on a hot griddle on the stovetop.
Make Ahead: You can make the dough in advance and chill it in the fridge until needed. Simply shape it into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
Leftovers: Keep leftover oatcakes crisp by storing them in a metal biscuit tin at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Yes, you can freeze cooked oatcakes. Let them cool completely, then seal them in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the toaster or under the broiler.
Serve
Oatcakes used to be served at most meals in Scotland, as they were a quick and easy alternative to bread. However, they are enjoyed more as a cracker or breakfast food nowadays.
Try serving them with jam and butter for a sweet snack, or top them with cheese and chutney for a savory appetizer. Experiment with toppings you like on crackers or in a sandwich.
If you're looking for other Scottish recipes, make sure to try our recipes for Scotch broth, Scottish steak pie, and mince and tatties. Don't miss these tasty sweet recipes for gluten free ratafia biscuits and traditional cranachan!
Expert Tips
- Keep the heat in the skillet on medium-low so the oatcakes cook more in the center without burning the outside.
- Want to bake the oatcakes instead? Cook them in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes, flipping them after 20 minutes.
- Have fun experimenting with using finely ground, coarsely ground, and medium ground oatmeal for different textures.
- Store leftovers at room temperature in a metal cookie tin to keep them crisp.
- Oatcakes are traditionally cooked on the griddle (cast iron skillet) on only one side, then toasted over the fire on the other. Feel free to toast them in a toaster to simulate this effect.
Other British Recipes
Recipe
Scottish Oatcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups steel-cut or rolled oats, or Scottish oatmeal
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾-1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Grind steel-cut or rolled oats in a food processor or blender until it is the texture of cornmeal. (Skip this if you're using the already ground Scottish oatmeal.) Measure out 1 ⅔ cups (235g), and set aside the extra for dusting.
- Pour the ground oats into a mixing bowl and add the butter, salt, and baking soda. Gradually stir in enough boiling water until a pasty, but not sticky, dough is formed and the mix is well blended.
- Turn out the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with some of the extra oatmeal. Knead gently a few times, then roll out the dough to 3-5 mm thick. Cut the dough into rounds with a 2 ½ inch cutter, re-rolling the scraps as needed.
- Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot, then lightly butter it and evenly space 6-7 oatcakes in it. Cook them for 10-15 minutes on each side, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining ones.
- Alternatively, place them on a cookie sheet and bake in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes, flipping them after 20 minutes.
- Serve them warm or room temperature with butter, jam, cheese, chutney, or any desired topping.
Notes
- Store leftovers at room temperature in a metal cookie tin to keep them crisp.
- Oatcakes are traditionally cooked on the griddle (cast iron skillet) on only one side, then toasted over the fire on the other. Feel free to toast them in a toaster to simulate this effect.
- Experiment with using different textures of ground oatmeal to get various results.
- Keep the heat in the skillet on medium-low so the oatcakes cook more in the center without burning the outside.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
This post was originally posted on June 20, 2018 and was updated with new photos and content on February 10, 2023.
Alex
These versatile oatcakes are delicious and crunchy on the outside. The inside is soft, and the cake taste lovely with Branston and cheese or jam!
Emma
We're glad you enjoyed these, Alex! Thank you!
Beth
These oatcakes are soft, rather bland, but they taste great with a strong chutney and some cheese. They're also quite nice with jam on top. A lovely treat!
Emma
Thank you, Beth! Oatcakes are a lovely snack.