These Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies have a sweet rich nutty flavor, thanks to the browned butter, with crispy edges and a soft center. They are a great way to use up a full cup of sourdough discard.
Make these oatmeal cookies even better by adding some chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit. Enjoy one warm from the oven with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.
These cookies are a great way to use up some sourdough discard. I have been experimenting with ways to add sourdough discard to a variety of cookie recipes. Four of my other favorites are these Sourdough Sugar Cookies, Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies, these Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies, Sourdough Apple Cookies, Sourdough Discard Nutella Cookies, Sourdough Discard Shortbread, Sourdough Discard Molasses Cookies, Sourdough Turtle Cookies, Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies, these Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies, and these Sourdough Snickerdoodles.
Want to reduce your sourdough discard? I recommend trying this Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sourdough discard tenderizes the gluten in the dough creating a softer cakier oatmeal cookie.
- Thanks to the full cup of sourdough discard, these cookies turn out irresistibly soft and tender every time.
- Easily customize these cookies by adding your favorite mix-ins.
- Like most cookie recipes, this cookie dough freezes well so you are always ready for your next cookie craving.
Trying to add more oatmeal to your diet? Have a bowl of this Cinnamon Spice Oatmeal or a stack of these Flourless Strawberry Oatmeal Pancakes or if you have a sourdough starter these Sourdough Oatmeal Pancakes for breakfast. Oatmeal is also delicious for dessert. Bake up a batch of these Fresh Peach Oatmeal Bars or these Plum Oatmeal Bars.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make these soft and chewy Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies.
Butter: Room temperature butter is easier to cream together with the sugar. I use unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter you will need to omit the salt in the recipe. There is about ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick of salted butter.
Brown Sugar and White Sugar: This recipe uses both types of sugar. The brown sugar adds moisture while the white sugar helps the cookie dough spread while it is baking.
Bread Flour: I typically use bread flour rather than all-purpose flour in my cookie recipes. Bread flour helps to create a chewier cookie. For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.
Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour creates dense cookies.
Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Don't use quick oats or steel-cut oats. The texture won't be correct and they absorb different amounts of water so your cookies may end up dry.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Egg Yolks: Egg yolks are used to add fat and richness to the cookies. The egg whites are eliminated to account for the extra moisture from the sourdough discard. Save the egg whites to make this Easy Swiss Meringue.
Tip: Egg whites and egg yolks are easier to separate while they are still cold. Separate the eggs, save the whites for another recipe, and then allow the yolks to come to room temperature.
Sourdough Discard: Don't worry your cookies won't be sour. This is plenty of sugar to eliminate the sourdough flavor. Bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before adding it to the recipe. It will be easier to incorporate.
Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
- How to Create Your Own Micro Sourdough Starter
- How to Dehydrate Sourdough Starter
- Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter
- Storing Sourdough Starter in the Refrigerator
- Storing Sourdough Starter on the Counter
- Best Containers for Storing Sourdough Starter and Discard
- How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last?
- What is the Difference Between Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Discard?
- Best Gifts for Sourdough Bakers
Substitutions and Variations
- If you only have salted butter you will need to omit the salt in the recipe. There is about ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick of salted butter.
- The combination of cinnamon and oats is classic. For an even spicier cookie add in a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg and ginger.
- Add 1 ½ cups of your favorite mix-in or a combination of your favorites. The sky is the limit. Here are a couple of ideas for mix-ins to get you started.
- Chocolate chips or other flavored chips like butterscotch, peanut butter, or caramel
- Nuts: Try walnuts cashews, pistachios, or any of your favorite nuts.
- Dried Fruit: Raisins are the classic choice, but you could also try craisins, coconut, chopped dried mango, pineapple, apple, or pretty much any other dried fruit.
- Candy: Try chopping up some Snickers, Heath Bars or Reese's Peanut Butter cups. M&Ms would also work well.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Slice the butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored skillet over medium heat stirring or whisking constantly. (Image 1) Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. (Image 2)
Continue stirring/whisking for about 5-7 minutes, the foam will begin to subside and the melted butter will darken to a deep amber color. (Images 3 & 4) Remove the browned butter from the heat, and pour it into a bowl. Allow the butter to cool for 30 minutes.
Tip: Using a light-colored pan makes it easier to monitor the color of the butter as it browns.
If you still have questions about how to brown butter, check out this video on how to brown butter from America's Test Kitchen.
Step 2: In a large bowl add the browned butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Whisk until there are no lumps of brown sugar. (Image 5)
Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth. (Image 6) Fold in the sourdough discard. (Image 7)
Step 3: Stir in the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the oats and bread flour and stir until just combined.
