These sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies are a fantastic way to use that excess sourdough discard starter. They come out soft and thick, with juicy raisins, hearty rolled oats, brown butter, and cinnamon flavors.
The addition of sourdough starter gives these cookies a unique texture and depth. You can bake these cookies on the same day or let them ferment overnight for enhanced flavor.
Check out all my sourdough discard recipes.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need for this oatmeal cookie recipe. See the printable recipe card at the end of this post for exact amounts.
- All-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt: The cookie dough base.
- Rolled oats or old fashioned oats: Gives that chewy texture. Don’t use steel-cut oats.
- Brown and white sugar: To sweeten and aid in spreading the cookies.
- Large egg: Adds structure.
- Vanilla extract or paste and a hint of cinnamon: extra layers of flavor.
- Salted or unsalted butter: Melted and browned
- Milk powder (optional, but amazing!): Adding a tablespoon of milk powder while you brown the butter increases the caramel flavor!
- Sourdough starter discard: Runny, unfed starter is best
- Raisins: You could also add in chopped nuts or make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!
Method
- Begin by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a pan that lets you see the butter change color to avoid burning it.
- Once melted, let it cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring now and then. Once it starts to foam, add in the tablespoon of milk powder and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk until it browns into a deep amber color and smells nutty and caramel-like.
- Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl, including all the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Once the butter has cooled, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, oats, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then fold in the raisins.
- Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out a tablespoon and a half of dough per cookie, roll it into a ball, and place the dough balls on the parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center. It’s best to underbake slightly for a chewy texture.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storing
These sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or you can freeze the baked cookies for up to three months.
Related sourdough recipes
Check out these for more sourdough cookie recipes or another easy discard recipe!
Ingredients
- 142g (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- 7g (1 tablespoon) milk powder (optional)
- 100g (1/2 cup) soft brown sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 65g (1/3 cup) sourdough starter discard
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 125g (1 cup*) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 120g (1 1/3 cup) rolled oats
- 160g (1 cup) raisins
Instructions
- Begin by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a pan that lets you see the butter change color to avoid burning it.
- Once melted, let it cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring now and then. Once it starts to foam, add in the tablespoon of milk powder and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk until it browns into a deep amber color and smells nutty and caramel-like.
- Pour the melted butter into a large heat-proof bowl, including all the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Once the butter has cooled, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, oats, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then fold in the raisins.
- Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Scoop out a tablespoon and a half of dough per cookie, roll it into a ball, and place the dough balls on the parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center. It’s best to underbake slightly for a chewy texture.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*The cup sizes given are US-sized cups. Note that these are smaller than metric-sized cups. For best results use a kitchen scale and grams.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 22
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 140Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist