Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
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. (12 cookies fit onto one baking sheet.)
- 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.
Fantastic recipe! Super easy. I only used about half a cup raisins soaked them, along with toasted walnuts. I consistently get great recipes from you! Thanks!
You’re not kidding when you say these breakfast cookies are the BEST! I only had 70g of raisins so I added some chopped dates to make up the difference. Super. Chewy and tasty. Had to hide them from my husband so we could have more for later! ❤️
the cookies tastes sooo goood. its cruchy outside and chewy inside. i reduce sugar to 25grms. and still too sweet for me. i also add mini choco chips and reduce raisin. i think its too sweet because of i adds choco chips.
thank you for sharing the recipe. i loves it ❤️
These are amazing- we made a full batch and it was gone in less than 24 hrs! Definitely a crowd pleaser. My one complaint is that they didn’t spread at all- they stayed in their ball shape. I was disappointed that it didn’t quite look like the picture.
Hello! I know you said you "can" leave these in the fridge for up to 2 days. If I want to intentionally make these fermented sourdough cookies, do I need to leave them in there for the entire 2 days? How long does it take them sitting to be considered fermented?
Hi Brenda, it usually takes about 12 to 24 hours to properly ferment.
Wonderful cookies….i used flax egg instead of egg as son has egg allergy. I did accidentally bake them at 375 rather than 350 and that worked fine. I reduced the cinnamon to 1/4 teaspoon as men in my home don’t like much of that spice.
Question when not using real egg guess it would be safe to let dough fermented at room temp for few hours before baking? How long would you let it sit out?
Hi Janet, thank you! Yes, you can let it ferment overnight. You also keep the dough in the fridge for up to 1 week, and it will cold ferment.
Subbed out the brown and white sugar for coconut sugar because I don’t like processed sugars and it was absolutely incredible! Will be making again!
I made these tonight and they turned out great.. the house smells amazing and my husband loves them!
Have you ever replaced the butter with applesauce in your baking?
Hi Betty, I haven't tested my recipes with it but I have used applesauce in other recipes. I think you could give it a try if you are looking to reduce the amount of fat in the cookies. Just remember that it will affect the final products texture and taste.
Oh my God I just made these cookies with chocolate chips, and walnuts. They are very moist and awesome.