Name: Oatmeal Lace Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: ½ cup oat flour (see notes); ½ cup almond meal; ½ teaspoon kosher salt (if you use table salt, use half the amount); ½ teaspoon baking powder; ⅛ teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract; ½ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup golden or dark brown sugar; 1 large egg; 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional, see notes); ¾ cup unsweetened dried cranberries or dried cherries (optional, see notes; if you use cherries, roughly chop them); ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

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These Oatmeal Lace Cookies are gluten-free, thin and crisp, with chocolate chips and dried cranberries or cherries (or make them classic, without add-ins). Buttery and lacy, they'll become your new go-to cookie!

Tall stack of Oatmeal Lace Cookies with white background.

These are my favorite gluten-free cookies I've ever made. (I know, I've said it before. 😉 )

These Oatmeal Lace Cookies stand out from others in that they are not only gluten-free, but they have add-ins: chocolate chips and dried fruit. (Though you can make them without if you prefer - see below.)

Easy to make, with a beautiful crisp, lacy texture, they're truly extra special. (For a more traditional oatmeal cookie, you'll love chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.)

What Are Lace Cookies?

Lace cookies are made in many countries, and Italian Florentines are one of the best-known versions. (FYI, though incredibly delicious, my recipe is not authentically Italian.)
They’re very thin and have many tiny holes in them. Much like lace, all of the tiny holes create a very delicate and see-through appearance.
Lace cookies are quite crunchy and have a distinct buttery taste. They will vary in specific ingredients, and are often seen with oats and almond flour.
It's common to see two lace cookies sandwiched together with melted chocolate in the middle.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for Oatmeal Lace Cookies with Chocolate including: chocolate chips, oat flour, oats, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, granulated sugar, butter, almond flour, dried cranberries - all in pretty ceramic, painted bowls. — **Above, top left to bottom right:** chocolate chips, oat flour, oats, egg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, vanilla, granulated sugar, almond flour, butter, and dried cranberries.

oat flour - I make my own, which is quite easy. You just blend rolled oats in a food processor. To save time, you can purchase oat flour here.
oats - Old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or steel-cut. If you're baking for someone with celiac disease, use oats labeled certified gluten-free.
almond meal or flour - Almond flour is very finely ground almonds, and almond meal has a bit more texture. Both are great in this recipe.
semisweet chocolate chips - Milk or white chocolate chips work too.
dried cherries or cranberries - The sweet and tart fruit is lovely in this recipe, and gives them a bit of a holiday cookie vibe. If you use cherries, roughly chop them.
unsalted butter - Softened to room temperature, so it blends smoothly with the sugars.
vanilla - Pure vanilla extract.
granulated sugar - Helps the cookies spread thin and crisp.
brown sugar - Golden or dark both work, and add a hint of caramel flavor.
egg - Just one large egg for this batch.
kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda - If you use table salt, use half the amount.

How to Make Them

If you don't have store-bought oat flour, before you begin the recipe, make your own: add ½ cup of rolled oats to a food processor with the blade attachment and blend until you have as fine a powder as possible, about 30 seconds. It won't be 100% smooth.

Rolled oats in a food processor with the blade attachment.

Rolled oats spinning in a food processor.

- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

- In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, almond meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

- In another mixing bowl, combine the butter with the vanilla and sugars. Mix until everything is evenly blended. Then add the egg and mix to blend.

- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, along with the chocolate chips, dried cranberries or cherries and oats. Mix until you no longer see dry areas.

Mixing bowl with dried cranberries, chocolate chips and batter for lace cookies.

Mixed batter for lace cookies with dried cranberries and chocolate chips.

- Use a 1¼-inch cookie scoop to shape the cookies into balls of dough, placing them on the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. There should be about 8 per sheet, with at least 2 to 3 inches between them. Do not flatten the balls of dough!

- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the cookies are golden along the edges (and a bit throughout), about 10 minutes.

Recipe Tip: As you can see in the images below, this batter will spread a lot, so leaving a few inches between the balls of raw dough is imperative.

8 balls of lace cookie batter with chocolate chips and dried cranberries, on parchment paper on a sheet pan.

8 baked lace cookies with chocolate chips and dried cranberries, on parchment paper on a sheet pan.

