Grandma Mac's Oatmeal Cakes

Oatcakes are a traditional mainstay of the Scottish diet. They were cooked on a griddle - a flat iron pot - and placed over the fire. Nowadays a heavy frying pan is used. This recipe was given to me by my sister's neighbour, and was apparently a tradition in her husband's family.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 large cup beef drippings (or bacon drippings or margarine)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

Rub dripping into flour with fingers till thoroughly mixed. Add other dry ingredients and mix. Add one cup of boiling water and form into a ball. Nip off pieces the size of a large walnut and flatten with rolling pin until about 8 inches in diameter. Cakes should be fairly thin.

Place on cooky sheet and cut in quarters. Bake in medium oven (approximately 325) until brown.

Image courtesy of GallowBlogging

There's a great recipe for sweet oatcakes at Traditional Scottish recipes

Post edited by Fedelm with permission from Cinaedh