Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 06/4/22
Lace Oat Biscuits

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 18 servings
Yield: 18 large cookies

You are going to love these oatmeal lace cookies—they're sweet, crisp, and as light as a feather. Even better, they are so quick and easy to make. If they're not sweet enough for you, add a little honey or sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking.

These oats cookies make a superb base for many other flavors, whether you add citrus zest to the batter or dip the finished cookies in melted chocolate. Or make a lovely cookie and ice cream sandwich for a special treat on a hot summer's day.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F and cover a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper or a silicone mat. 

  2. Add the butter and sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Cream together until light and fluffy using a whisk, or, to speed things up, with an electric hand or stand mixer. Add the beaten egg to this mixture a little at a time. Add the vanilla and beat again.

  3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a large tablespoon or a spatula, lightly fold the dry ingredients into the creamed butter until both are combined. 

  4. Scoop even spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet at least one inch apart. The size of the spoon will determine the finished size; teaspoons make dainty biscuits, tablespoons make large, thin biscuits. 

  5. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they turn golden quickly, and from there can burn. Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies sit for a minute before lifting them carefully onto a cooling rack. Repeat until all of the cookie dough is baked.

  6. Let the cookies cool completely since they will crisp up as they cool. Avoid touching them during this time as they break easily. Once cooled, lay them between layers of waxed or parchment paper and store them in a tin.

Tips

  • These cookies crumble easily. If a few break apart when you are removing them from the pan, try crumbling the pieces over ice cream for a nice crunch.
  • The cookies will also freeze well for up to one month.

Recipe Variations

  • Add citrus zest such as lime, lemon or orange.
  • Add a teaspoon of ground ginger for a light spicy flavor; finely chopped crystallized ginger adds more punch.
  • Dip the finished cookies halfway into melted chocolate or add mini chocolate chips to the mixture before cooking.
  • Replace vanilla with almond extract for a different flavor.
  • For a delicious summer treat, sandwich a scoop of ice cream between two cookies.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
105 Calories
6g Fat
13g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving
Calories 105
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 131mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 24mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)