Irish Oat Cookies
Crisp & buttery, with a simple brown sugar and hearty oat flavor, these Irish oat cookies will be your new favorite. You’ll love them with a cup of tea!
Happy Friday, my friend! I hope you are doing well!
I myself am looking forward to a relaxing day at home with my kiddos. They have a teacher in-service day today, so it will be nice to spend a little extra time together.
And it’s looking like there will be quite a lot of that to come! We just got word that our state governor is shutting down schools for the next 2 weeks, in an effort to contain the new Corona virus. Never a dull moment, right?
Honestly I’m thinking it won’t really affect my life too much, since I’m home baking, taking pictures, and writing most of the time anyway. So have no fear! I plan to continue bringing you fun and easy recipes, as always!
And today’s recipe is really special to my heart. Irish oat cookies!
On my recent trip to Ireland (check out my “Ireland” Instagram highlight to see more on that) I popped into a gourmet foods store and picked up a bunch of interesting finds to bring home and share.
These oat cookies by Kilbeggan turned out to be a real favorite: Kilbeggan Irish Oat Cookies.
In fact, I loved them so much, I didn’t want to finish the box! I know when something like that happens, the only solution is to figure out how to make them myself, so I can enjoy them any time I want!
WHAT ARE IRISH OAT COOKIES?
In terms of flavor, these oatmeal cookies are truly as simple as can be.
Unlike most American oatmeal cookies, there is no cinnamon or spice, no raisins or chocolate chips or dried cranberries.
But what they do have is a buttery richness that is truly incomparable. The predominant flavor here is butter, which I happen to love!
They are not overly sweet, which I also love. But there is a hint of warm brown sugar and you get that earthy, heartiness of oats. There is also a hint of salt, which really carries all the flavors and brings them out.
The texture is tender and a little bit crunchy, but not overly so. I’d characterize it as more of a tender-crisp cookie, similar to shortbread cookies or pecan sandies.
I absolutely adore these Irish oat cookies with a cup of strongly brewed tea. I take my tea with just a touch of sugar and a splash of milk. Barry’s Tea was another amazing discovery from Ireland, and it’s all I buy now.
I crave it all day long! And it’s easy enough to find here in the US at my regular supermarket, or you can order it online here: Barry’s Tea.
HOW TO MAKE IRISH OAT COOKIES
This is a really quick and easy recipe to make, and I think it comes about as close as you can get to the original!
Start by combining butter and brown sugar in a big mixing bowl.
The whole key here is to use Irish butter. I’m telling you, it makes all the difference in the world! Irish dairy is so far superior to anything here in the states. It has the most incredible flavor and rich quality, and that is really the star of the show in these Irish oat cookies.
Mix the butter and brown sugar together until blended and smooth. It’s not critical that you whip a lot of air in for this recipe. Just get it smooth and you’re good to go.
Next, mix in 2 egg yolks. These will help to provide some structure to the cookies, but will also add even more richness.
Once the yolks are mixed in, add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
I always keep old-fashioned oats in my baking pantry, because I love their hearty texture, but I would imagine that quick oats would probably work well too.
For the baking soda, you’ll want to aim for just a little over 1/2 a teaspoon, but not quite as much as 3/4 teaspoon. I know, I know! I’m sorry to be fussy about it, but this was really what I found worked best. Half a teaspoon was not enough for the cookies to spread, but 3/4 caused them to spread a little too much, and they became a bit to airy and light and lost that hearty quality that you’ll absolutely fall in love with.
As for the salt, the Kilbeggan’s version does have quite a noticeable salt presence. I always love anything that’s sweet and salty, but if it’s not your thing, you can certainly dial it back a bit.
Mix the dry ingredients in just until combined. The dough will be very stiff!
Then just scoop it out onto parchment-lined baking sheets, using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop.
They’ll bake for around 15 or 16 minutes, or until they’re looking golden brown around the edges. As they cool, their soft middles will firm up and they’ll begin to take on that tender-crisp quality.
HOW TO SERVE IRISH OAT COOKIES
As I said, these cookies are amazing with a cup of hot tea. That right there is my dream-come-true breakfast, brunch, or afternoon snack.
But I think they’d be equally good with coffee or hot cocoa. Or even just with a tall glass of cold milk, as a wholesome after-school snack!
