Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g medium oatmeal
- 3 g salt, fine
- 1 g baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 45 g unsalted butter, melted
- 60 ml water, freshly boiled
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the medium oatmeal, salt, and baking soda until evenly distributed.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter and the freshly boiled water. Stir vigorously until the mixture comes together into a thick dough.
Dust a clean work surface with a little extra oatmeal. Turn the dough out and roll it with a rolling pin to an even thickness of 4 to 5 millimeters.
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the oatcakes. Re-roll the scraps quickly before the dough cools, cutting until all the dough is used.
Transfer the cut oatcakes to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges turn a pale golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp up significantly as they cool.
Chef's Notes
- Using true Scottish medium oatmeal yields the most authentic, slightly coarse texture. If you only have standard rolled oats, pulse them in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour before measuring.
- The temperature of the water is critical. Boiling water gelatinizes the starches in the oats, acting as the primary binder since this recipe contains absolutely no gluten.
- For a deeply savory, traditional twist, substitute the melted butter with an equal weight of rendered bacon fat or beef dripping.
- If you plan to serve these with sweet accompaniments like honey or jam, you can add 5 grams of sugar to the dry mix for balance.
Storage
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in foil and place in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
