Oatmeal Animal Crackers Adapted from The Great Scandanvian Baking Book

Oatmeal Any Animal Crackers

I tend to use fluer de sel sea salt in the crackers, and then a flakier salt sprinkled across the tops before baking. I grind my pink pepper in a spice grinder. We love to use our "Marine Life" cookie cutters for these. Although larger, you break them up because that is what you do with a cracker ~ Lynds

1 cup small rolled oats or old fashioned whirred in blender
1 1/4 cups whole milk, heated just to boiling
1/4 cup room-temperature unsalted butter
4 tablespoons turbano sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons crushed pink pepper or molasses but not both I prefer molasses

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 1/4 cup dark rye flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
more salt for sprinkling

 In a large bowl combine the rolled oats and boiling milk. Let stand until cool, likely 30 - 45 minutes (do not quicken in fridge as this is what softens your oats) When cool, stir in the butter, sugar, baking powder, molasses, salt, and rye flour. Stir in the all-purpose flour, a bit at a time, until a stiff dough forms. Turn out onto a counter top and knead until the dough comes together and is uniform.

Heat the oven to 425F / 245C with racks in top and bottom thirds.
Divide the dough into two parts, just so you have a manageable amount to work with. Now, you're going to want to roll the dough out very thin - 1/4 -inch. This way your crackers will have snap. Have a look at the photo up above, and try to get it thinner than that. If your dough is at all stubborn, just let it rest there for ten minutes or so, then try again.
Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheets [they don't spread much), and sprinkle with a bit more salt - flaky sea salt is best Fleur de sel is what I use, if you have it. Bake for roughly 14 minutes, flipping each cracker approx 7 minutes into baking time, and brown the flip side as well. Use your best judgement and remove when well done. I do not like these over-baked as they do dry out during cooling as well. Cool completely before storing in large air-tight jars.
Repeat with the remaining dough, and cut the scraps into tiny oyster or soup crackers.
Makes dozens of crackers, depending on how large or small you cut them.
Adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas.
Prep time: 45 min - Cook time: 15 min

 
Great Scandinavian Baking Book