CAN YOU MAKE THEM AHEAD?
These are a great make-ahead treat. They keep very well so you can make a big batch and have them to nibble on for weeks!
You could also just make the dough ahead and bake it off as needed. Just be aware that the longer it sits, the drier the dough will become. So if you’re doing that, you might want to start with a little less flour.
The dough can be kept (wrapped) in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for a couple of weeks.
You could even pre-scoop it and freeze it on a sheet tray, then transfer it to a zip-top freezer bag and pull out a cookie or two at a time, to bake off whenever the craving hits!
HOW LONG WILL THESE LAST?
Once baked, these cookies should keep for several weeks in an airtight container, at room temperature. In the freezer they should last for several months.
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Irish Oat Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks),* softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar,, loosely packed
- 2 egg yolks , (large)
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (81 g) old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon (3/4 teaspoon) baking soda, (generous)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat together until smooth.
- Mix in the egg yolks until combined.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, mixing together until just barely combined.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop, drop balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets, allowing room in between for spreading.
- Bake the oat cookies for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and crisp.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
We absolutely loved these. Thank you SO much. We did think that they tasted best on the day they were baked, when the contrast between the crispy edges and the dense moist centers was irresistible. I wonder if you ever tried making them with dark brown sugar.
So happy you enjoyed! I’ve made them with light and dark brown sugar. They are both equally delicious!
So very good.
I used salted butter because I like salty.
I only had quick oats and it worked very well.
Great to know! Thanks for the feedback Sacha!
so excited to make these myself. the ones Lisa delivered reminded me of hobnobs – which i haven’ t had since i was in Ghana in 2004. (it’s amazing how tastes and smells can bring you back to other places and times.) thanks for the recipe (and for sharing some with me)!
My pleasure Danielle!
I baked the biscuits today and they are absolutely amazing and delicious. Exactly the right amount of sugar for me (not too sweet) and the distinctive but not overpowering flavour of oats. I made them a bit too large but I had one large instead of two small. As for how long they keep: not long because they get eaten immediately! Great recipe and many thanks.
You’re so welcome Carol! I’m so happy you enjoyed!
My wife made these for me yesterday. The best oat cookies I have ever had!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
My pleasure Blakeney! I’m so glad you liked them. Thank you so much for the 5-star review!
Will it be better if I’ll sit it for at least 30mins in the refrigerator before baking it? Thanks.
I don’t believe that is necessary but you can certainly try it if you’d like. Good luck!
My wife just made these, and they are THE best oatmeal cookies I have ever had. Crispy, buttery, and not too sweet. I see what you mean that they are the perfect accompaniment with a cup of tea. Thanks so much for the recipe! This one is a keeper!!
Love it.
I’m so glad!
I will definitely try the recipe. Can I add some nuts to the dough?
Absolutely! Hope you enjoy!
I’l try it later
Hope you enjoy!
Can also be half coated in chocolate, or also delicious dipped in rhubarb
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
Recipes for oat cookies
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I am making these now at 5:30 am on a saturday morning, have you ever tried this recipe with a teaspoon of vanilla? I usually put it in my oatmeal cookies, but i didnt add to this recipe so i can see how they taste without it.
Hey there! So happy you’re trying the recipe. I decided to omit vanilla for this recipe, even though I usually do add it for most cookies. I was trying to stay faithful to the version I had bought in Ireland, and they really did not have any vanilla flavor to speak of. The predominant flavor was butter and oat, so I really just wanted to stay true to that.
Is it possible to use/substitute oat flour and almond flour instead? And if so, what would be your measurements for the flours? And would I have to adjust any other ingredients if at all do-able?
Sorry, I’ve only made them this way. Feel free to experiment though!
Hi
Looking at the recipe for the cookies just want to ask would odlums do as with things with the Coriv 19 were not going out as mush
Kindest regards
Mary
Hey there! So sorry I’m having trouble understanding your question. I think there might be a few typos, would you mind clarifying?
This is exactly the kind of biscuit I adore. Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for reading and for the sweet comment.
These sound perfectly delish! I’m celiac and can’t do regular flour – any recommended flour blend for a gluten-free version?
Hi there! Any gluten-free flour blend that subs 1:1 for regular flour should work.
Here are a few good options:
Good luck!