Cape Breton “Oopsie” Oatcakes

A bowl of toasty old-fashioned oats is my favorite way to start the morning, probably a by-product of my mother serving me Oatmeal Pablum for breakfast until I rebelled and demanded a bowl of Corn Flakes. She obviously thought it was the breakfast of champions and she wasn’t wrong in her assumption. A quick glance in my pantry would reveal five different types of oats sitting expectantly on the shelf. So, it comes as no surprise that when I saw this recipe for Cape Breton oatcakes published in the most recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, I rolled up my sleeves.

Cape Breton “Oopsie” Oatcakes

This recipe for oatcakes is slightly sweeter than traditional Scottish oatcakes, more like a crunchy, oaten shortbread, and is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up when accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee. When I initially made this recipe late one evening, I didn’t read misread the directions, combined the ingredients and stirred them together in a bowl, with a fork, instead of using a food processor as instructed by the recipe author, Andrea Geary. After I realized my error, I made the recipe again, following it to the letter. I conducted multiple side-by-side taste tests to determine which method yielded the best oatcake. Time and again, the “oopsie” oatcakes came out on top. Light golden brown and crisp, with toffee-like bass notes and more than a hint of nuttiness from the oats, these Cape Breton oatcakes are winners. And the good news is that you don’t need anything fancier than a bowl and fork to whip up a batch of these treats.

Assemble your ingredients. Using a pencil and ruler, draw a 10 X 12-inch rectangle in the center of each of 2  large sheets of parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir together with a fork. Add the oats and stir to mix again. Add the hot melted butter and hot water. Stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. 

Transfer the mixture to your work surface. Press and knead the oat mixture until it is in the shape of a disc, about 1-inch thick. Place a piece of the marked parchment paper on the counter with the pencil side facing down. Place the disc of dough in the center of the marked rectangle and press it with your hands until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Place the second piece of parchment paper on top of the dough with the pencil marks facing up. Using the pencil marks as a guide, roll the dough into a 10 X 12-inch rectangle of even thickness (or as even as you can make it. This is the only tricky part of this recipe.) If the dough extends beyond the rectangle in some spots and falls short in other spots, trim the excess and use the dough to patch the bare spots. Peel off the top piece of parchment paper and reserve. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter and a ruler, trim the edges of the dough that extend over the marked edges of the rectangle. Slide the dough, still resting on the sheet of parchment paper, onto a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step.

While the dough is chilling, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300 F. Transfer the chilled dough, still on the parchment paper, to the counter. Place the reserved piece of parchment paper, pencil marks facing down on the baking sheet. Cut the dough lengthwise into 5 equal strips, each about 2-inches wide. Cut each strip into 4 equal pieces, resulting in 20 equally sized rectangles. Using a thin metal spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly and placing the thinner pieces in the middle rather than the outer edges. Bake until the oatcakes are golden and firm to the touch, about 30-34 minutes. Allow the oatcakes to cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes.

Print Recipe

Cape Breton Oatcakes

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Cook's Illustrated Magazine, Andrea Geary – Serves: 20 cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes + 30 minute rest – Cooking Time: 30-34 minutes – Total Time: 90-94 minutes

Light golden brown and crisp, with toffee-like bass notes and more than a hint of nuttiness from the oats, these Cape Breton oatcakes are winners.

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) granulated sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1¼ cups (3¾ ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and hot
• 2 tablespoons hot water

Instructions

1

Using a pencil and ruler, draw a 10 X 12-inch rectangle in the center of each of 2  large sheets of parchment paper.

2

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir together with a fork. Add the oats and stir to mix again. Add the hot melted butter and hot water. Stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. 

3

Transfer the mixture to your work surface. Press and knead the oat mixture until it is in the shape of a disc, about 1-inch thick. Place a piece of the marked parchment paper on the counter with the pencil side facing down. Place the disc of dough in the center of the marked rectangle and press it with your hands until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Place the second piece of parchment paper on top of the dough with the pencil marks facing up. Using the pencil marks as a guide, roll the dough into a 10 X 12-inch rectangle of even thickness. If the dough extends beyond the rectangle in some spots and falls short in other spots, trim the excess and use the dough to patch the bare spots. Peel off the top piece of parchment paper and reserve. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter and a ruler, trim the edges of the dough than extend over the marked edges of the rectangle. Slide the dough, still resting on the sheet of parchment paper, onto a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

4

While the dough is chilling, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300 F. Transfer the chilled dough, still on the parchment paper, to the counter. Place the reserved piece of parchment paper, pencil marks facing down, on the baking sheet. Cut the dough lengthwise into 5 equal strips, each about 2-inches wide. Cut each strip into 4 equal pieces, resulting in 20 equally sized rectangles. Using a thin metal spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly and placing the thinner pieces in the middle rather than the outer edges. Bake until the oatcakes are golden and firm to the touch, about 30-34 minutes. Allow the oatcakes to cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Oatcakes can be stored in a resealable container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. The recipe author strongly recommends weighing the flour, sugar and oats. Do not substitute quick or instant oats in this recipe.