Thinnest Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
One of the easiest cookies I know how to make - made from rolled oats, they're razor thin and lacy, golden, freckled with poppy seeds, with and anise accent from crushed fennel seeds.
Hi all - I thought I'd take a stab at a kid-friendly oatmeal cookie recipe today. Remember when Jack was tiny? Well, he's not anymore. And we cook and bake together when he comes to stay - imagine me hovering over him, pointing out hot surfaces every ten seconds. The number of times I utter the word careful is mind-numbing. He loves making Belgian waffles, blanching broccoli, and baking cookies. And he can whip egg-whites like a champ. It's super fun, although, I will say (like many adults I know) he tends to lose interest if a baking project is too involved. So, my plan is to try these cookies with him. It's a stove top dough, so I don't have to bother pulling out the big electric mixer, and there are all sorts of aspects I suspect he'll like - pounding fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, using an egg-beater to blend the sugar and egg, and working with dough that transforms from little bumps to pancake flat in a short baking time. It's all quick to pull together, and the resulting cookies are razor thin and lacy, golden, freckled with poppy seeds, with and anise accent from crushed fennel seeds.
Just know, these are a specific type of cookie. They're different from these snappy whole wheat favorites. These are lacier, and a bit less substantial. The dough comes together fast, and compared with many other doughs, it's easier to manage when you have a little kitchen helper - faster baking. These are cookies best enjoyed the same day, preferably 15 minutes after they come out of the oven. Their life-cycle goes something like this: chewy and hot just from the oven, snappy when cool for a few hours, not as snappy (but still tasty) beyond that.
One last note for you bakers out there - you can certainly trade out the type of sugar you use here, as long as it is fine-grain. I've baked them using natural cane sugar, Muscovado sugar, and a blend of the two.
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Thinnest Oatmeal Cookies
You can absolutely use brown or Muscovado sugar in place of the white sugar called for here (and I have in the past), but the cookies tend to lose their snap more quickly. Also, I used poppy seeds and fennel here, but you could introduce spices, or finely chopped nuts, or take them in whatever flavor direction you can dream up
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
4 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup / 5 oz uncooked rolled oats (not instant)
1 egg, room temperature
2/3 cup / 4 oz natural cane sugar
Preheat oven to 350F / 180C with a rack in the top third. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, Silpat isn't as good for these cookies.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, fennel and poppy seeds. Set aside.
Gently melt the butter in a medium saucepan. When just melted, remove from heat and stir in the oats. Stir until well coated.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar with the egg until it is the consistency of a creamy icing - I like to use an old-fashioned egg beater here. Whisk the flour mixture in, and then add the oats. Stir until combined, then drop, a level tablespoon at a time, onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. I like to bake these one sheet at a time, in the top third of the oven, spinning once halfway through. Bake until very deeply golden, about 8-10 minutes. Remove, and let sit for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to continue cooling. Best enjoyed within 4 or 5 hours of baking - their texture definitely changes (for the worse) overnight. Repeat with remaining dough.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Prep time: 10 minutes - Cook time: 10 minutes
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I made them today and they were delicious. No fennel seeds so I used cinnamon and all spice. Very delicate to remove from the pan. Will see what they are like in the morning:)
What a wonderful post. I too love to cook with my nephews. My favorite story is from the time they helped me shape the Thanksgiving dinner rolls. The oldest delicately shaped perfect little balls of dough while the youngest insisted on punching and poking and flattening the dough as much as possible and, wouldn't you know, they were the lightest, softest rolls ever.
These look so yummy--very European wafer cookie in texture, but made with the very American oatmeal. Pretty photos, too!
These are evil. I have eaten them all - by myself - in the last 24 hours. I think they are my favorite cookie I have ever made. I didn't have any poppy seeds but I loved the subtle anise flavor. I actually loved the texture the next day even more, mine were crispy around the edges and chewy in center and just so buttery and amazing! mm, thanks. I am excited to try out different additions like finely chopped nuts.
Color me hooked on fennel in cookies -- I love this flavor combination. Despite doing a few substitutions, these cookies still came out well: * No egg - I used a ground flax egg instead * Half the butter - I subbed applesauce for the remaining butter (added once the oats were stirred in w/ the butter) * 1/2 C turbinado sugar - I may use 1/3 C in the future, as I still found these to be pretty sweet Because Heidi noted these cookies lose their texture within hours, I decided to throw them in the freezer. And beware, I think they're even better chilled!
What gorgeous lace like cookies. They are so pretty, and sound divine. The combination of fennel and poppy seeds sounds unusual, and delicious. Can't wait to try these.
Color me hooked on fennel in cookies -- I love this flavor combination. Despite doing a few substitutions, these cookies still came out well: * No egg - I used a ground flax egg instead * Half the butter - I subbed applesauce for the remaining butter (added once the oats were stirred in w/ the butter) * 1/2 C turbinado sugar - I may use 1/3 C in the future, as I still found these to be pretty sweet Because Heidi noted these cookies lose their texture within hours, I decided to throw them in the freezer. And beware, I think they're even better chilled!
Wow - saw these and made them immidiately! They are incredible!!!! I made them without fennel (but think it would be delicious) and would add more poppy seeds next time. My entire family LOVED them. Watch for the deep brown color, I took most of them out too early, still fabulous, but not as crispy. You will NOT regret making these! Thank you for the best recipe I have come across in a long time.
Wow - saw these and made them immidiately! They are incredible!!!! I made them without fennel (but think it would be delicious) and would add more poppy seeds next time. My entire family LOVED them. Watch for the deep brown color, I took most of them out too early, still fabulous, but not as crispy. You will NOT regret making these! Thank you for the best recipe I have come across in a long time.
I love this twist with fennel and poppy seeds - so unique! Got to give this one a try...
Oh my gosh these are good! I am not easily tempted by cookies but these are another story. Made them with gluten free flour and they were perfect. As a Registered Dietitian I recommend your site and books for the multitude of healthy plant based whole food recipes. Thank you Heidi for this wonderful resource.
I love making oatmeal cookies. It makes the whole house smell wonderful.
Heidi,please enlighten me , "can egg be omitted for a pure veg substitute ? as in India Egg is out of bounce for the pure veggie ",,,,,, this quest is also addressed to all the lovely foodie fans of Heidi,,,,I am looking forward guys !!!!
fennel... poppy seeds... cookies... !! i'm sold.
Would honey or maple syrup work with these? Add more flour? How about a gluten free one like oat/almond/ coconut?
@Sue... What a lovely story. Thank you for sharing that. What goes around comes around.
Heidi, have you ever thought about writing a cookie cookbook? I like lots of your recipes, but when you post a cookie recipe...makes my day! They are gold!
Impossibly thin cookies produce such a delicious texture that leaves you wanting more. It's funny to think that texture can be delicious, but in this case I feel like it totally makes sense.
Just made these, and they are a hit with me and my husband. I just should have spaced them out more on the cookie sheets, since they really spread out. Thanks!
Just made these for a cold rainy morning in Sebastopol. I substituted lemon zest as I am not a big fan of fennel. Could also see toasted finely chopped pecans and garden lavender. This is a good recipe. Thanks!
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