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
I made these, they taste great but instead of cookie, they SPREAD all over the pan into a big glob!! Doesn’t seem like enough flour!!
Bev, I make these all the time with the amount of flour and other ingredients in the recipe. I can’t really tell you exactly what happened because it could be anything from the type of butter used to the brand of oats. As a reference, I use Land O’Lakes butter and Quaker rolled oats when I make mine. I would recommend that if you try the recipe again, you could refrigerate the cookie dough before baking. That should help some with the amount of spread. I hope that helps!
I have made these for years and years. My tip is to line the cookie sheets with aluminum foil instead of parchment. Wait until the cookies cool and then you can just peel them right off.
Thanks for the tip, Sari.
Can these be made with monk guitar sweetener?
Mia, I have not made this monk fruit sweetener.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter
Terrie, I use salted butter but you could use whichever you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
Can these be made with gluten free flour?
Merry, I haven’t made these cookies with gluten free flour but others have and said they turned out beautifully.
The result far exceeds the effort!!! Carefully followed the well written recipe and the cookies are came out absolutely perfect on all levels! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Aaron. I’m happy the cookies turn out so well for you, too.
Great once I realized that anything bigger than about nickel size scoops will cook into a sheet of cookie lol. These are the best but you gotta make them super small
I’m so glad you like these, Bert. Yes, you only need about a teaspoon scoop per cookie.
I have a question. Your tips say we can refrigerate leftover dough and cook later. Does this work as well as when mixture is warm when you put on cookie sheet?
Carlisle, the cookies bake just as well after being refrigerated. Hope you enjoy!
I made these today and love the cookies and appreciate the helpful tips. I learned these things…
1) use a measuring teaspoon and another smaller one to press the dough onto cookie sheet, 2) my best ones were cooked 4.5 minutes, 3) I put 12 cookies on a half sheet pan.
Thanks, Sallie, for your tips. So glad you loved the cookies.
Can these be made without the addition of flour? I’ve only made them with the flour so not sure how they would come out,
I haven’t made these without flour, Mia, so I can’t tell you how they will turn out.