Use up your sourdough discard in this easy-to-follow sourdough discard oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. Perfect for kitchen adventures with young ones, these cookies are not just fun to make but also a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
By leaving the dough in the fridge overnight, we also get the benefits of fermentation. This extra time allows the sourdough starter to actively work on the dough, enhancing both flavor and texture
If you enjoy using sourdough discard in your cookies, try this festive variation of sourdough chocolate chip cookies, perfect for the holiday season!
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Ingredients
- sourdough discard: we use excess sourdough starter to add a unique tanginess and chewy texture to the cookies.
- coconut oil: a healthier alternative to unsalted butter, giving the cookies a light, moist texture.
- cane sugar & brown sugar: These sugars add a rich, caramel-like sweetness. Brown sugar contributes to the chewiness.
- milk: adds moisture; any type is suitable, but I like to add whole milk the most.
- oats: Quick oats are preferable for a softer texture, but old-fashioned oats work too. I add old-fashioned oats when I want to make cookies with a heartier bite.
- flour: all-purpose flour is ideal for structure.
- baking soda: Essential for the rise and spread of the cookies.
- sea salt: Enhances flavors; kosher salt is a good substitute. I like to use real salt without unnecessary additives.
- raisins: Add a burst of sweetness; juicy and big raisins work best.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients - sourdough discard, melted coconut oil, cane sugar, brown sugar, and milk. Mix them together to get a smooth almost velvety liquid.
Gradually add dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in raisins.
Refrigerate dough overnight for best results. If you are in a pinch, you can refrigerate the dough for a shorter period but don't go below 1 hour.
The next day, let the dough sit at room temperature for about an hour before you start turning it into cookies.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Shape dough into balls and flatten them into thick discs; the cookie dough will be quite tough. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving inches of space between each. They do spread a little, so keep that in mind.
Bake them at 350°F (about 190°C) for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Hint: For the perfect cookie texture, pay attention to the consistency of your cookie dough. It's best to use a discard of a 100% hydration starter, or else your dough might end up too dry or too wet. If your cookie dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. If it's too dry, add a little milk. This will help get your cookies just right – not too hard, not too soft.
Substitution Notes
- sugar: Use only cane sugar or substitute with coconut sugar or white sugar.
- flour: Experiment with less flour for a chewier cookie.
- oil: Melted butter can replace coconut oil for a richer flavor. Be careful though - I find that coconut oil gives the cookies a certain tenderness that butter does not!
Variations & Add-ins
- Chocolate Chip: Swap raisins for melty chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
- Spice: A hint of cinnamon or ground cinnamon can add warmth. I also love to add 1 teaspoon of cloves to any oatmeal cookies!
- Nuts: Add chopped nuts for extra crunch.
Tools You'll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Parchment paper or a baking mat - If you haven't heard of Amazon silicone baking mats, consider giving them a try. They work exceptionally well in preventing the sourdough crackers from sticking
- Cookie sheet
- Wire rack
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Optional: silicone spatula
💭Crucial Success Tips
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients precisely.
- Allowing the dough to rest overnight is key to developing flavors and achieving the perfect cookie texture. It also offers some fermentation benefits and makes these cookies a bit easier on our digestive system.
- If the dough is too firm, let it sit at room temperature for a bit longer before shaping.
FAQ
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Yes, substitute with equal amounts of melted butter.
They should be golden brown and set around the edges. Be careful! I think all cookies look a bit less baked than they truly are when we peek at them in the oven. When in doubt, take them out!
To make sure your cookies are soft and chewy, take them out of the oven a bit early when they still look a little undercooked. They'll keep cooking a bit more as they cool down. Also, mix the dough softly and just enough to blend everything. This helps keep them from getting hard or crumbly.
Yes, they are! Make twice the amount of this recipe and put the extra in the freezer for later! Add about 4 minutes to their baking time when baking them from frozen.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖Printable Recipe
📖 Recipe
Chewy Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Parchment paper or a baking mat
- Cookie sheet
- Wire rack
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Optional: silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 0.85 cup sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 0.5 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 cup milk of choice
- 1.5 cup oats quick oats
- 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1.5 cup raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients - sourdough discard, melted coconut oil, cane sugar, brown sugar, and milk. Mix them together to get a smooth almost velvety liquid.
- Gradually add dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in raisins.
- Refrigerate dough overnight for best results. If you are in a pinch, you can refrigerate the dough for a shorter period but don't go below 1 hour.
- The next day, let the dough sit at room temperature for about an hour before you start turning it into cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape dough into balls and flatten them into thick discs; the cookie dough will be quite tough. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving inches of space between each. They do spread a little, so keep that in mind.
- Bake them at 350°F (about 190°C) for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
How To Store Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
For longer storage, freeze the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer them to a Ziploc bag. When baking them from frozen, add about 4 minutes to their baking time.
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Rebecca says
This looks so yummy!!
Tina says
Thank you! =D
Julie G says
how do you measure .85 C of discard? is that a typo?
Tina says
Hi Julie,
sorry for the mix-up with the recipe card: you were right, the US and metric measurements were accidentally switched, but I've fixed that now! You can easily find the gram measurements under the 'metric' option on the recipe card, just below the ingredient list.
About measuring 0.85 cup of discard, it's not a typo. This was meant for those who want to make the recipe but aren't fans of kitchen scales. However, I agree that measuring it this way is more challenging and can be very confusing. The original recipe was actually in grams, that is why some conversions turn out the way they did here :/
Hope this clears things up, and sorry for any confusion!
Yiwan says
Can I replace coconut oil with olive oil? Thanks!
Tina says
I think so, didn't try that yet though. My only concern would be that the taste f olive oil would come through as quite strong. But if that's not a problem, go for it! =D