Scottish Oatcakes are rustic gluten free crackers perfect for cheese boards and charcuterie platters ~ they’re delicious and so easy to make!
These humble little Scottish oatcakes are having a moment ~ you’ll spot them in all the fancy cheese shops and gourmet markets lately. In Scotland they’re called oatcakes or biscuits, but here in the States, we’d call them a cracker.
They’re a bit different than most crackers you’re used to. Think rustic, nutty, and a little shaggy around the edges. People in the British Isles have been snacking on them for centuries, with tea or alongside cheese and savory toppings. I love them with a sharp English cheddar or a creamy blue and a little drizzle of honey. (They’re also weirdly great with peanut butter.)
Best part? They’re super easy to make. The naturally gluten-free dough is made with oats, oat flour, and walnuts and comes together with soft butter and a splash of buttermilk. A quick bake turns them crisp and golden.
Notes on making Scottish oatcakes
- Be sure to process your walnuts and rolled oats enough ~ they should be finely ground for a smooth cracker.
- The dough should be moist and hold together when pressed between your fingers.
- No need to chill the dough, just roll and bake.
- You can roll these crackers thinner or thicker depending on your preference. Just adjust the baking time.
Why use both oats and oat flour?
- Oats (usually rolled or pinhead/steel-cut) add a rustic, nubby texture and give the oatcakes that classic crumbly bite.
- Oat flour (or finely ground oats) helps bind the dough together and provides a more cohesive, tender texture so the oatcakes don’t fall apart.
Using both creates an oatcake that’s hearty but not too coarse, crisp but not dry ~ basically the best of both worlds.
how I’m serving Scottish oatcakes
Scottish oatcakes are very much a farmhouse staple with deep roots in Scottish history. They date back centuries and were a daily bread substitute for rural Scots. They might not seem like much at first to modern Americans, but their true beauty shines when you pair them up:
- Aged English or Scottish Cheddar
- Stilton or another blue cheese (with a drizzle of honey)
- Creamy Brie or Camembert
- Topped with smoked salmon (I add a layer of cream cheese first)
- With butter and jam or marmalade
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Scottish Oatcakes
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup soft or melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the 1 cup old fashioned oats and the 1 cup walnut pieces in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground
- Add in the 1 1/2 cups oat flour, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda and pulse to combine.
- Pour in the 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup soft or melted butter and pulse until the dough comes together.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and bring the dough together. If it feels wet, knead in a little more flour. If it feels dry add a bit of buttermilk.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a 2-inch cookie cutter. Place the cookies on your parchment lined baking sheet about an inch apart. You can prick the crackers with the tines of a fork if you like the look, but it's not necessary, the dough doesn't rise or puff up.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes until just starting to turn golden.
- Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
I’ll try this recipe tomorrow. Have some walnuts that need used up!
Today I bought a box of Oatcake Biscuits and am in love! Looking for a recipe for said cakes, I stumbled upon your website and simply fell in love. I signed up for all you have, downloaded your ebook and will be cooking through your recipes for a long, long time to come. Cannot wait to try these Scottish Oat and Walnut Biscuits! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Welcome in Steve 🙂
Absolutely delicious! They’re everything I was hoping for. I’m hoping my gluten-free daughter will enjoy them too!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I doubled the batch and used coconut sugar instead and added course chopped dried cranberries.
Do you think black walnuts would be too strong for this recipe??
Also, I have powdered goat’s milk, in my quarantine pantry. Butter milk sub? Or too tangy?? Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes that you develop ?
Hi Kirsten ~ I have to admit I have limited experience with black walnuts, but if you love them, I’d say use them. I think the goat’s milk would work fine as well. Let me know 🙂
Hi! Could I make the dough into a log, chill, then slice rather than roll out? Love your recipes! Thanks!
I haven’t tried so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think so Tanya. It’s a crumbly type dough and I’m not sure it would hold together for that. You could try and if it doesn’t work you can always roll it out.
I tried this recipe and I liked it, so I tried it again . This time I did add 2 more table spoons of brown sugar. It is a keeper and I loved eating them with my tea.
These are amazing! My husband and I were in Scotland last August saw them if a few shops and were going to pick up a package but always forgot. Now I am totally upset we didnt try them. I will be making them often!
Making for a Scottish themed wedding, how long can I store. Or can I freeze cakes
Definitely these will freeze well if you need longer storage than a week. Otherwise I’d keep them in an airtight container.
I haven’t made these yet, but I’m planning on making them tomorrow. I don’t have rolled oats, just quick oats, would I need to make any changes to the recipe when using quick oats?
No, you can use them interchangeably.