Easy Nova Scotia Oatcakes

2020-04-14 /
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Easy Nova Scotia oatcakes, made with just a few basic ingredients you likely have in your pantry! These sweet and salty oatcakes make for a perfect snack or dessert.

oatcakes with chocolate drizzle

Meet my current favorite snack/dessert (whatever you want to call it): Nova Scotia oatcakes!

I grew up in New Brunswick, a Canadian province next to Nova Scotia. Naturally, it was easy to find Nova Scotia oatcakes wherever we went. My favorite being the ones at Second Cup in Dieppe. If you know, you know.

As we now live on the opposite side of the country and sadly can’t find oatcakes as easily, I thought I’d create my own version at home.

If you’ve never tried oatcakes, this is the time to try them. They’re incredibly easy and made with just a few ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen: flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda and salt. That’s it!

oats, flour, brown sugar and butter in measuring cups
oatcake mixture in a mixing bowl
oatcake uncooked on baking sheet
oats, flour and sugar in a mixing bowl
oatcake rectangle on a baking sheet
baked oatcake on baking sheet
Notes on the Recipe:
  • You can try this recipe with different flours. I’ve tried spelt and all-purpose white and whole wheat flour. Oat flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour could work for a gluten-free option.
  • You may be able to substitute the brown sugar with coconut sugar. However, keep in mind that brown sugar holds more moisture, so you may need to add an extra tablespoon of water to the recipe. Note that they could turn out slightly dryer as well. It’s certainly worth a try!
  • Traditionally, oatcakes are served plain, but I love to add a drizzle of chocolate. They’re also delicious served with peanut butter!
  • Finally, this recipe will work with rolled and quick oats. Traditionally, oatcakes were made with old-fashioned rolled oats. This is what I used for my final recipe.

I hope you’ll give these a try! If you ask me, they’re perfect for isolation baking. I should know, I’ve made them almost 10 times in the past 2 weeks.

oatcakes seen from the top
oatcake with chocolate drizzle
oatcake with chocolate drizzle

Looking for more oat-filled desserts? Try these vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or chocolate coconut oat bars.

oatcakes with chocolate seen from the top
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Easy Nova Scotia Oatcakes

Easy and delicious Nova Scotia oatcakes made with just a few basic ingredients you likely have in your pantry. These sweet and salty oatcakes make for a perfect dessert or snack with your afternoon tea.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour (white, whole wheat or spelt), spoon and level
  • 2 cup rolled oats
  • 2/3 cup butter (use vegan butter for vegan option), cold
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • Chocolate for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add the flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Stir together.
  • Add the cold butter and combine it to the dry mixture, using a fork or your hands. You want to get a crumbly mixture.
  • Add the water and stir it all together until you get a slightly wet dough.
  • Sprinkle flour on a clean surface. Transfer the dough to the floured surface. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the dough and roll out until you get a 1/2" thick rectangle. Cut into 12 squares and transfer to the baking sheet, placed close together (see pictures). Alternatively, you can do these steps directly on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy with a slightly soft middle.
  • Let them cool completely, then drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer. They will be slightly crumbly, especially when warm.

Notes

You may be able to use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, but I would recommend adding an extra tablespoon of water if you notice the dough is dry. They may be a little more crumbly this way. Let me know if you try it!
I used about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. You can use your favorite chocolate chips or bar (use vegan if desired). I melted the chocolate in the microwave for about 1 minute with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to help it drizzle smoothly.

If you make these Nova Scotia oatcakes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free with a peanut-free option!)
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
2016-08-03
Date-Sweetened Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge
2019-01-25
gingerbread date bites with bite taken
Gingerbread Date Bites
2020-12-22

19 Comments

  • Faith V.
    2020-04-23 at 12:39 pm Reply

    I am planning on making these, but I am wondering if oat flour would be okay to use instead of white/wheat/spelt flour, as I don’t use or have any of these flours. Thank you very much in advance!

    • Caper in Ottawa
      2021-09-17 at 10:22 pm Reply

      5 stars
      A made this recioe a few times and they turn out great every time! I’ve occassionally used almond milk or cream instead of the water – both were delicious. Today, I added a tsp of pumpkin spice and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar – yum!

  • Carmen
    2020-07-19 at 9:32 am Reply

    My first time making oatcakes and they turned out perfect! My family loved them. Drizzled half the batch with melted chocolate . Will definitely make again! Thank you!
    Carmen from Nova Scotia

  • Eric Troldahl
    2020-10-08 at 6:39 pm Reply

    Would Ghee work instead of butter? Or a mixture of applesause and Ghee? I am allergic to milk proteins.

    • Nourished by Caroline
      2020-10-08 at 6:41 pm Reply

      Have you ever tried vegan (non-dairy) butter? This is what I used and it works great in this recipe! I’ve personally never tried ghee, but it could work. It will work better than applesauce, but I can’t guarantee it will turn out perfectly. Hopefully this helps a little!

  • Tessa
    2021-06-14 at 5:33 pm Reply

    5 stars
    I have made these about 10 times in the past 3 weeks and have no regrets!!! By far my favorite recipe and I love how simple it is, I can whip this up in 10 mins flat now! I made with oat flour and I literally just plop the ball of mixture on a pan with parchment paper and use my fork that I used to mix it and spread the mixture out til it’s flat, then use a pizza cutter to cut it in squares. Done in less than 30 mins! Thank you for this recipe 🙂

  • Caper in Ottawa
    2021-09-17 at 10:22 pm Reply

    5 stars
    A made this recioe a few times and they turn out great every time! I’ve occassionally used almond milk or cream instead of the water – both were delicious. Today, I added a tsp of pumpkin spice and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar – yum!

  • Constance
    2021-12-17 at 10:46 pm Reply

    THANK YOU! I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I have had a hankering for Nova Scotia oat cakes recently and I haven’t lived there in 20 years. Whey don’t we have these on the west coast, they are soooo good!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.