Scottish? Probably not, but Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes are what we always called these pancakes. Because of the oats. These pancakes are great; the outside is a beautiful, lacy, crispy contrast to the soft, moist interior, and they’re hearty and healthy and delicious all at the same time.

Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes

Scottish Oatcake Oatmeal Pancakes are so much better than boring old pancakes, any day, and are super simple to make. Just mix up oats and buttermilk the night before and finish them in the a.m.

About Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes:

To tell the truth, I’ve never really been much of a pancake fan. I was actually lucky to have spent some time with my folks in the last few years so I could up my pancake game (See my menu for Breakfast and Brunch) because they love any pancakes. But we all love these Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes.

I’ve been making Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes since I was just a kid – I was such a vegetarian and such an idealist! These pancakes became a staple in my house and have been for almost 40 years. I love that they’re oh so tasty and so healthy, too. And since I’m not a morning person, I love that they’re pretty much mixed ahead.

Serve With:

These are really good, just plain with nothing on them. My fave way to eat them is with jam. A little raspberry or blackberry, or just about any jam is great on these. And of course, like any pancake, you can’t go wrong with butter and/or maple syrup.

These Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes are sturdy enough to grab one on the go, too, if your kids are like mine were – running out the door last-minute for the school bus.

Making Scottish Oatcakes Oatmeal Pancakes:

The night before, the oatmeal and buttermilk are mixed together and put in the fridge. I like to put the eggs right on top of the covered container. Mix up the dry ingredients and set the mixture out on the counter.

Then, when morning comes, you can practically make these pancakes in your sleep. Everything will be right at reach in the am.

Depending on the oats, you may need to thin the batter a bit.

This recipe makes about 9 pancakes, using 1/3 cup of batter each. Use a kitchen scoop for evenly distributing or measuring. If needed, nudge the batter on the pan or griddle to spread out a little.

Scoops portion perfectly, maximize your time and help avoid a big mess.

Buttermilk Substitute:

I seldom have buttermilk, and when I do am always hard-pressed to use it and hate the hassle of freezing and thawing it. A homemade “buttermilk” substitute is much cheaper than purchasing actual buttermilk.

So, if you don’t have buttermilk, use the old trick of adding a tablespoon of vinegar per cup to the bottom of your measuring cup, then filling the cup with milk. Let it sit for a few minutes to clabber. 10 minutes is best; you’ll see it thicken up a little.

Variations:

• Spices: My favorite way to make these is plain, with just a bit of cinnamon or maybe some of my Apple Pie Spice, but in the fall, you can’t go wrong with Pumpkin Pie Spice. I have a trio of Pumpkin Pie Spice recipes to choose from.
• Dried Fruit: If you’d like to add, raisins or any chopped dried fruit are great in Scottish Oatcake Oatmeal Pancakes, too. If you’re looking for more inspiration, think of any way you like your oatmeal and mimic those flavors in these pancakes.
• Gluten Free: If you need a gluten-free recipe, just use an alternate flour or pulse some additional oats in the food processor until you get 1/2 cup of powdered oats to replace the 1/2 cup of flour in the recipe. And of course, use gluten-free oats. 🙂

Leftovers:

If there are any leftover pancakes, just lay them out on a plastic or parchment-lined sheet tray, freeze, and once frozen, gang them up in a Ziploc. You can place a bit of plastic wrap or parchment between each pancake if you wish, to make it easier to heat one or two at a time.

Reheat in the microwave; timing varies.

Scottish Oatcakes – Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.

The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.

Oatmeal:

• Stock up on oatmeal in the fall; it’s generally cheapest when the warehouses are full. Look for it on sale before holidays known for brunches: Mother’s Day & Easter. January is National Oatmeal Month, and you may find specials.
• Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl are great places to pick up oatmeal, and the product is indistinguishable from the name brand. Check your buyers’ club if you’re a member.
• For best pricing, buy in the round cartons; avoid the individual packets and flavor your own.

Buttermilk:

• Buttermilk varies wildly in price and quality. If buying, try to have other recipes lined up to use the rest.
• It stores better in a tightly closed glass jar than the original carton and lasts for weeks without going bad. It may need to be shaken together. Trust your nose and look for discoloration to determine if it is off.
• The substitution of a tablespoon of vinegar in a one-cup measure with the remainder milk is far cheaper and works in many recipes.

Butter: 

If you have a deep freeze (and you should if you can swing it), there’s no reason to buy butter at full price. It goes on sale often and keeps well.

• While on sale before any holiday, rock-bottom pricing is before the Winter Holidays, and often matched by sales before Easter. Count out the weeks between holidays and buy appropriately.
• Discount stores have great pricing on butter year-round (and sale prices before holidays).

Eggs:

• Both Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs (you will need to buy larger amounts at the buyer’s club), have great everyday prices, but usually do not approach a great pre-holiday grocery store sales price.
• If you have room, stock up at a low. Eggs, according to the National Egg Board, keep well for 4 to 5 weeks after the pack date, or about 3 weeks after buying.
• Don’t store in the door; keep in original package on a bottom shelf in the fridge.

The Cost:

Cost for the pancakes, plain, with buttermilk is about $1.65. Any butter, syrup, or additional toppings aren’t included, or any fruit, etc.

Scottish Oatcakes – Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

Scottish Oatcakes – Oatmeal Pancakes

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• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes plus overnight soak
• Yield: 9 pancakes 1x
• Category: breakfast or brunch dish
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Note the overnight soak of the oats with the buttermilk:

• 2 cups rolled oats (“Regular” not “Instant” works best here)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit (optional)
• 1/2 cup flour (white or wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Soak oats in buttermilk, overnight, in the refrigerator. In the morning, in a separate bowl, mix eggs, then add butter and raisins or dried fruit. Add to the oatmeal mixture and stir gently.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl, the flour, baking soda & powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the oatmeal mixture and stir until just moistened.

Spoon 1/3 cup onto an oiled griddle or pan, spreading a bit with a spoon or spatula, if needed. Cook until one side is well browned, then turn and finish cooking on the other side.

Makes about 9 pancakes

Notes

• Depending on the length of soak and type of oats, the consistency of this mixture may be a bit thick. If it is too thick to easily spread, add a bit more buttermilk.
• These freeze beautifully: cook, lay out on a lined baking sheet. Freeze until hard and stack in a Ziploc bag.
• Once the basic recipe is down, the variations are almost endless. I don’t typically make these with fresh fruit, but why not?
• The cinnamon is very subtle and could be increased, and these could be flavored, as well with other spices.
• If you’re avoiding flour, a substitute could be made for the 1/2 cup.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pancake no fruit
• Calories: 176
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 353mg
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 58mg

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