Shortbread Cookies-- or great granola bars?

[FarmerDenise]

Ok, so we made shortbread cookies yesterday and everyone loved them

Of course I had to use a receipe from one of my old hippy days cookbooks
The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook by Jean Hewett

Scotcher Shortbread

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup soft butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preaheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and work together lightly with a wooden spoon or the fingertips. Press into well-buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake 30 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares.
Yield: About two dozen squares
Note: The contributor says that children love this and it isn't too sweet.

We found it a little bit crumbly. It reminded us of granola bars but better.
We plan on adding nuts, marshmellows, chocolate chips, raisins and such next time we make these.

 

[Denim Deb]

If you need someone to taste test them for you, LMK.

 

[curly_kate]

I will HAVE to make these. I LOVE me some shortbread!

 

[freemotion]

Yum! I make shortbread with just flour, sugar, a pinch of salt and lotsa butter. It is yummy to drizzle some melted chocolate over them after they are cooked. I like to press them into two round cake pans and cut them into wedges. Very pretty on a plate for a potluck, and so much less work than other cookie recipes.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Free, that is the way I always knew to make shortbread, but I really wanted to try something a little different and to show DSS and the GF that there are other ways to make yummies.
My experience with recipes from this particular cookbook has been very good.

 

[freemotion]

Some of the older cookbooks are the BEST! I've got to try that recipe...I like the idea of all that oatmeal and so little sugar. I wonder if you increased the butter if it would hold together better. It seems light on the butter for a shortbread recipe.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Did you use the old fashioned rolled oats or the quick oats? I could see it being crumblier with the old fashioned.

Let us know how it turns out with the extra ingredients. I'll have to put these on the list of things to do. which is getting longer and longer.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I used old fashioned rolled oats. I was thinking I might use a little less oats for the next batch and maybe a tablespoon or so of honey.

DSS emptied the plate including the crumbs into a baggy to finish it off
Everyone here wants more of them, considering these guys are junkfood junkies, that is a really good sign.

Next time I go to the store I will have to buy more oatmeal.