Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
These Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies are soft and chewy with buttery crisp edges, plenty of hearty oats, and a delicious hint of flavor from sourdough discard. They’re an easy way to use up extra sourdough starter without making another loaf of bread.
Brown sugar gives the cookies a soft, chewy center and rich caramel-like flavor, while old-fashioned oats add plenty of texture. The sourdough discard blends right into the dough, making this a great recipe for anyone looking for more creative ways to use leftover starter.
Enjoy these oatmeal cookies as they are, or add chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, or another favorite mix-in.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies combine everything there is to love about a classic oatmeal cookie with the added flavor of sourdough discard. They’re easy to prepare, use everyday baking ingredients, and don’t require feeding or activating your starter first.
They’re also an incredibly versatile cookie. Keep them simple for a classic oatmeal cookie or use the dough as a base for your favorite oatmeal cookie variations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
How to Make Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the sourdough discard and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well combined. The mixture may look slightly separated after adding the discard, which is normal.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
Fold in the old-fashioned oats. If you’re adding chocolate chips, raisins, dried fruit, or other mix-ins, gently fold them into the dough now.
Scoop and Bake
Scoop the cookie dough into approximately 2-tablespoon portions and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
For softer cookies, remove them when the centers appear just a little underdone. They’ll continue to set on the hot baking sheet.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for approximately 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Should You Chill Sourdough Oatmeal Cookie Dough?
You can bake these cookies right away, but chilling the dough can improve both the texture and flavor.
For thicker cookies, cover the dough and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before baking.
For a stronger sourdough flavor, refrigerate the covered dough for several hours or overnight. The additional fermentation time allows the sourdough discard to contribute more flavor to the cookies.
What Kind of Sourdough Discard Should I Use?
Use unfed sourdough starter discard for this recipe. There’s no need to feed the starter or wait for it to become bubbly and active.
This recipe assumes a typical sourdough starter maintained at approximately equal weights of flour and water.
Discard straight from the refrigerator works well. If it’s very cold, allowing it to sit at room temperature briefly can make it easier to incorporate into the cookie dough.
Old-Fashioned Oats vs. Quick Oats
Old-fashioned rolled oats are recommended because they give the cookies their hearty, chewy oatmeal texture.
Quick oats are more finely processed and absorb moisture differently, so they can produce a softer, less textured cookie.
Avoid using steel-cut oats for this recipe because they won’t soften sufficiently during the short baking time.
Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
For an easy variation, fold 1 cup of semisweet or milk chocolate chips into the finished cookie dough.
Chocolate and oatmeal work especially well with the subtle tang from the sourdough discard.
You can also combine chocolate chips with dried cranberries or raisins for additional texture.
Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Turn the recipe into classic oatmeal raisin cookies by adding 1 cup of raisins.
For especially soft raisins, soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes, drain them thoroughly, and pat them dry before adding them to the dough.
Tips for Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Don’t overbake the cookies. The centers should still look soft when the baking sheet comes out of the oven.
Brown sugar is also important for creating a chewy texture, so don’t substitute all of it with granulated sugar.
Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour can produce thick, dry cookies instead of soft and chewy ones.
Finally, allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for several minutes after baking. They’ll finish setting without losing their soft centers.
How to Store Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days.
For longer storage, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Can You Freeze the Cookie Dough?
Yes. Sourdough oatmeal cookie dough freezes beautifully.
Scoop the dough into individual cookie portions and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a freezer bag.
Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time as needed.
A Delicious Way to Use Sourdough Discard
If you’re maintaining a sourdough starter, finding easy recipes for all that extra discard can be just as important as making sourdough bread.
These Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies turn that extra starter into a classic homemade treat. They’re buttery, chewy, full of oatmeal texture, and easy enough to make whenever there’s sourdough discard waiting in the refrigerator.
Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
Optional Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: About 30 minutes
Yield: Approximately 30 cookies
Serving Size: 1 cookie
