Crafted by recipe developer and food writer Jessie Sheehan, these Scottish oat cakes are surprisingly easy to prepare and perfect for snacking.

Recipe developer and food writer Jessie Sheehan knows a thing or two about snacking. She got her start in the culinary world as a junior baker at Baked in Red Hook, Brooklyn. After learning the ropes of the craft, Sheehan began helping the owners develop recipes, contributing to the bakery’s first four cookbooks. Since then, she’s written four of her own, including The New York Times-bestselling Snackable Bakes and its successor, Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes, released in 2024. Try this easy recipe to sample one of Sheehan’s latest treats, a versatile oat cake that can be customized with toppings for the perfect sweet or savory nibble.

Scottish(ish) Oat Cakes

Recipe by Jessie SheehanCourse: SnacksCuisine: ScottishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

oat cakes

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Honestly, I was not expecting to be quite so taken with these cute little cakes. I wanted to include a recipe for them, as they are easy and folks seem to dig them, but didn’t really get how truly special they are until I baked up a batch. They are very slightly sweet, very oaty, crumbly, and just perfect with a slice of cheese and maybe a pickle; or a smear of cream cheese and a little lox. Pro tip: Microwave the butter and water together, and once the butter melts, the water will be hot and you’ll be good to go.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick one-minute oats, plus more for dusting

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp packed light brown sugar

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

• 3 Tbsp hot water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the melted butter and water and stir with a flexible spatula to combine.
• Lightly sprinkle a work surface with oats and divide the dough into eight small balls (about 32 grams each). Press the balls into the sprinkled oats to coat, and then flatten them into 3-inch-diameter cakes (you can flip them over to coat both sides, or just do one side). Use your fingers to smooth any cracked edges.
• Place the cakes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve the cakes warm or at room temperature.

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