Traditional Oat Bannocks — Easy Scottish Quick Bread Recipe

If you love simple, old‑fashioned baking with real roots and real stories, these Oat Bannocks are a recipe you’ll want to keep close. Light, tender, and gently nutty from quick oats, they’re a traditional Scottish bake that comes together with just a few humble ingredients and a soft touch. This is the kind of recipe that has been passed down through generations — the sort of bannock once made in busy farmhouse kitchens, at seaside cottages, and in family gatherings where stories and food were shared in equal measure.

Whether you enjoy them warm with butter and jam or alongside a hearty bowl of soup, these Bannocks are comforting, nostalgic, and wonderfully easy to make. A true taste of heritage, baked fresh in your own kitchen.

 

My late father in law came from a very large farming family on Prince Edward Island, consisting mainly of girls.  I think there were only two or three sons. Their family had ended up on the Island having been shipwrecked in September of 1770 on a ship called the Annabella.  He was the baby of the family, with most of the girls migrating to the United States after WW2.  

They all used to come back to the Island to spend their summers in an old cottage they maintained on Malpeque Bay. There they would spend a couple of months taking in the sea air and re-connecting with their roots.  The air rang with the sound of hearty card games and raucous laughter.

 

Rita was the one girl who had stayed behind on the Island. She never played cards much but could usually be found in the background cooking meals, etc. for everyone. She was like a little bird. I loved her to pieces.  She was a really kind and caring woman.

She frequently made these Oat Bannocks. Ever the foodie, I loved to watch her making them.  All of the ingredients used to get measured right out onto the counter-top, her quick hands deftly managing them into a dough that was then cut and baked into these beautiful light Oat Bannocks.

I can still remember the first time I saw her making them, I thought it was cheese she was mixing in, but it was cold butter which she had grated.  I tend to cut the butter into bits and rub it in with my fingertips.  Both ways work well.

Aunt Rita cut hers into squares, whereas I cut them into rectangles.  Not a scrap of the dough is wasted.  With a light touch, and no re-working of scraps you are rewarded with a dozen light as air golden brown slightly nubbly/nutty textured scones.  Because that is really all a Bannock is . . .  a Scottish Scone. But shhh . . .  don't tell anyone I said that.  I wouldn't want to start a War over it or anything. 

 

INGREDIENTS 

NEEDED TO MAKE OAT BANNOCKS

Just a few baking store cupboard ingredients. Nothing too complicated.

• 2 cups (240g) plain, all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and patting
• 1 cup (80g) quick cooking oats
• 1 TBS baking powder
• 1 TBS granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt

 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

• 
  

I do not recommend using self raising flour. If you did you would have to figure out the amounts of additional baking powder required. It is just easier to use plain flour.

Quick oats are oats that have been steamed, rolled thinner than regular oats, and sometimes cut, allowing them to cook very quickly while retaining their nutritional value. 

Don't be tempted to use old fashioned oats in these, unless you blitz them in a food processor for a few seconds to break them down.  This is one time you want to be using the quick oats. Old fashioned oats are too coarse.

 

I use regular salted butter.

Whole milk will give a much richer result.

Single cream is the same as half and half or coffee cream. You could also substitute undiluted evaporated milk for it.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE OAT BANNOCKS

These are very simply made. If you can make biscuits or scones, you can make these.

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside. (Lining the pan isn't really necessary, but I find it easier to line it and then I can just slip the whole sheet of baked Bannocks from the baking tray onto a wire rack to cool in one go.)
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk in the oats, salt, and sugar. (Make sure everything is whisked together well.)
3. Drop in the butter. Rub it into the mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I find if I use a snapping motion with my fingertips this works very well.)
4. Whisk together the milk and yogurt and stir this into the flour mixture with a fork to form a soft dough. (Add it all at once.)
5. Tip out onto a well floured surface and knead gently a couple of times with floured hands. Pat out to an 8 inch square, which is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut in half down the middle in both directions and then cut each quarter into 3 equal strips, using a floured knife. (Do not overwork the dough as this may toughen the end result.)
6. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each for rising. (Also crisper sides.)
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes until well risen and light golden brown.
8. Serve warm with whatever you desire. (Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.)

 

HINTS AND TIPS 

FOR MAKING GREAT OAT BANNOCKS

If you follow my hints and tips, you cannot go wrong!  I promise you  success every time!  

