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Oatcakes

Oatcakes recipe: crumbly, buttery oat biscuits with Scottish roots and a Maritime heart, baked until golden. A perfect Atlantic Canada tea-time treat.

⏱ 15 minPrep time
🔥 30 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 DessertCategory
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Crumbly golden oatcakes with a cup of tea and butter on a wooden board

Oatcakes sailed across the Atlantic with the Scottish settlers who landed at Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1773, and they never left. In the Highlands they were baked on a griddle over peat; in the Maritimes they moved to the oven, but the honest graininess of oats stayed at the centre.

The result is a biscuit that is at once sandy and sturdy, buttery and faintly sweet, with a crunch that begs for a cup of strong tea. Maritimers eat them for breakfast, with cheddar at lunch, and by the handful whenever the tin comes out.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a bowl, then rub in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  3. Stir in just enough hot water, a tablespoon at a time, to bring the dough together.
  4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut it into rounds or triangles.
  5. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges turn light golden, then cool completely on a rack.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Handle the dough as little as possible — overworking it makes the oatcakes tough. They keep for two weeks in an airtight tin and are lovely with cheddar or jam.

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Recipe details

Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Servings4
CategoryDessert
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →