Quick and simple oatmeal lace cookies with crisp edges and chewy middles come together in about 30 minutes. Top with a dark chocolate drizzle, chopped dried cranberries, and flaky sea salt, or serve them just as they are!
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Oatmeal lace cookies have a lot to recommend them. For starters, they’re easy and come together fast. You don’t need a mixer, nor do you need to soften the butter. If you, like me, are frequently running behind schedule but want to show up with something delicious in hand anyway, these cookies are for you!
But oatmeal lace cookies aren’t just easy to make, they are also very good to eat. Chewy centers and crisp edges with notes of butterscotch make these delicate cookies a standout for holiday gatherings and cookie boxes.
They’re very good just as they are, but if you’d like to gild the lily (just a little), top them with a drizzle of melted chocolate, chopped dried cranberries, and flaky sea salt for extra pop. Or, embrace tradition and serve them as little cookie sandwiches with a layer of chocolate in between. You could also dip one side and add the toppings of your choice such as dried fruit or candied ginger.
Like most cookies that are both crisp and chewy, they’re best the day they’re made. After that, they lose some of the delightful snap, but keep the chew.
Though these cookies are simple, they require a bit of care. Be sure to follow these essential steps for the best results:
- Thick-cut or old fashioned rolled oats are essential for the texture. Quick-cooking oats will not work here.
- The cookie batter will be very sticky. Be sure to use parchment-lined baking sheets to prevent sticking.
- Use a rounded tablespoon measure to get the amount of batter for each cookie exactly right.
- Once placed on the baking sheet, do your best to nudge the batter into an even, round shape. For best results, use the tablespoon measure and a small silicone spatula or a spoon.
- Oatmeal lace cookies have a unique batter that spreads a great deal in the oven, yielding cookies that are nearly translucent in places. As such, it’s important to resist the urge to crowd the pan – six cookies per (18 x 13-inch) half sheet baking pan is the right amount.
- If your cookies bake up in less than perfect circles, use the flat edge of a spatula to gently nudge them into shape.
Quick and simple oatmeal lace cookies with crisp edges and chewy middles come together in about 30 minutes. Add a bittersweet chocolate drizzle, chopped dried cranberries, and flaky sea salt, or serve them just as they are!
See notes above for baking tips. Most importantly: resist the urge to crowd these. They really spread a lot in the oven.
If needed, set the egg in warm water to quickly get it to room temperature.
- 1 1/2 cups thick-cut or old fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick-cooking oats)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (halve the amount if using another salt)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, minced
- Flaky sea salt
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
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Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Set aside to cool briefly and then stir butter into the oat mixture.
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In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat the egg and sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy with a marshmallow-like texture. Add vanilla, and then the oat-butter mixture, stirring until combined.
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Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter per cookie onto baking sheet, flattening each mound slightly, and allowing 4 inches between (these cookies spread as they bake!). Bake until cookies are puffed up slightly and the edges are a deep golden hue, 7 - 9 minutes.
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Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove to a baking rack to cool completely. Reserve parchment-lined trays for catching chocolate drips.
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For the chocolate drizzle, set up a double boiler over medium heat and add approximately two-thirds of the chocolate, stirring until it is melted. Remove double boiler from heat, add remaining chocolate, and stir until melted. Set cookies on a baking rack with a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath. Drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. If desired, add dried cranberry pieces and a pinch of flaky sea salt to each cookie as it cools. Chocolate will take an hour or more to fully set.
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Cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days but are best the day they're made.
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