Super Easy Traditional Scottish Oatcakes - Larder Love (2024)

Author: Karon Grieve Published : April 2020

The humble oatcake is something of a tradition here in Scotland. The cracker of choice with cheese and just as at home with jam or beside a bowl of soup. This recipe is for my super easy traditional Scottish oatcakes really takes the biscuit!

Oatcakes have been a staple of the Scottish diet for centuries. They used to be kept buried in oatmeal in a gimel (meal chest) to keep them fresh. You don’t have to go as far as that nowadays. Just keep these super easy Scottish oatcakes in the biscuit tin.

Oatcakes are healthy!

Oats are packed with two types of fibre, both soluble and insoluble fibre which means they help to promote healthy digestion and keep you fuller for longer.
Oatcakes have a high mineral content especially manganese and phosphorous and are excellent for maintaining energy levels. They also have a low glycaemic index and oats are naturally gluten free

Ingredients for oatcakes

You don’t need many ingredients to make these super easy Scottish oatcakes, just 4 ingredients plus a little warm water and a wee pinch of salt.

Oatmeal – use either medium or fine grade oatmeal for this traditional oatcake recipe.

Baking soda

Melted butter

How to make oatcakes

Scottish oatcakes are so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you’ve never bothered to make your own before.

Simply put all your dry ingredients for oatcakes into a nice big bowl and make a well in the centre.

Add the melted butter into this well and start adding the water a little at a time as your stir your oatcake dough and bring it together.

Once you have a ball of dough give it a knead then wrap in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge for half an hour to firm up. This makes the rolling out and cutting of your homemade oatcakes a wee bit easier.

Flour your work surface and roll out the dough to about 2mm thick. Now just cut out the oatcakes using a cookie cutter.

Place the oatcakes on a baking tray and bake for approximately 25 minutes till they are golden.

Alternative cooking method

You can also bake your oatcakes in the old Scottish way on a girdle (or griddle) or even a heavy-based frying pan. Or on the simmering plate of your trusty Aga or Everhot. Cook for about 3 minutes.

You’ll know when they are ready when the edges start to curl up a little. Now rub the tops with a little more oatmeal and pop under the grill to crisp them up and brown the tops.

What to eat with oatcakes

Serve these super easy Scottish oatcakes with cheese as part of a cheeseboard, with butter and jam, honey or marmalade or just on their won with a bowl of soap.

I like them as a snack instead of crisps (chips) and dip them into any of my favourite dips from Tzatziki to Salsa.

I’ve even been known to just have a plain oatcake and a square of dark chocolate when I feel the urge for a choccie treat with a coffee.

These super easy Scottish oatcakes are perfect pantry staples. Check out my 50 Homemade Pantry Staples article for loads of ideas for making your own store cupboard basics.

Oh and here are some other fun oaty bakes for you to try too;

Salt and Pepper Oatcakes

3 ingredient oat and peanut butter cookies(+Video!)

Oat and almond crumble crackers

3 ingredient oatmeal pancakes

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.

PS I made this recipe originally for my cookbook Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes. Well you can”t really have a Scottish cookbook without doing oatcakes can you.