10 Old-Fashioned Desserts to Try from Grandma's Recipe Box

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Oatmeal Lace Cookies

Delicate, crispy, and lightly sweet, oatmeal lace cookies are a timeless treat known for their thin, lacy texture and buttery caramelized flavor. Unlike traditional oatmeal cookies, these bake up light and crisp, with golden, lace-like holes forming as the sugar and butter melt together. Dating back to old-fashioned European baking traditions, oatmeal lace cookies became a staple in American kitchens due to their simple ingredients and unique texture. Often found in holiday cookie tins or alongside an afternoon coffee, they prove that sometimes, the simplest desserts are the most elegant.

Ingredients (for about 24 cookies):

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ? cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in oats, flour, milk, vanilla, and salt, mixing until fully combined.
4. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of the batter onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each—these cookies will spread!
5. Bake for 7-9 min., or until golden brown and bubbly.
6. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, as they will firm up as they cool. Carefully remove with a thin spatula.
7. Enjoy as-is, drizzle with melted chocolate, or sandwich two cookies together with ganache for an extra indulgence.