Sourdough oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with juicy raisins and cinnamon spice. The dough can be baked right away or chilled in the fridge for fermented sourdough cookies.
Instead of wasting leftover sourdough discard, there are plenty of creative ways to make the most of it. One of my personal favorites is this recipe for sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies!
Just like our sourdough ginger molasses cookies, sourdough snickerdoodles, and sourdough chocolate chip cookies, these oatmeal cookies are easy to make and guaranteed to put a smile on everyone's face.
Delicious, wholesome ingredients are made even better with sourdough fermentation for easier digestibility!
Sourdough Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients
- unfed sourdough starter: This recipe was developed to use sourdough discard but fed, active sourdough starter can be used as well.
- unsalted butter: Let the butter sit out for about 30 minutes before you begin so it softens, making it easier to mix with the sugars.
- brown sugar and white sugar: A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar adds moisture to the cookies and makes them chewy.
- vanilla extract: We love to use homemade vanilla extract but feel free to use store-bought.
- large egg
- rolled oats: Either quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled can be used. Because oats contain fiber, we often enjoy these as a quick breakfast cookie when we are short on time.
- all-purpose flour: Other flour that can be used are whole wheat flour, einkorn, or spelt.
- raisins: Adds sweetness and another chewy texture to the cookie.
- ground cinnamon: The perfect warm spice to marry the flavors of oatmeal and raisins together in perfect harmony.
- salt: The addition of salt enhances the flavor of baked goods.
- baking soda: Gives the cookies the right amount of puffiness as they bake.
- optional: You can add chocolate chips for sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or chopped walnuts to give this dough some extra flavor.
How to make sourdough oatmeal cookies
This dough can be made by hand, with a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer.
Position the oven rack in the center slot and set the oven to preheat at 350°F (176°C) while you make the cookie dough.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step 1: Make the dough
Start by whisking the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, raisins, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. (Add chocolate chips/nuts if using.)
In a separate large bowl, use a spatula or a wooden spoon to cream the room-temperature butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Mix until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add the sourdough starter, egg, vanilla extract and stir until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold them in until just combined.
NOTE: At this point, the dough can chill in the fridge for up to 2 days or be baked right away.
Step 2: Scoop the dough
Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 per baking sheet leaving about 1 ½ inches of space between each one.
Each portion should be about 2 tablespoons, roughly the size of a golf ball.
TIP: If a cookie scoop is not available, use two spoons to divide the dough. Use one spoon to scoop the dough and the other to push it off of the first spoon onto the baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden brown color.
Step 4: Cool
Once the cookies have finished baking remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Leave the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
For easier handling, it's a good idea to let them cool completely before serving to allow them to set up.
Make-ahead, storing, and freezing instructions
How to make ahead of time
This dough can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
The unbaked cookie dough can also be frozen and baked at a later time.
To freeze, portion the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for one hour. Remove the sheet and transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to bake, transfer the cookie dough back to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and allow it to thaw while the oven preheats.
The cookies will need to be baked a few minutes longer if they are frozen or partially frozen so we recommend that you keep an eye on them to prevent over browning.
How to store leftovers
Store any leftover baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. After that, transfer any remaining to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More sourdough cookie recipes
- sourdough graham cracker cookies for smores
- sourdough peanut butter cookies
- sourdough sugar cookie bars
- sourdough thumbprint cookies
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Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) softened unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (160 g) rolled oats (regular or quick cooking)
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (145 g) raisins
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Position the oven rack in the center slot and set the oven to preheat at 350°F (176°C) while you make the cookie dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Begin by mixing rolled oats, all-purpose flour, raisins, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. (Include chocolate chips or nuts if desired.)
- In a separate large bowl, use a spatula or wooden spoon to combine the softened butter with brown and granulated sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve. Add the sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla extract, and stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones and gently fold them until just mixed. (You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or proceed with baking immediately.)
- Use a cookie scoop to divide the dough into 12 portions on the baking sheet, ensuring approximately 1 ½ inches of space between each. Each portion should be around 2 tablespoons, roughly the size of a golf ball.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies turn a light golden brown. Take them out and let the cookies rest on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool before serving.
NOTES
- This dough can be made by hand, with a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer.
- Store any leftover baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. After that, transfer any remaining to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- You have the option to freeze unbaked cookie dough for later use. To do this, simply scoop portions of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place it in the freezer for about an hour. Afterward, transfer the frozen dough balls to a container suitable for freezing, and they can be stored this way for up to three months. When you're ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and allow it to thaw while your oven preheats. Keep an eye on them during baking, as they may require a few extra minutes due to being frozen or partially frozen to avoid over-browning.
Kayleigh says
I’m not an oatmeal raisin cookie fan. But these have changed me! My only question. Does it make 29 or 12? The description says 29 but the recipe instructions says 12. I did 12 and they weighed 70g ish each. Thanks!
Alex says
These were delicious 😋 but far too sweet. I only added 75g of sugar but they were still far too sweet and a little dry. I would recommend adding a mashed banana instead of sugar. It adds sweetness and moisture. Overall really great recipe. Thank you. ☺️
Candi says
I just pulled my sourdough oatmeal cookies out of the oven! Of course I had to sample it. I removed the cookies from my oven right at 10 minutes. They are by far THE BEST OATMEAL COOKIES I have ever eaten. My 88 year mother in love is going to be ecstatic!
Charlotte Kieckhafer says
This recipe is delicious! My favorite thing to add to oatmeal cookies is butterscotch chips so I left out the raisins. It’s so nice to have another yummy discard recipe. Thank you!
Jennifer Staggemeyer says
These are incredible! Great recipe! Any chance you could post the nutrition facts?
Sheryl W. says
The recipe turned out dry and the cookies did not expand or spread out as expected. The flavor is excellent but the texture is a miss. I had not read the reviews about adding moisture to the oats before baking. I think this would have really helped.
Elizabeth Miller says
Just made these! I added chocolate chips! My kiddos and I agree... absolute perfection!
Margaret says
I made the oatmeal cookies twice. The first time they were tough and I felt like there was not enough moisture for the oats. The second time I poured 1/2 a cupcake boiling hot water in the oats stored and let stand wile I prepared everything else. Then I added them to the wet in ingredients then the rest of the dry. So much better.
Terrific flavor both times. Thank you
AN says
delicious cookies. mine took about 25 minutes out of the fridge. thanks for the recipe!
Nantz Spagnuolo says
Out of the refrigerator with my large scoop on silicone baking mats utilizing convection bake…I hit 30 minutes and they still aren’t browned…I mean, at all.
New Samsung oven, too. Maybe adjust this recipe for straight of the refrigerator timing, too?
Eva Pollack says
Hi. I love your recipes. I just finished my first ever starter and followed your recipe Exactly! It is perfect. I kkjust made your sour dough recipe …. We should be humble in life but not this time. THAT BREAD TURNED OUT INCREDIBLE. I stared at it for 10 minutes, lol. Now my question is; for your cookie recipe can I soak the oats? I already do for my breakfast oatmeal(soak in APC and rye flour and water).
Amy says
Thank you Eva 🙂 Yes you can soak the oats. You may need to add a small amount of additional flour if the dough is sticky.
Deirdre says
This recipe is incredible! I soaked my oats separately and stored the dough in fridge for a couple of days to get the benefits of a long fermentation. Then mixed in the oats and baking powder when it was time to bake. Sooo good. Thank you for the recipe!!
Amy says
Thank you for sharing Deirdre!