1.  Always use cold butter, or even frozen butter. This will give your scone a much better rise.  As the Bannocks bake the cold butter, melts and creates lovely buttery air pockets.

2.  Never overwork the dough.  Use as light a touch as possible. Overworking the dough toughens the scone.  This is the same for biscuits as well. If using a cutter do not twist the cutter when you cut or you will end up with lopsided scones.

3.  If you have enough time, it is helpful to chill the Bannocks for about 10 minutes prior to baking them.  Although not specifically necessary this will help to relax the gluten in the flour somewhat and give a nice tender texture and also ensures that your butter stays nice and cold.

4.  For crisp sides leave at least two inches of space between each scone.  For softer sides, crowd them closer together. Personally, I like crisp sides.

5.  Don't overbake the Bannocks.  Overbaking can make them really dry. Bannocks are done with they are a light golden brown on the bottom. If you are in doubt, break one open. They should not appear doughy or wet inside.  They should be slightly moist and tender.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT ARE QUICK OATS?

Quick oats are oats that have been steamed, rolled thinner than regular oats, and sometimes cut, allowing them to cook very quickly while retaining their nutritional value.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF QUICK OATS?

Feel free to use rolled (old fashioned) oats. You will need to process them in a food processor to mimic the size and texture of quick oats. Use  one to one ratio for baking, but do recognize that they may take slightly longer to cook and create a chewier texture.

CAN I CUT THIS RECIPE IN HALF?

Yes, this recipe can successfully be cut in half.  Bake times will stay the same.

CAN THESE BE FROZEN?

Yes, these can be frozen. Simply pack into an airtight freezer container. Label, date and freeze.  Use them up within 3 months. To serve, simply thaw out in a slow oven  (325*F/160*C/gas mark3) until thawed and heated through.

HOW LONG WILL THESE KEEP?

As with any type of bread of quick bread these are best eaten on the day, but they will keep well for up to three days.  You can refresh them for a few minutes in a low oven (325*F/160*C/gas mark3) when you are ready to serve them. For longer storage freeze them.

 

A FEW OTHER 

QUICK BREAD RECIPES TO ENJOY

Nothing makes a meal feel more complete than a delicious quick bread served on the side. Quick, easy to make, and so delicious, these tasty recipes can help to elevate even the simplest of meals!

SCOTTISH BANNOCK - soft, sturdy, and beautifully golden — a cross between a scone and a quick bread — made with self‑rising flour, cold butter rubbed in by hand, a touch of sugar, and enough milk to bring everything together into a soft, sticky dough. Shaped into a rustic round, scored into wedges, and brushed with egg for shine, it bakes up into a tender, warm Bannock with a delicate crumb and just the right hint of sweetness.  Fresh from the oven, it’s irresistible with butter, jam, honey, or even a spoonful of marmalade. It’s also wonderfully versatile — add currants or raisins for a fruity Bannock, or herbs and cheese for a savory twist.

CHEESE & ONION MUFFIN BREAD - This bread is everything we adore about a good quick bread: fast, simple, and unbelievably satisfying. Baked in a round tin and cut into wedges like a rustic savory cake, it’s packed with sharp cheddar and plenty of herby spring onions — a classic flavor pairing that never disappoints. The texture is light and muffin‑like, thanks to a generous lift from baking powder, and the batter comes together in minutes with no kneading, no yeast, and no fuss. As it bakes, the cheese melts into the crumb while the onions soften and sweeten, creating a beautifully savory loaf that’s gorgeous cut into wedges and served warm with lashings of butter.

  

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Yield: Makes 12 Bannocks

Author: Marie Rayner

Malpeque Bay Oat Bannocks

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 17 MinTotal time: 32 Min

A very old family recipe. Those are the best kinds of recipes don't you think? Serve warm, fresh from the oven with plenty of cold butter and jam. Light as a cloud. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups (240g) plain, all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and patting
• 1 cup (80g) quick cooking oats
• 1 TBS baking powder
• 1 TBS granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk in the oats, salt, and sugar.
3. Drop in the butter. Rub it into the mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
4. Whisk together the milk and yogurt and stir this into the flour mixture with a fork to form a soft dough.
5. Tip out onto a well floured surface and knead gently a couple of times with floured hands. Pat out to an 8 inch square, which is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut in half down the middle in both directions and then cut each quarter into 3 equal strips, using a floured knife.
6. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each for rising.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes until well risen and light golden brown.
8. Serve warm with whatever you desire. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

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