Gently fold in any desired mix-ins. See the list above for some ideas. (Image 8)
Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. (Image 9)
Tip: The chill time allows the butter in the dough to firm up and allows the flour to fully hydrate. Which prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough each. The dough may be a bit crumbly but will become smoother as you roll it. (Image 10)
Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie. (Image 11)
Tip: Use a light-colored cookie sheet. Dark cookie sheets absorb too much heat and can cause your cookies to overbake. Check out this post from Handle the Heat to see a comparison of cookies baked on different types of cookie sheets.
Step 5: Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned but the center is still soft. (Image 12) Allow the cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (Image 13)
Tip: For crispier cookies increase the bake time by 2-3 minutes.
Tip: Want perfectly round cookies? Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven grab a round cookie or biscuit cutter and place it around one of the cookies. Move the cookie cutter in a circular motion to gently round the cookie before it sets completly. Check out my cookie shaping video on Instagram if you have questions.
Don't forget to sample at least one deliciously gooey straight-from-the-oven cookie for "quality control" of course.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions
Make-Ahead: You can mix up the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Chilling cookie dough keeps it from spreading too much as it bakes by hydrating the flour and solidifying the butter.
Chilling the dough is especially important when you bake cookies made with browned butter like these Sourdough Snickerdoodles.
Storing: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Unbaked cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. I always have a batch of Condensed Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie dough in my freezer for when a cookie craving strikes.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place in a zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
When you are ready to bake cookies, remove the cookie balls from the freezer, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, and then bake. You may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
Thaw frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Recipe FAQs
Middle-of-the-road old-fashioned rolled oats will give you the best texture. They are thicker than quick oats but aren't as crunchy as steel-cut oats.
You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. Sourdough discard will give you a tangier flavor while active starter will have a more mild flavor.
Overmixing or adding too much flour will create dry hard cookies. I recommend using a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements. Baking your cookies too long will also make them hard. It is better to remove the cookies from the oven a bit too early rather than too late. They will continue to cook and set as they cool.
Expert Tips
- For the best results, I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than the cup measurements. In baking accuracy matters. If you don't have one this is my favorite kitchen scale, because the display pulls out making it easy to see even if you are using a large bowl.
- Allow the melted butter to cool slightly so that it doesn't melt the sugar. Mixing the butter in when it is too hot can cause the oatmeal cookies to become greasy.
- Use room temperature eggs and sourdough discard. Chilled eggs or sourdough discard may cause some of the butter to re-solidify prematurely. To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- You must chill the dough for at least 2-3 hours before baking. Because we browned the butter the fats need to re-solidify. Chilling also allows the flour to absorb more liquid further solidifying the dough. If the dough is baked without chilling it first, the cookies will spread while baking and become thin, hard, and crispy.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly portioned cookies. Take the guesswork out of portioning cookies by using a cookie scoop to make sure each cookie is the same size. Alternatively, you could cut the block of cookie dough into even pieces with a knife. I find that this method saves me time.
- Baking times for all recipes are only suggestions. The actual baking time will vary depending on your oven. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. These sourdough oatmeal cookies are so soft and gooey that they may fall apart if you try to move them too soon.
Comment below and tell me when it comes to oatmeal cookies, are you team chocolate chip or team raisin?
More Cookie Recipes
Thanks for Reading!
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
These sourdough discard oatmeal cookies have a sweet rich buttery flavor with crispy edges and a soft center.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 /4 cup granulated white sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups rolled old fashioned oats
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ cups of your favorite mix-ins
Instructions
- Slice the 1 cup unsalted butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored skillet over medium heat stirring or whisking constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam.
- Continue stirring/whisking for about 5-7 minutes, the butter will become a deep amber color. Remove the browned butter from the heat, and pour it into a bowl. Allow the butter to cool for 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl add the browned butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 /4 cup granulated white sugar. Whisk until there are no lumps of brown sugar.
- Add the 4 egg yolks and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth. Fold in the 1 cup sourdough discard.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add the 3 cups rolled old fashioned oats and 2 cups bread flour and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in 1 ½ cups of your favorite mix-ins. See the list above for some ideas.
- Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough each. The dough may be a bit crumbly but will become smoother as you roll it.
- Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie. Flatten the balls slightly with your hand to help them spread.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned but the center is still soft. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
A says
So nice to find a great recipe that uses a substantial amount of starter discard, AND tastes great. My family really enjoyed these cookies. I baked them a full 15 minutes. Note, when I printed the recipe in February '23, it had weights for the ingredients, which I used, and they worked fine... After baking the cookies, I noticed weights were no longer listed and there were some comments where people had issues/questions with the weights, but the version I printed back in February worked perfectly.
