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 cookies for Christmas and the response was great. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them, Pat!
I can’t wait to try this recipe, been looking for one and the last time I tried they were sticking to the parchment paper. I was wondering if you have tried putting melted chocolate on the other side? I want to do that for this particular recipe, this cookie looks pretty stable and won’t fold or crack easily.
Hi,
I’d love to make these cookies, but I have Organic Quick Rolled Oats.Is this the correct kind to use?
Thanks!
I use the same type and they’ve always turned out great for me!
What a great recipe!! Thanks for sharing. My stepmother introduced these cookies to me over the Christmas holday, and it was love at first bite. I found your recipe and have made them twice already. I found that half a teaspoon of the cookie dough is plenty. My husband and daughter love them just as much as I.
I made theses today and they are delicious. My family won’t stop eating them. But my second bAtch got really burned even though they were only in the oven for five minutes. The other bathes were in for six minuets and they did not get burned. I’m a little confused about that.
Was the burned batch placed on an already hot cookie sheet?
I made these today and they are soooo goooood! I let them get a darker brown around the edges.
For whatever reason, I had to let mine cool a good 5 minutes on the cookie sheet or else they would “fold up” on themselves when I tried to remove them. Maybe my cookie sheet holds heat longer.
I’m so glad you loved them, Rose.
I had trouble with the amount of dough for each cookie, otherwise they were wonderful! I know it says cookie scoop, but I don’t have one. Is this one teaspoon? On tablespoon? I only had about 25 cookies and more than half were relatively small.
Angie, as I state in Step 2 of the recipe: Drop cookie batter by the teaspoon onto prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie to allow them to spread. This should help with making the same size cookies.
I have been using a different oatmeal lace cookie recipe with mixed results. I’m eager to try yours. We’re planning to make this recipe today.
Does it matter if oats are “Quick Oats” or “Old Fashioned?”
Thank you! Happy holidays!
Hi Chris,
I believe the rolled oats or old fashioned give the best result in these cookies. Quick cooking oats tend to be a finer texture and do not hold up as well in this cookie, in my opinion. The original recipe also specifically called for rolled oats which leads me to believe that they must have preferred them as well.
I hope that helps! Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
These are really good and make a nice addition to a Christmas cookie tin. I had to play around with the first 2 batches to get the right cooking time. In my oven, 6 minutes worked 🙂
So glad you enjoy them, Michelle. I’m so glad they shared they recipe with my mother-in-law and she with me. They are definitely favorites here, too!
Cook are delicious! I love oatmeal cookies!! Can I share a recipe with you? Oatmeal melt cookies. This batter will also spread.
1 pound butter softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 cups of rolled oats
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
preheat oven to 350 cream butter and sugar together add the rest of ingredients mix well make small mounds with a teaspoon separate 2 inches apart and Press with a fork a
bake until golden brown 13 to 15 minutes let stand 1 minute sprinkle with powdered sugar!! Enjoy
Sorry mentioned to say cookies!
Thank you so much for sharing, Laura! I can’t wait to try them!
hi Robyn, I like your oatmeal cookies and I’ve tried several times to do it. However, it doesn’t turn out to be crip, thin and delicate.. How do you make it thin like lace? What technique do you use? Please help me.
Which oatmeal is better to use — instant or quick cooking? I followed your recipe to the letter and the taste is good but the looks is not like yours — I want it to be as think as lace and crispy. Please help me.
Thanks,
Bettina
I use old fashion rolled oats like Quaker. Not quick or instant. I haven’t tried this recipe but have made Nick Malgieri’s version for years (Cookies Unlimited by Nick Malgieri). His instructions are to finely chop oatmeal in a food processor or blender but do not grind to a powder. This might make your cookies give you the lacy look you’re looking for. Also, it makes a wonderful sandwich cookie. Just melt semi sweet or bitter sweet chocolate and after the cookies are cooled, add a small amount of chocolate to the flat side of one cookie and top with the flat side of another.
Although Nick’s recipe doesn’t call for brown sugar, I thing the oatmeal blending will give you the lace look you’re looking for.
I have been looking for a recipe for these cookies. These came out GREAT! I didn’t have any problem with the cookies sticking to the parchment paper. I let the cookies sit on the parchment paper until they were cool.