Ina Garten’s English Oat Crackers

English Oat Crackers are perfect with cheese and honey on a charcuterie board or plain by themselves. 

Two weeks in Scotland (and London) has me a little obsessed with all things Scottish (and English). Seeing Queen Elizabeth was a surprise and a highlight (you can read about that here), and here was another one: oat crackers.

I loved oat crackers long before this recent vacation. While there are many versions – some savory, some salty, some a little bit sweet – I like the oat crackers that are dense and very slightly sweet, almost like an oat shortbread in cracker form. These are amazing with cheese – creamy brie, crumbly parmesan, nutty Manchego, tangy gorgonzola – and even more amazing with a tiny drizzle of honey over top. Perfect for a charcuterie board. Or, snack on them plain with tea. Or all by themselves. 

Of course everyone’s favorite source for guaranteed-to-work and guaranteed-good recipes Ina Garten has a plan to make English Oat Crackers. And of course her oat crackers are delicious. I tweaked hers just a tiny bit – she dropped balls of dough, I rolled and cut a log, she added a sprinkle of flaky salt before baking, I kept things sweet and mild. Any way you decide to take this recipe, I think you’ll be happy.

P.S. - Need a cracker to spiff up your Rosh Hashanah apples and honey spread? This is your guy. 

Ina Garten’s English Oat Crackers

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup flour
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup lukewarm water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse for 45 to 60 seconds, until the oats are coarsely ground. Add the butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is the size of peas.

Dissolve the baking soda in the lukewarm water and drizzle it over the crumbs in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and can be pressed into balls that will hold together. 

Roll the dough into a 1 ½-inch diameter log, and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the dough into very thin rounds, about ¼-inch thick. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheets, and use your hands to reshape the crackers a bit, rounding them out. Flour the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass and use it to flatten each cracker to about 1/8-inch thickness. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crackers are golden brown on the edges.