Erica Schramek says
I am so happy you enjoyed the cookies. When I make sourdough discard recipes I always want to use up at least a cup of sourdough so most of my discard recipes are written that way. A couple months ago I had to switch recipe card plugins which is what generates the recipe at the bottom of blog posts. The metric measurements are still there. The can be accessed using the toggle next to the ingredients header. You can select either US Customary or Metric.
Tracy says
These were so good! I am a cookie snob and these came out exactly as I like them too. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Erica says
I am so happy you liked them. My husband and I call ourselves dessert snobs. It has to be really good to be worth the extra calories.
Carly says
Do you think I could substitute my fairly runny peanut butter for the butter? Been looking for a peanut butter oat sourdough cookie but haven’t been able to find one. Thanks!
Erica says
I would start by substituting peanut butter for half the butter in the recipe. I wrote a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe and it calls for equal amounts of butter and peanut butter which works well.
Don't worry about heating the peanut butter. The purpose of browning the butter is to reduce the moisture content to account for the extra liquid in the sourdough discard.
You may need also add a bit more flour to reach the proper consistency.
Alex says
I made these according to the recipe but did chill dough over night. The cookies didn’t spread at all so it was hard to get the center cooked before the outside got too browned.
Erica says
There are a couple of possibilities. Do you have an oven thermometer to verify that your oven is heating to the correct temperature? If the oven is too cool the cookie won't spread as much. Are you using a scale to measure your ingredients? Flour in particular can be tough to measure accurately using cups. Too much flour will create a dryer dough that won't spread as much. Another possibility is the sourdough discard. Is it at 100% hydration? If it is dryer then much like adding too much flour that will affect how much the cookies spread.
Leslie says
You nailed it with this photo it stopped the scroll and I had to check it out because I was drooling a little bit not gonna lie. Save this post to give it a try our next get together for my family. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
INGE KOHL says
I am planning on making these with chocolate covered raisins from Trader Joe's - just because I couldn't resist them at the store. My sourdough discard needs to be used as well, so your recipe fills both needs. I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to post measurements in weights. I too use King Arthur's weight conversion chart anytime a recipe doesn't use grams. It's an extra step, but so much more accurate.
Thank you!
Erica says
Yum! Adding chocolate-covered raisins sounds delicious.
Toni says
I was sent 2 canisters of steel cut oats. Can I substitute these steel cut oats for the regular oats??
Erica says
I wouldn't steel-cut oats are much harder than rolled oats and will absorb more moisture throwing off the texture of the cookie and might also remain crunchy.
Stephen Wilson says
Hi Erica, Could you clarify something in your article on eliminating the water from the egg whites and browning the butter? Your article states that you are able to use sourdough starter when you eliminate 184 grams of water by not using the egg whites and browning the butter but your recipe calls for 240 grams of sourdough starter at 100% hydration. 240 grams of starter at that hydration would consist of 120 grams of water. Where does the missing 64 grams of liquid come into play? Is the recipe correct for using 240 grams of starter or should it be 368 grams to give you the 184 grams that your article mentions? I don’t want to mess up the batch of cookies I’m fixing to make from this great recipe. Thanks for any clarification on this.
Erica says
You are right that section is confusing and something isn't correct. It's a great example of why I was an art major in college and not a math major. I am taking that section out of the post until I can figure out my math error. My biggest fear publishing recipes is that someone will struggle with one of them so in a fit of paranoia I mixed up and baked a batch of these cookies this evening. The recipe is sound and works wonderfully.
Shar C says
Hi! I was trying to follow your gram measurements and some of them were really off. Like the flour is 2400g, I knew it was a typo, but if someone is following this recipe using grams, this would be a grave error. I just followed the cup measurement. Also, the brown sugar gram measurement that you listed would yield closer to 2 cups of brown sugar. I weighed out 1 cup and it is closer to 131g. I just wanted to bring these things to your attention, since you had recommended using the gram measurement and using a scale to weigh out the ingredients.
I'm always excited to be able to use my sourdough discard recipe, so, I am looking forward to baking these and tasting them.
Erica says
Thank you for the heads up I've already revised the measurements. Your right the measurement for the flour had an extra 0 at the end. When you weighed the brown sugar, did you pack it into the cup? I ask because I use a conversion chart on the King Arthur Baking website to help me standardize my conversions between volume and weight measurements. 1 cup of brown sugar weighing 213 grams is accurate.
Tina G. says
I made these cookies today and they are amazing! I froze half of the dough balls to enjoy later. Thanks for this great discard recipe!!
Erica says
Yay! I am so happy you liked them.