Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (2024)

Oatmeal Lace Cookies are crisp, delicate, buttery and delicious! This lace cookies recipe is a family favorite and makes a large quantity of cookies!

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (1)

Oatmeal Lace Cookies have always been one of my husband’s favorite cookies. I’ve known that but quickly forget from time to time as they aren’t a cookie I have regularly made. So, the other night I asked him, “what’s a favorite special cookie that you’d like for me to make for you?”

His immediate reply, “Lace cookies.”

His Mama has always made them, especially at Christmas. And they are amazing!

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Which isn’t hard to believe, because let me just tell you, I have never, ever, ever tasted one thing that my mother-in-law cooked that was not absolutely out of this world scrumptious.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (2)

You know, I have truly been blessed to be surrounded by phenomenal cooks in my life with my Grandmothers, Mama, and aunts. I count myself even more blessed to be able to learn even a little bit about recipes, cooking, entertaining large crowds, and many other life lessons from my mother-in-law. What an honor to learn from all these wonderful ladies!

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (3)

So, back to these oatmeal lace cookies. Lace cookies get their name because as they bake, they spread and bubble and bubble and bubble and form little holes in the cookies.

There are so many recipes for lace cookies, but my mother-in-law’s recipe actually originated from a local restaurant where special parties and luncheons were often held. They’ve since closed, but thankfully shared this recipe with her before they did so.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (4)

This oatmeal lace cookie recipe makes a LOT of cookies. I mean a whole lot of cookies, close to six dozen. That’s what makes this lace cookie recipe so perfect for Christmas cookies, luncheons, showers, parties and more! There are plenty to share and still have a few to enjoy!

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (5)

Come to think of it, maybe that’s why my mother-in-law makes them each year for her huge family.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (6)

Here’s the Oatmeal Lace Cookie recipe my family loves. One warning though, they are buttery and oh so addictive.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.94 from 136 votes

Oatmeal Lace Cookies are thin, crisp, delicate and buttery cookies. This lace cookies recipe is a family favorite.

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 60

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226 g) butter
  • 2 1/4 cups (479 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 1/4 cups (200 g) rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons (23 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
  • 1 large (50 g) egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Set aside.

  • Heat butter and brown sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden or silicon spoon, until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in oats, flour, salt, egg, and vanilla.

  • Drop cookie batter by the teaspoon onto prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie to allow them to spread.

  • Bake for 5 -7 minutes, watching closely to prevent them from over-baking. The lace cookies should be golden brown.

  • Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 30 seconds and remove onto racks to cool completely.

  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Make sure to use real butter and not margarine as it will impact the results of the cookies.

Make Ahead Tips
You can prepare the dough and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. When you are ready to bake, drop the dough by teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart and follow the recipe baking instructions.

Freezing Oatmeal Lace Cookie dough: Drop dough by teaspoons onto a parchment covered baking sheet. Cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour or until the dough is frozen. Remove from the freezer and place the cookie mounds into airtight containers or freezer bags. Label the bag with the date and name of the cookies.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the container from the freezer. Remove the number of cookies from the container that you wish to bake and place them at least 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. You will not need to thaw the dough before baking. Bake as directed in your recipe but you will probably need to add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.

Storing baked cookies: Cool the baked cookies thoroughly. Layer cookies between pieces of parchment of waxed paper and place into an airtight container. These cookies should keep up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Categorized as:All Recipes, Christmas Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Cooking, Dessert Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Recipes

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my lace cookies not spreading? ›

All-purpose flour isn't ideal because the cookies will not spread or caramelize. Some readers have used coconut flour, but note that the taste and texture is off. I strongly recommend almond flour. Either 1 Tablespoon of milk or corn syrup works in this lace cookie recipe.

Why are my homemade oatmeal cookies hard? ›

Not Enough Moisture: Ensure you're using the right amount of butter in your recipe and that it's at the correct temperature (softened not melted) when you start. Oatmeal cookies require more moisture to stay soft. Consider adding an extra egg yolk or a touch of milk to your dough to enhance moisture content.

Why are my oatmeal cookies so dry? ›

There are several reasons why the cookies may have become dry and crumbly but the two most likely are that either the cookies were baked for too long or too much flour was added to the dough. The cookie should be baked only until the edges are slightly golden and the top looks a little wrinkled.

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Why are my cookies not spreading enough? ›

Oven Is Not Hot Enough

Cookies spread while baking because the fats in the dough melt. If your oven isn't set to a high enough temperature, this won't happen. Make sure that your oven has preheated to the appropriate temperature before baking.

Why are my oatmeal cookies not spreading? ›

Too much flour causes the dough to become dry and crumbly, which prevents it from flattening out during baking. As a result, your cookies will stay in their original shape instead of spreading out into nice circles.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

What makes oatmeal cookies spread too much? ›

An oven that hasn't reached the correct baking temperature causes the fat in the dough to melt before the cookie bakes through. As a result, cookies spread too much. Heat the oven for at least 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb is to turn the oven on just before you begin measuring ingredients.

What ingredient makes cookies harder? ›

Baking powder

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate and acidic salts. The reaction of these two ingredients results in a cookie that is soft and thick, but slightly harder.

Should you chill oatmeal cookie dough? ›

Since most cookies are made with softened butter, which is then creamed with the sugar to act as the foundation, it's best to chill the dough after mixing to allow that butter to cool off. “Cookies made from chilled dough expand more slowly as they bake,” Hill says.

How do you moisten oatmeal cookie dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Can I use instant oatmeal instead of rolled oats? ›

In addition to be heated for a warm breakfast bowl, rolled oats are commonly used in granola bars, cookies, muffins, and other baked goods. Instant oats can be used in place of rolled oats, although the cook time will be much less, and the final dish will not have as much texture.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What ingredient makes cookies fluffier? ›

When you cream butter and sugar together, you incorporate air into the batter, which will leaven the cookies as they bake, leading to cakier, fluffier cookies. Melting butter incorporates no air, leading to denser cookie.

Does baking powder go bad? ›

Baking powder doesn't technically “go bad”, but it does lose its effectiveness. An unopened can is good until the date stamped on the bottom. An opened can is good for about 6–12 months.

How can I get my cookies to spread? ›

Higher sugar content will lead to more spread, while lower sugar content will result in less spread. Experimenting with different sugar ratios can help you achieve the desired cookie spread. Flour type and amount: The type and amount of flour used in your cookie dough can also impact the spread.

What makes my cookies spread? ›

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

Why are all my cookies coming out flat? ›

If your cookies consistently come out flat, you may have selected the wrong baking temperature. If you bake cookies using too much heat, the fats in the dough begin to melt before the other ingredients can cook together and form your cookie's rise.

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