Whenever I happen to spot Nairn’s scottish oatcakes for sale in supermarkets here in the States I’m reminded how much I’ve missed these simple crackers (but not the $4.99 price tag!). Luckily I’ve found they’re a cinch to make at home. I added cheese, pumpkin seeds and black pepper for flavor, but the possible variations, both sweet and savory, are endless.
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Cheddar and Pumpkin-seed Oatcakes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Description
These tangy, savory crackers pair really well with cheese, hummus or peanut butter. They can also be made gluten free if you use certified gluten-free oats and leave out the wheat germ.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (130g) oats
- 1/4 tsp of baking powder
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of melted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) of wheat germ
- 3/4 cups (180ml) hot water
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) grated cheddar cheese
- a good dash of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Place half a cup of the oats and all the pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until you have a fairly fine flour.
- Add the ground oats to the rest of the oats, along with the baking powder, salt, wheat germ and half the cheese – mix well.
- Next, add the melted butter and stir, next gradually add the hot water until you have a stiff dough (you may not need all the water, so be sure to add gradually).
- On a floured surface (for gluten free you could use some of the ground oat flour) roll out the dough until it’s thin.
- Using a large cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Top each oatcake with a little of the remaining grated cheese and a good helping of fresh ground black pepper.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 – 25 mins, until the edges are beginning to brown slightly.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Recipe note: I used 1 and 1/2 cups of 8 minute cook oats (in Britain they’d be called Jumbo oats).
- I put 1/2 a cup of them in the food processor with the pumpkin seeds to make a kind of oat flour to bind the whole thing together – you can experiment depending on what type of oats you use.
- This recipe makes about 18 crackers.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 oatcakes
- Calories: 220
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- Chipotle Cheddar Cornbread Muffins and Honey Butter
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe grind half the oats in a food processor?
Half a cup of oats and all the pumpkin seeds are pulsed into a fairly fine flour in the food processor before mixing with the remaining whole oats. This oat flour acts as a binder that holds the crackers together and gives them a cohesive texture instead of falling apart.
Can I make these oatcakes gluten-free?
Yes — the excerpt says these can be made gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oats and leaving out the wheat germ. The recipe also notes you can use the ground oat flour instead of wheat flour on the rolling surface for gluten-free prep. 
Why must the water be hot when making the dough?
Up to ¾ cup of hot water is gradually added to bind the dry oat mixture — the heat helps soften the oats quickly and melt the butter into the mix, producing a workable stiff dough. The recipe notes to add the water gradually since you may not need all of it.
