Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe
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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 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.
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!
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.
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!
Come to think of it, maybe that’s why my mother-in-law makes them each year for her huge family.
Here’s the Oatmeal Lace Cookie recipe my family loves. One warning though, they are buttery and oh so addictive.
Oatmeal Lace Cookies Recipe
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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
These are really good! Beware, they are addicting!
Thanks, Kimbolina!
Salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter, Lydia.
I made these cookies yesterday. They looked just like the picture & were so crisp & delicious! I let them cool for hours, then put them in an air tight container with wax paper, but today they have gone soft & taste totally different. Why does that happen with cookies??
Shirley, I’m not sure what happened. I’m not sure what type of container you used but sometimes cookies stored in plastic containers will soften but don’t in glass containers. Also, make sure you don’t store soft cookies in same container as crisp cookies or they will all be soft. You can put these cookies on a wire rack and bake at 300ºF for about 5 minutes for them to become crisp again.
Can I freeze these after they’re baked?
Susan, you can freeze them in an airtight container after they are baked.
I’m in Costa Rica and brown sugar is completely different here. Can I use regular white sugar or a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar?
Michael, I have not made these cookies with granulated sugar so I can’t tell you from experience how the cookies will turn out but others have said they have used it.
I have a friend who is Celiac, so I substituted the flour for almond flour! Then I dipped one half in milk chocolate! Absolutely delicious!
First, mine spread all over the pan, I had to shape them with a spatula back into a shape of a cookie. Now they won’t harden, they are soft, floppy, and fall apart. Seems like I might have to try to salvage them by rolling in a ball and coating with something. Yah think? Sure hate to toss them out, they taste good but you need to pull apart like taffy. Whatcha think?
Colleen, I’m sorry your cookies spread and would not harden. I’m not sure what happened. Did you use rolled oats or quick cooking oats? The quick cooking oats are too fine and would cause the cookies to be too thin and spread too much.
My grandmother always made French Lace Cookies and this recipe tastes the most like hers. I always make them for friends and family around the holidays. Although I add chopped pecans because that’s what my grandmother always did
I love the sweet memories these old recipes bring back, too, Hailey. I will have to try the with pecans. Thanks.
Can’t wait to try this version. My Mom’s go-to recipe is Almond lace cookies, but it has almond extract, sliced almonds, and white sugar, and we always get rave reviews!
I want to try the brown sugar- I think that sounds delicious- thanks for the recipe!
I hope you enjoy the cookies!
So delicious, the color is very engaging! The second steps very hard for me. I have care the temperature and stir brown sugar. I worry it is overheated. But so nice result. We have a good plate of oatmeal lace cookies.
Thank you, Jason! I’m so glad the cookies turned out well for you.