Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

My favorite cookie combination is crunchy and chewy. I was inspired to create this recipe after having a crunchy and chewy flourless oatmeal cookie at a cheese shop in La Jolla, California. It was one of the best cookies I have ever tasted. On the day I was craving those memorable cookies, I only had maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal packets, so I created my Oatmeal Lace Cookies, with their delicate lace-like edges, using these instant packet ingredients.

1/3 cup butter


3 packets maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal


1/3 cup pure cane sugar


1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


1 large egg


Almond slices for garnish, optional

Melted dark chocolate for garnish, optional

Melt the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add the oatmeal, cane sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Stir the mixture together until combined. Stir in the vanilla and egg until combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper.

Using a small ice cream scooper, drop mounds of the chilled dough 2 to 3 inches apart on the parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly. (Make sure there’s enough room for each cookie to spread.)

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges have browned. The cookies will continue to cook on the baking sheet. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before using an offset spatula to gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely and harden.

Garnish with the almonds and a drizzle of the chocolate.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Notes: Use Oatmeal Lace Cookies to make cannoli. Wrap the warm cookies around a greased handle of a wooden spoon, and gently press together to form a cylinder. Allow the cannoli cookies to cool completely before removing from the spoon handle. To serve, pipe a sweetened ricotta cheese into the center of the cookies. You also can make dessert bowls from Oatmeal

Lace Cookies. Turn a muffin pan upside-down and grease the outer cups. Place the warm cookies
over the cups and lightly press to shape. Let cool completely before removing. To serve, scoop ice cream in the cooled dessert bowls.