# Fannie Farmer's Oatmeal Cookies

Crisp, lightly sweetened rolled cookies from an 1896 classic — thin cream and fine oats give them a delicate, old-fashioned snap.

_Dessert · American_

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 12 min · Total: 32 min · Yields: 24 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter result)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup quick oats (pulse in a blender 5–6 times for a finer texture closer to Fannie's 'fine oatmeal')
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 240 g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt

## Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Pulse the ½ cup quick oats in a blender or food processor 5–6 times until they resemble coarse flour — not a powder, but no large flakes remain.
3. Whisk the 1 large egg in a large bowl until pale and slightly frothy, about 1 minute.
4. Add the ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, and ¼ cup whole milk to the egg; whisk until fully combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the blitzed oats, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp fine sea salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms — it will be firm and slightly tacky.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4–5 times until it just comes together into a smooth, cohesive mass.
8. Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out to about ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness.
9. Cut into rounds or shapes with a 2½-inch cookie cutter, re-rolling scraps once. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
10. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the tops look dry. Rotate the pans front-to-back at the 6-minute mark for even color.
11. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely — they crisp up significantly as they cool.

## Tip

> Roll the dough on the thinner side of ¼ inch rather than thicker — these cookies are meant to be crisp and snappy, not cakey. Any thicker and the center stays soft and the original character is lost.

Tags: vintage, rolled-cookies, comfort-food, vegetarian

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/fannie-farmer-s-oatmeal-cookies
Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69654