Irish Oatcakes (Savory Oat Crackers)

About This Oatcakes Recipe

In the British, Irish and Scottish culinary traditions oatcakes are flat crackers or biscuits, with some versions using yeast and resembling pancakes.

They are prepared with oatmeal as the primary ingredient and usually include a bit of flour as well. Traditionally baked in the oven (or cooked on a griddle when yeasted) oatcakes are a simple and delicious treat to have on hand. 

This recipe is a modern version of classic Irish oatcakes in that it uses Irish butter and rolled oats, but it also omits sugar and replaces it with walnuts to create a savory, nuttier flavor and better texture. The oat crackers are rolled in sesame seeds (optional) for yet another layer of flavor.

We include the classic Irish version too, but highly recommend the nuttier variant showcased in this post. The resulting oatcakes are buttery, rich and crunchy. They pair so well with Guinness stout, Black and Tan and Irish cheese! 

Ingredients

Rolled oats. The backbone for these savory crackers. Do not use instant oats or steel cut oats.

Whole wheat flour. If you do not have whole wheat flour on hand you can use oats flour instead or even all-purpose as a last resort.

Butter. The better quality the butter, the better the oatcakes will taste. To that end use Irish butter (or other European butter as a substitute). Its all about the richness. 

Walnuts. Raw walnuts, very finely chopped or ground (pulse in a food processor a few times). For a full-bodied texture and nutty flavor. If you want to omit them, add extra oats in the same amount.

Egg. To bind the ingredients together. Traditional oatcakes using only oatmeal sometimes call for hot water or melted butter, but here we add ground walnuts and an egg is used for both its binding properties and for moisture. 

Salt and dried thyme. To season the crackers. 

Sesame seeds. To roll the oatcakes in before you bake them. Completely optional. 

Step-by-Step Process

TIP: Place the butter in the freezer before you grate it - it will be much easier to handle and will retain a cold temperature as you work with it.

• Make the dough. Grate the butter, then add the rolled oats and whole wheat flour and press them together with your hands until well combined. Add the walnuts, thyme and salt and press to combine. Finally add and incorporate the beaten egg. 
• Shape and bake the oatcakes. Using a tablespoon measure out and form about a dozen balls of dough. Roll them in sesame seeds as shown below, then arrange onto a parchment paper sheet and lightly press them with a rolling pin to flatten them out. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet, then bake for 12 to 14 minutes at 350 F. You will see the butter getting all bubbly on top as the dough darkens. Transfer to a wire rack and allow the oat crackers to cool down completely.

Ways to Enjoy Oatcakes

• Perhaps the most quintessential way to savor an oatcake is to slather it with some quality Irish butter.
• Different preserves and chutneys go well with the oat crackers as well as various cheeses and cheese spreads. We typically bake oatcakes to use as part of cheese boards, especially Irish themed ones like this one. 
• Savory dips such as this smoked trout dip or cured salmon, thinly sliced and with a bit of cream cheese are another way to enjoy the savory oat crackers.

TIP: The oatcakes can be stored in an airtight cookie tin or jar for at least a few days without discernible loss of freshness. That being said, typically, unless we've doubled the recipe there are no leftover crackers.

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