- Let them cool completely on the baking sheets, at least 15 minutes. Then use a flat-bottomed firm spatula to remove them from the sheet pan.

Recipe Tip: Letting the cookies cool for the full 15 minutes on the baking sheet is really important. Oatmeal Lace Cookies are very fragile at first, but once cool, they're crisp and easy to lift off the baking sheet.

A couple layers of oatmeal lace cookies.

Variations

If you don't like dried cherries or cranberries, they're also delicious with currants, raisins and dried blueberries.
Try them with milk or white chocolate chips.
They are also excellent with cocoa nibs!

Can You Make Oatmeal Lace Cookies Without the Add-Ins?

Yes. To make them without the add-ins, follow the same instructions, but omit the chocolate chips and dried fruit, and double the amount of rolled oats you mix in at the end.

Plain oatmeal lace cookies without add-ins, in a tall stack.

When I tested the cookies without the add-ins:
- They spread a bit more, so they're bigger. Be sure to leave an additional inch or so between them (6 instead of 8 per sheet).
- The recipe makes a few more cookies.
- They were equally lacy, just as crisp, and had a slightly more caramel-y flavor.
- The baking and cooling times are the same.

Storing the Cookies

They can be stored at room temperature for about 24 hours, in single layers in a large plastic container, with wax paper or parchment paper between them.

Can You Freeze Oatmeal Lace Cookies?

Yes! Prepare them for the freezer carefully though. It's best to place them in single layers in a large plastic airtight container, with wax or parchment paper between them. Be sure the container is sealed tightly. They can be frozen for about 2 months.

Whether you're gluten-free or not, I think you will really love this Oatmeal Lace Cookie recipe.

More Must-Try Scrumptious Gluten-Free Cookies

These are lovely cookies any time, and they're especially fun for a cookie exchange during the holiday season.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Valentina K. Wein

These Oatmeal Lace Cookies are gluten-free, thin and crisp, with chocolate chips and dried cranberries or cherries (or make them classic, without add-ins). Buttery and lacy, they'll become your new go-to cookie!

Makes 32 cookies / 2 per serving

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 216 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup oat flour see notes
½ cup almond meal
½ teaspoon kosher salt if you use table salt, use half the amount
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup golden or dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips optional, see notes
¾ cup unsweetened dried cranberries or dried cherries optional, see notes; if you use cherries, roughly chop them
¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Instructions

Set the oven and prep the baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, almond meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, combine the butter with the vanilla and sugars. Mix until everything is evenly blended. Then add the egg and mix to blend.
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, along with the chocolate chips, dried cranberries or cherries and oats. Mix until you no longer see dry areas.
Shape. Use a 1¼-inch cookie scoop to shape the cookies into balls of dough, placing them on the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. There should be about 8 per sheet, with at least 2 to 3 inches between them. Do not flatten the balls of dough!
Bake. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the cookies are golden along the edges (and a bit throughout), about 10 minutes. Let them cool completely on the baking sheets, at least 15 minutes. Then use a flat-bottomed firm spatula to remove them from the sheet pan.

NOTES

No Add-Ins: For a more classic oatmeal lace cookie, omit the chocolate chips and dried fruit, and double the rolled oats (use ½ cup). They spread a bit more, so leave an extra inch between them (6 per sheet). The plain version makes a few more cookies.

Lacy and Flat: These cookies will become quite flat when you bake them. That's how they should be. Though delicate, they hold together very well, and when you hold them up to the light, you'll see why they're called lace cookies!

Oat Flour: If you don't have store-bought oat flour, add ½ cup of rolled oats to a food processor with the blade attachment and blend until you have as fine a powder as possible, about 30 seconds.

Variations: If you don't like dried cherries or cranberries, they're also delicious with currants, raisins and dried blueberries. Try them with milk or white chocolate chips, or with cocoa nibs!

Spacing: It's important that you leave ample space between the cookies before you bake them. They will definitely spread!

Cooling: Letting the cookies cool for the full 15 minutes on the baking sheet is really important. They're very fragile at first, but once cool, they're crisp and easy to lift off.

Storage: Store in single layers in a large airtight container with wax or parchment paper between them, at room temperature for about 24 hours, or frozen for about 2 months.

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

NUTRITION

Keywords great for cookie exchange, holiday cookies

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Comments

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