Late 19th-century Recipes Calling for Oatmeal

Late 19th-century Recipes Calling for Oatmeal
Some cooks knew what to do with oatmeal in the kitchen. As a rule, they made a variety of dishes with a small root cellar and smaller larder of ingredients. If the family ate porridge, it stands to reason that the grain (oats in this case) would find its way into other foods (dishes, recipes). Some immigrants enjoyed oatmeal “back home”, and others discovered oats in the United States (or her Territories). No matter where every immigrant came from, we all knew porridge in the old country. That porridge may or may not have been made from oats.

Eventually, homemakers discovered palatable (favorite American-Victorian term) recipes for oatmeal. The volume of articles in vintage newspapers implies that oat companies wanted to sell oats. As a result, companies educated housekeepers. And homemakers purchased oats. Then those housekeepers had a problem: porridge monotony.Late

Who wants to eat porridge? OnceÂ a day seems okay. But twice? Three times? (Would I rather go hungry?) As a result the oat companies ensured oat recipes landed within the reach of cooks. How to do that? Advertise! Articles about oats were published in ladies’ columns in newspapers.

In this article, I’ll share many late 19th-century recipes calling for oatmeal. (Other than oatmeal cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, oatmeal porridge, and toiletries). Each recipe’s original source is cited, whether Victorian-era American newspaper or vintage cookbook.

Kristin Holt | Header Image from Victorian-era Newspaper Article: How to Cook Oatmeal: Crisped Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cakes and Biscuits, Cookies, Fritters, Puddings, Scones, Porridge, and other Preparations. Published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Header Image from Victorian-era Newspaper Article: How to Cook Oatmeal: Crisped Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cakes and Biscuits, Cookies, Fritters, Puddings, Scones, Porridge, and other Preparations. Published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893. Late 19th-century Recipes Calling for Oatmeal.

Kristin Holt | "Prepare oatmeal in ... any other way to avoid monotony", an opening paragraph of an article published in The Boston Globe on January 22, 1893.

“Prepare oatmeal in … any other way to avoid monotony”, an opening paragraph of an article. Published in The Boston Globe on January 22, 1893.

Oats in Rolls and Bread

I personally favor oats in my homemade bread. And it seems Victorians did too.

Oatmeal Rolls Recipe, published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Oatmeal Bread Recipe, The Boston Globe on January 1, 1895.

Oats in Muffins, Biscuits, Gems

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Muffins Recipe published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Muffin recipe: Oatmeal Muffins. Published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Oatmeal Gems, The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. February 13, 1895.

Kristin Holt | Iron Gem Pans, both shallow and deep. The shallow pan weighs 3 lbs 5 oz, and costs $0.16. The deep pan weighs 5 lbs., and costs $0.20. Advertised in the 1895 Montgomery Ward Spring and Summer Catalog.

Iron Gem Pans, both shallow and deep. The shallow pan weighs 3 lbs 5 oz, and costs $0.16. The deep pan weighs 5 lbs., and costs $0.20. Advertised in the 1895 Montgomery Ward Spring and Summer Catalog.

Oatmeal in Crackers

Note: this “Oatmeal Crackers” recipe is referenced later on. The Oatmeal Cream Pie recipe calls for this Oatmeal Crackers recipe as the CRUST for the pie. Now that’s innovative!

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal called for in Crackers Recipe, published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons KS. August 25, 1881.

Crackers Recipe calling for oatmeal. Published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas. August 25, 1881.

Crisped Oatmeal Recipe (Like crackers? Like cold cereal?) Published in The Boston Globe on January 22, 1893.

Oatmeal in Soup

This one sounds unbelievable. We’ve heard of an Oatmeal Beverage (essentially water used to soak oats, with the grain strained out). I thought that was bizarre. But Victorians (some, at least) made Oatmeal Soup?

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Soup Recipe, published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Recipe: Oatmeal Soup. Published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Oatmeal in Fritters, Scones (and a couple more Oatmeal Cookie Recipes)

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Fritters published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Oatmeal Fritters published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Scones Recipe published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Scones (Oatmeal) Recipe published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal cookies with Fig Filling, published in Chillicothe Gazette of Chillicothe, Ohio on February 7, 1903.

Oatmeal cookies with Fig Filling. From Chillicothe Gazette of Chillicothe, Ohio on February 7, 1903.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Biscuits Recipes (x2) published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Biscuits (Oatmeal Cookies) Recipes (x2). From The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Oatmeal in Parkin

Parkin? Have you ever heard of such a thing? I know the name Parkinson.

Kristin Holt | Parkin Recipe Calls for Oatmeal, published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Parkin Recipe Calls for Oatmeal. Published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Google's Definition of "Parkin"

Google’s Definition of “Parkin“. A kind of dark gingerbread, typically with a soft, dry texture, made with oatmeal and molasses.

Oatmeal in Puddings, Custards, Pies

Kristin Holt | Two Oatmeal Puddings Recipes published in The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas on August 25, 1881.

Two Oatmeal Puddings Recipes. From The Lyons Republican of Lyons, Kansas. August 25, 1881.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Pudding Part 1 of 2 published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Part 1 of 2– Oatmeal Pudding. From The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal Pudding Part 2 of 2 published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Part 2 of 2– Oatmeal Pudding. From The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal and Apple Pudding Recipe published in The Boston Globe on January 22, 1893.

Oatmeal and Apple Pudding Recipe. Found in The Boston Globe on January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Oatmeal and Crumb Pudding Recipe published in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1893.

Oatmeal and Crumb Pudding Recipe. Found in The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. January 22, 1893.

Kristin Holt | Fried Oatmeal, Oatmeal Custard, Oatmeal Pudding recipes published in Pittsburgh Dispatch of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 25, 1891.

Fried Oatmeal, Oatmeal Custard, Oatmeal Pudding recipes. From Pittsburgh Dispatch of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. January 25, 1891.

Because I’ve made a cream pie or two, this vintage recipe surprised me. I expected oatmeal in the cream filling. Instead, the oats are in the crust. In fact, the cracker recipe in this post is the ‘oatmeal’ wanted in this cream pie recipe.