Telegraph House Oatcakes (Nova Scotia)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups regular oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups bran flakes
2 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Set aside to cool completely.

Mix together remaining ingredients. Add cooled baking soda and water mixture. Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll out to the thickness of pie dough. It can be a bit hard to roll out. It does not have to be a perfect circle. Cut into squares about 1 x 2 inches. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. They should be just getting brown around the edges.