A Cozy Twist on Mum’s Classic Irish Cookies
There’s something magical about a good campfire—the warmth, the crackle, the flicker of embers dancing in the air. It brings me back to Irish winters, when the fire was fueled with peat and turf, and we’d gather around in our kitchen as mum baked up a storm. And with our Campfire Candle burning, you’ll have all the nostalgia of wood, frankincense, and smoldering embers, minus the hassle of tending a fire.
Today, we’re bringing that nostalgia into your kitchen with a recipe that’s a twist on the classic campfire s’mores. But instead of your typical graham crackers, we’re using my mum’s famous to me flakemeal (oatmeal) cookies. These aren’t your soft, chewy American oatmeal cookies; no, no! These are proper Irish biscuits—crispy, crunchy, and absolutely divine.
And we’re not stopping there—oh no. We’re upgrading the chocolate too. Forget Hershey’s; we’re going full-on Cadbury's or Galaxy dairy milk (available through
Amazon or your friendly neighborhood World Market). And if you’re feeling extra
cheeky, skip the homemade bit and grab a packet of Hobnobs (yes, that biscuit with "nob" in the name—because we Irish love a good laugh).
But if you fancy going all out, here’s mum’s recipe. Trust me, it’s worth it.
The best cookie I've had in years. Thank you Mum! ~ Maggie Murphree
Mum’s Flakemeal (Oatmeal) Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
8oz/225 grams butter (Kerry Gold, of course—it’s the only butter that truly tastes like home)
4oz/110 grams caster sugar
3oz/75 grams desicated coconut
4oz/110 grams plain flour
8oz/225 grams McCann’s Irish Oats (bonus: they're gluten-free!)
1 bar of Galaxy or Cadburys Dairy Milk chocolate
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 170°F (not Celsius, folks—don’t go burning down the kitchen!).
Cream the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. None of this half-hearted mixing now, give it a proper go.
Add the coconut, flour, and oats, then mix it all together until it forms a dough.
The texture is a bit crumbly but don’t worry—it all comes together in the oven.
Scoop out dollops of dough onto a baking sheet. The size is up to you, but remember, bigger cookies mean bigger s’mores ( that being said smaller and fatter is my favorite). Flatten them slightly with a fork.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. If they’re a bit darker, that’s just extra flavor.
Once your cookies have cooled, you can melt your Cadbury’s or Galaxy Dairy Milk and drizzle it over, or if you’re feeling fancy, dip half the cookie in chocolate for that extra bit of indulgence.
The Marshmallow Moment:
For the s'mores experience, simply toast marshmallows over a fire (or a gas stove flame if you’re in the city). Place a gooey marshmallow between two flakemeal cookies with a generous chunk of your melted chocolate. Close your eyes, take a bite, and be transported to the Irish countryside with the scent of a campfire in the air.
A Nod to Irish Oats & Butter
Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to the McCann’s Irish Oats I used in these cookies. Sure, Ireland’s famous for its potatoes, but truth be told, oats go back way further—all the way to around 438 A.D., according to the Great Code of Civil Law (which, let’s be honest, sounds far more official than a cookbook). Porridge was considered a true Irish dish, and not much has changed since those days. In fact, what our Irish ancestors were eating centuries ago is pretty similar to the steaming bowl of oats in your kitchen today.
McCann’s oats are as traditional as it gets, but they’re also modern enough to offer a gluten-free option (so, no excuses). And let me tell you, they’re perfect for this recipe.
But if you want to swap in some other brand—well, I suppose you could. Just do me a favor: try it my way first. Then, on the second go-round, if you insist on changing it up,
be sure to have an impartial judge present (like a hungry sibling or your partner).
Trust me, it’s a battle worth fighting for!
And then, of course, there’s Kerrygold Butter. Let’s just say it’s the butter of dreams. Grass-fed, creamy, and with a flavor that makes everything better, it’s the only butter you’ll need in your kitchen. Whether you’re slathering it on crusty bread or using it in this recipe, Kerrygold elevates the experience. So yes, while you can swap it out for whatever butter you’ve got lying around, why would you? Like I said, try it my way first.
It’s worth it.
Christmas Baking & Mum’s Flakemeal Legacy
There’s something about these cookies that always reminds me of autumn and winter. My mum would start her Christmas baking in November—six weeks of glorious smells filling the kitchen. We weren’t allowed to touch anything (as if seven kids would listen to that!). She’d diligently prep trays and trays of baked goods, meticulously freezing them for our big family gatherings. But somehow, we always managed to “sample” a few...or a lot...before Christmas even rolled around.
I swear, it’s a miracle any of those goodies ever made it to the holiday week.
The flakemeal cookies were a favorite of mine. Simple, yet perfect. The oats gave them this salty-sweet flavor, with a hint of coconut that was almost tropical. The texture? Divine. Crispy, crunchy, and so satisfying with a cup of tea or as the base of these s'mores.
If you’re not in the mood to bake, grab some Hobnobs and give this a whirl. But if you want to experience a slice of my mum’s kitchen, you can’t go wrong with these homemade beauties. They’re perfect for s’mores, dunking in tea, or sneaking from the freezer when no one’s looking (not that I’m admitting anything).
So, light up a Campfire candle, breathe in those notes of wood and embers, and get ready to be transported to an Irish Christmas long ago, where the fire was warm, the cookies were crisp, and the kids…well, we were always hungry.
And there you have it—Irish flakemeal s’mores, officially approved by my mum (probably). Now it’s your turn! Give this recipe a whirl, and let me know if you stuck to my sacred instructions or went rogue with your own twist. Did the Hobnobs save the day, or did you brave the homemade cookies? Drop a comment below and share your marshmallowy masterpiece. Bonus points if you managed to avoid eating all the chocolate before it made it into the s’mores!
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