Oatmeal biscuits

Spread them on a baking tray and warm them at 150 °C for about 5 minutes, then let them cool completely; they crisp as they cool. Keep a close eye on them, as the edges can brown quickly.

Once completely cool, keep them in an airtight tin or container in a dry cupboard. Don’t store them with soft biscuits or bread, which can make them lose their crunch.

Yes. Freeze them in a sealed container, with baking paper between layers to prevent breakage, for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature while still covered, then uncover so condensation doesn’t soften them.

They’re good with tea or coffee, and their gently oaty sweetness works well with sharp Cheddar or a slice of apple. Crumble them over yoghurt or stewed fruit for a quick crunchy topping.

Yes. Crush them finely, mix with melted butter until the crumbs hold together when pressed, then pack the mixture firmly into the tin. Chill it before adding the filling; the biscuits are already sweet, so you may need less added sugar in the base.

For a crumb base, use plain digestive biscuits or oatcakes; digestive biscuits give a sweeter, finer crumb, while oatcakes make a more savoury base. If replacing them in a recipe that depends on whole biscuits, choose another crisp biscuit of similar size.

No. Oatmeal biscuits are usually sweet, crisp biscuits made with oats or oatmeal, while oatcakes are generally savoury and often made chiefly from oats. Oatcakes also contain more fibre per 100 g: 9.4 g, compared with 4.8 g in oatmeal biscuits.