For the large oat pancake local to Staffordshire, England, see Staffordshire oatcake. Oatcakes have been documented as existing in Scotland since at least the time of the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, and likely before then. Oatcake variations exist based upon the different preparations in various oat bannock and regions. Seen as a typically Scottish food item, oatcakes have also long been made elsewhere in Britain.

Oatcakes may replace toast at breakfast in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth II typically had Scottish oatcakes for breakfast and Walkers Oatcakes carry a Royal Warrant. The Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce and Manufacture of the 1790s notes the bread of High Furness being thin oatcakes, whilst in Lancashire a leavened oatcake known as riddle bread was made. The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment was nicknamed the Havercakes due to their recruiting sergeants bearing oat cakes on the end of their swords.

If the rounds are large, they are sliced into farls before baking. Oats are one of the few grains that grow well in the north of Scotland and were, until the 20th century, the staple grain used. Scottish soldiers in the 14th century carried a metal plate and a sack of oatmeal. According to contemporary accounts, a soldier would heat the plate over fire, moisten a bit of oatmeal and make a cake to “comfort his stomach. Hence it is no marvel that the Scots should be able to make longer marches than other men. A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people. Yes, and where else will you see such horses and such men?

The texture may vary from rough to fine depending on how the oats are ground. Oatcakes may be slightly chewy or hard, depending on the water content and for how long they are cooked. Oatcakes were traditionally eaten with every meal as a major source of carbohydrate in the diet. Nowadays, many brands of oatcakes are commercially available, such as Nairn’s, Stockan’s, Paterson’s, and Walkers.

Apart from those larger commercial manufacturers of oatcakes, there are many local bakers providing variations on the basic recipe. In Wales, oatcakes tend to resemble savoury pancakes. They were sometimes crumbled up and used as one of the ingredients of brewis, a staple breakfast. Oatcakes similar to the Scottish variety are produced in Ireland, in shared tradition with the Scots. Ditty’s is a Northern Irish brand of oatcake. Scottish immigrants to the New World brought the recipe for this sustaining food to Canada.