Chinese New Year Shortbread Oatcakes for the Year of the Horse

Gung Hee Fat Choy! Today begins two weeks of celebration for the Year of the Horse, and I made a batch of shortbread oatcakes to mark the occasion.

These oatcakes are richer than a standard oatmeal cookie, with a buttery shortbread texture that feels festive. The recipe is simple — oats, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt — but the result is pleasantly tender and slightly crumbly, perfect for gifting or serving at a New Year gathering.

To shape the oatcakes, you can scoop roughly 1/4 cup portions and hand-shape them, or press the dough into muffin top pans. I prefer muffin top pans because they give the oatcakes a consistent round profile and a neat side finish — the round shape also symbolizes unity and togetherness, which is fitting for Chinese New Year.

Left: Plain Shortbread Oatcakes; Middle and Right: Shortbread Apple Oatcakes

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15–18 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. They should be just set and slightly firm to the touch when finished.

If you want a fresh-fruit variation, fold in shredded unpeeled apple to make apple oatcakes. The batter will be wetter but no extra flour is needed before baking. Note that apple oatcakes are more perishable; store leftovers refrigerated and plan to eat them within a few days. For gifts or long-lasting treats, stick with the plain oatcakes.

A decorative and meaningful touch is to use printed Li See (red lucky money) envelopes. Trace a circle the size of your oatcake over a favorite illustration on the envelope, then cut out the circle. I traced around the base of a water goblet to get a consistent size.

Trim the cutout to your liking. I removed a top segment of my circle to avoid partial Chinese characters that looked awkward when only partly visible. The small adjustments make the final decoration look intentional and polished.

Wrap each oatcake in foil — red or gold are traditional for luck. Avoid black or white wrapping, which are usually associated with mourning. If you don’t have colored foil, wrap the oatcakes first in plastic wrap and then in plain red or gold gift wrap or mylar, taping the back closed to hold it in place.

Use double-sided tape to attach the Li See cutout to the top of each wrapped oatcake. You can place the design on a smooth surface or on a pleated finish — either looks festive.

This is an easy project to do with kids. They enjoy mixing the dough and forming the oatcakes; when mine were preschool age they loved helping and later sharing the treats with classmates. These days they still “help” mostly by taste-testing.

Stack a few oatcakes together and tie them up as a gift. Finish the package with a Year of the Horse tag made from a Li See envelope for a coordinated, traditional presentation.

I like to keep a stash of these in my Chinese candy box during the holiday — they make a lovely homemade addition to a festive assortment.

Wishing you a prosperous and joyful New Year!