Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
These soft and chewy oatmeal cookies are warmly spiced with cinnamon and feature a subtle tangy depth from sourdough discard, transforming a simple pantry staple into a bakery-worthy treat.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand electric mixer - For creaming butter and sugars
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl - For combining dry ingredients
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop - 2-tablespoon size recommended
- Large Rimmed Baking Sheets - 2 sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale - Optional but recommended for accuracy
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter - 227g, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar - 200g, packed
- ½ cup Granulated White Sugar - 100g
- 2 Large Eggs - At room temperature
- 1 cup Sourdough Discard - 240g, unfed, at any hydration level
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1½ cups All-Purpose Flour - 190g
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 3 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - 270g
- 1 cup Raisins - 150g, or substitute chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Scrape bowl often.
- Mix in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Add sourdough discard and mix until uniform.
- Gradually add dry ingredients on low speed just until no flour streaks remain.
- Fold rolled oats and raisins (or chosen mix-in) into the dough with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough (2-tablespoon cookie scoop) onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time on center rack for 11-13 minutes, until edges are golden and centers appear slightly underdone.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don't overbake: Pull cookies when centers are still slightly underdone—they continue to set as they cool on the pan for a perfectly soft and chewy texture.
- Room temperature ingredients: Use softened butter and room temperature eggs for proper creaming and a smooth dough.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a straight edge for accurate amounts.
- Customize mix-ins: Swap raisins for chocolate chips, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, or even toasted coconut.
- Chill for deeper flavor: Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to overnight for a more developed sourdough tang and chewier texture.
- Make brown butter version: Brown the butter on the stovetop, let it cool and solidify slightly, then proceed with the recipe for a nutty caramel flavor.
- Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a piece of bread to retain moisture.
- Freezing dough: Portion cookie dough balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F for 13-15 minutes.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Use any discard: Cold discard straight from the fridge works perfectly; no need to feed or bring to room temperature.