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British

Scottish oatcakes

Vegetarian

Crisp, rustic, barely sweet oat biscuits from Scotland made with little more than oats, fat, salt and hot water — the classic partner for cheese.

Scottish oatcakes is a British bread from United Kingdom, ready in about 1 hour and made with rolled oats and butter. It serves 16 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
15 min
Total
1 h
Serves
16
Level
Beginner
Calories
67

Ingredients

16 oatcakes

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 180 °C (fan 160 °C). If using rolled oats (opens in a new tab), pulse them in a food processor (opens in a new tab) into a coarse meal.

  2. Step 2

    Mix the oatmeal (opens in a new tab), salt and bicarbonate, then pour in the melted fat and hot water. Stir into a firm paste that holds together; leave 5 minutes for the oats to absorb the water.

  3. Step 3

    Roll out between two sheets of baking paper about 4 mm thick (work while warm; the dough stiffens as it cools). Cut into rounds or farls and transfer to a lined tray.

    Dough being rolled out with a rolling pin
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Bake 25–30 minutes, turning halfway, until firm, dry and just golden at the edges.

    • 30 min
    • 180°C · fan 160 °C

  5. Step 5

    Cool on a rack; they crisp up as they cool.

About this dish

Origin
Scotland, United Kingdom · Well documentedMore food from United Kingdom
Dish
Snack · Breakfast · Breads & flatbreads · Finger food
Cooking method
Oven-baked
Taste
nutty, salty, mild
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox
Cook more with
Rolled oats · Butter · Baking soda
Techniques
Baking

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter
  • Contains: Glutenfrom rolled oats

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

67 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 19 g · recipe makes 16

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 11%
  • Carbohydrate 57%
  • Fat 32%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy67 kcal356 kcal
Protein1.9 g9.9 g
Carbohydrate9.5 g50.8 g
Net carbohydrate8.1 g43.2 g
Sugars0.1 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.4 g7.6 g
Fat2.4 g13 g
Saturated fat1.1 g6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol4 mg22 mg
Sodium106 mg565 mg
Salt equivalent0.3 g1.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
51 mg
Calcium
8 mg
Iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
20 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
13 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
5 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dust the paper with oatmeal rather than flour to keep them wheat-free.

Common mistakes

  • Rolling too thick — they turn hard rather than crisp.

Serve with

  • With mature cheddar and chutney, smoked salmon or crowdie.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 weeks in an airtight tin.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Baker’s notes

Customise in Bread & Bakery

Timeline and readiness cues

  1. Mix and knead · about 15 min

    Knead until smooth and soft; it should feel like an earlobe.

  2. Rest · about 5 min

    Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.

  3. Bake · about 30 min at 180 °C

    Puffed with golden-brown spots on both sides.

  4. Cool · about 15 min

    Cool on a rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting; cutting hot bread makes it gummy.

  5. Start to finish: about 1 h 5 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

If something goes wrong

  • Pale crust

    Likely causes

    • Oven too cool
    • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
    • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

    What to do

    • Check the oven with a thermometer
    • Brush with egg wash or milk
    • Shorten the fermentation
  • Burnt bottom

    Likely causes

    • Tray too close to the heat
    • Dark tray absorbs more heat
    • Too much sugar in the dough

    What to do

    • Bake on the middle shelf
    • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
    • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
  • Cracked or domed top

    Likely causes

    • Oven too hot (crust sets before the centre rises)
    • Too much leavening
    • Overmixed batter

    What to do

    • Lower the oven 10–15 °C
    • Use the exact leavening amount
    • Fold just until combined
  • Dry or crumbly

    Likely causes

    • Too much flour (scooped, not weighed)
    • Over-baked
    • Too little fat or sugar

    What to do

    • Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level
    • Check 5 minutes early
    • Don't cut fat or sugar by more than a quarter without another moisture source

Reviews & corrections

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