Description
These Chewy Oatmeal Lace Cookies are delightfully thin, crispy on the edges, and deliciously chewy in the center. Made with simple ingredients like butter, brown sugar, oats, and vanilla, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Their thin, lacy structure makes them ideal for pairing with ice cream or enjoying as a light, crispy treat.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200g)
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (96g)
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp all-purpose flour (12g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line 4 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate even cooking. Set them aside.
- Melt Butter and Brown Sugar: In a large frying pan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup packed brown sugar. Stir frequently until the butter melts completely and the mixture becomes smooth with no clumps of sugar remaining. It's fine if the butter and sugar haven't fully emulsified yet, as they will combine more once the other ingredients are added. Remove from heat.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in 1 cup old fashioned oats, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly until the oats are fully coated with the butter and sugar blend.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to the oat mixture. Stir continuously until the batter is smooth and fully combined. The batter will be relatively thin and soupy.
- Shape Cookies on Baking Sheet: Drop 1 teaspoon of cookie batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie at least 2 inches apart to give room for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake two trays at a time in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. The ideal bake time is around 6 1/2 minutes, but this may vary based on your oven and the thickness of your batter. Bake until the edges just start to brown. For chewier cookies, remove them slightly before the edges turn golden. For crisper edges, allow the edges to become nicely golden brown.
- Repeat Baking Process: Once the first two trays are done, remove them from the oven and immediately place the next batch of cookies on the trays to bake. Continue monitoring closely as baking times can vary with batch size and batter temperature.
- Shape Warm Cookies: If your cookies spread irregularly, gently use a large circle cutter or a glass to reshape them into neat circles while still warm.
- Cool Cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store Cookies: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or freezer ziplock bag for up to one month.
Notes
- Spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart is crucial as they spread quite a bit during baking.
- The baking time may vary depending on your oven and batter consistency, so keep a close eye to avoid burning.
- Using a glass or circular cutter to shape warm cookies helps achieve professional-looking uniformity.
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days or frozen for up to a month without loss of quality.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
