This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This oatmeal shortbread recipe comes together in just six minutes with five simple ingredients. Buttery, crisp, and with the perfect hint of oat-y flavor, these oat flour shortbread cookies are so good you’ll want to make them on repeat.
Here is Why This Oat Flour Shortbread Recipe Works
Ridiculously Easy Dough: Toss everything into a food processor, hit a button, and voilà, perfect buttery cookie dough without breaking a sweat.
Oats Make It Fancy: Grinding the oats (or using oat flour) adds a nutty flavor and unique texture that takes this shortbread up a notch.
Crisp & Buttery Perfection: A two-step baking process gives you that golden, melt-in-your-mouth texture with just the right amount of crispiness.
Minimal Effort, Maximum Reward: With simple ingredients and no fancy techniques, this recipe proves that delicious doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you like this recipe, try our easy shortbread pastry for pies and tarts or our whipped shortbread cookies.
If you love buttery shortbread, be sure to try my Raspberry Jam Bars, where a classic shortbread crust is layered with sweet raspberry jam
The Ingredients
Pantry: Oats, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar.
Spices and Seasonings: Salt.
Dairy: Butter.
Variations
Chocolate Chip Oat Flour Shortbread: Fold ½ cup of mini chocolate chips into the dough before pressing it into the pan.
Cranberry Orange Butter Biscuits: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest and ½ cup of dried cranberries to the dough for a bright, fruity flavor.
Spiced Shortbread: Stir ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg into the dry ingredients.
Tips for Success
- If you’re starting with whole oats, make sure to blend them into a fine powder for the best texture.
- Let the butter come to room temperature before you mix the dough.
- Score the dough before it get too crisp. This makes cutting the bars into clean wedges much easier. .
- Turning the oven off and letting the cookies sit helps them develop that signature crispness.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Once the cookies have cooled completely, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Oat Shortbread Bars
Oat flour shortbread is a simple and reliable recipe with a buttery texture and a hint of oat flavor. It’s an easy dessert to make with pantry ingredients you likely already have on hand.
More Recipes to Try
Pin this now to find it later!
Pin It
Oatmeal Shortbread
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Video
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 111 grams (or 1 cup oat flour)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 210 grams
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, 85 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, (2 sticks; 226 grams) at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan or springform pan.
- Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until they are a fine powder (skip this step if you are using oat flour).
- If you are using a food processor, add the flour, confectioners sugar, and salt to the processor bowl and pulse a few times. If you don’t have a food processor add the oat flour and the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk them together.
- Add the butter and blend the ingredients together either by pulsing the food processor or by using an electric mixer. The batter should come together in a smooth mass.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and use a knife to score it into 16 wedges.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400° then reduce the oven temperature to 250° and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the shortbread from the oven and turn the oven off. Using a sharp knife, cut along the scored lines while it is still hot. Place the pan back in the oven but do not turn the oven on. Let the shortbread sit in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour while the oven cools down (this will let the shortbread dry out and develop a crisp texture).
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!This recipe was originally posted on October 13, 2014. We updated the photos but left one of the original photos below.
Have you ever tried making this with coconut oil or margarine? We have a child who can’t eat dairy.
I haven’t made this particular recipe with coconut oil or margarine, but I have used both as substitutes in similar recipes.Either substitute should work but coconut oil will give the cookies a slightly different flavor.