The Best Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe (2024)

Learn how to make the best sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies using discard in this post.

The texture of the cookies is soft, light, and chewy at the same time from the recommended fermentation.

These will be your favorite cookies, so I also have instructions for how to freeze the dough so you can bake them fresh any time!

What is Sourdough Starter Discard?

Sourdough starters go through cycles.

After refreshing a starter, also known as feeding, the sourdough starter ferments and becomes active.

Active refers to the ideal stage of bubbly sourdough starter full of lively wild yeast and thriving lactic acid bacteria which is ideal for baking traditional sourdough bread.

After a sourdough starter is active, it eventually falls into a stage that is often referred to as discard.

This leftover sourdough starter can be used in special recipes known as sourdough discard recipes and only a small portion carries over to be fed in the refreshing process to make the next healthy batch of sourdough starter.

Read more about what sourdough discard is in this post:What is sourdough discard?

Why use Sourdough Starter Discard?

You can discard theold sourdough starter, but you can also use it in a variety of sourdough recipes to create more flavor and texture.

Sourdough discard recipes are a great way to use excess sourdough starter (also known as leftover sourdough discard) and reduce food waste.

Another benefit of using sourdough starter discard in sourdough recipes is that when used properly, it can make the recipe more digestible.

Since sourdough starter discard doesn’t have the rising power of active sourdough starter, it is commonly used in crackers, cookies, scones, pancakes, and other versions of quick breads when other leavening agents like baking soda, baking powder, eggs, or a combination are used.

Check out these other posts with videos:

• Why use Sourdough Discard?
• How to Store Sourdough Discard for Starter Discard Recipes
• How to use Sourdough Discard

How to get started in Sourdough Starter Discard recipes

If you aren’t saving your sourdough discard yet, start now. Any leftover starter that is not used during its active phase for bread making or starter that is used to simply refresh your starter on a regular basis, can be saved in a jar in your fridge.

I use excess sourdough discard starter frequently forcrackers,waffles, muffins, andother discard recipes.

​This cookie recipe feels like one you’ve made before, just with a new ingredient so it’s a great place to get started!

Ingredients for Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1/2 c. Unsalted Butter, softened (1 stick)
• 100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 50g (about 1/4 cup) sourdough discard
• 2 t. Vanilla extract 7g
• 2 t. Molasses 20g
• 1 egg
• 3/4 t. Baking soda
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 50g (1/3 cup) whole wheat flour
• 50g (1/3 cup) all purpose flour
• 150g (1 2/3 cup) Rolled oats
• 3/4 t. Cinnamon
• 1/4 t. Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 80g (1/2 c.) raisins

*Flour notes: all-purpose flour can be substituted for the whole wheat flour and vice versa.

Mixing up Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough

For those of you who have made your share of cookies, the process of making dough for sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies should feel fairly familiar.

It starts with creaming together the soft butter and brown sugar.

Then the sourdough discard is added followed by the wet ingredients.

Once those are combined, the dry ingredients are added and mixed into the dough. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Finally, the raisins are mixed in until all the ingredients are combined and there’s no dry flour or oats.

You can mix the dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but I find that this cookie dough comes together easily in a standard large mixing bowl with a spatula or wooden spoon.

4 Reasons to Ferment Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies

If you were itching to bake these right away, you could skip this step but here are a few reasons why you might want to delay:

1. Fermenting sourdough discard cookies results in more digestible cookies.
2. The oats and flour have more time to absorb the moisture from the wet ingredients resulting in a moist, chewy texture/
3. The raisins also benefit from the longer time to sit in the dough and bake up as sweet juicy raisins.
4. After the recommended refrigeration, these chewy cookies can be more easily scooped onto your cookie sheet.

How to Ferment of Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cookies

​The best way to let this dough ferment is to cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

While it sits, the sourdough discard will break down the harder to digest proteins in the flour and oats.

Baking Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

​Place a sheet of parchment on a flat baking sheet.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet with about 2 to 3 inches of space between each cookie dough ball.

Bake for 8-12 minutes.

The edges of the cookies should be golden brown and carmelized.

Test for doneness in the center with a toothpick, but I do love mine slightly softer.

Move baked cookies to a cooling rack until they are cool enough to enjoy!

Optional: How to Freeze Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

​After these have fermented, find a rimmed baking sheet that can fit into your freezer and line it with parchment paper.

Scoop the cookie dough in balls onto the prepared baking sheet. They can be close together, but not touching ideally.

Cover with plastic wrap and par freeze for about 2 hours.

Once the cookie dough balls are frozen, transfer them to a gallon sized freezer bag.

​Then, whenever you want to make chewy sourdough oatmeal cookies, you can take out a few or several balls of cookie dough and bake as directed above!

The timing from frozen is 10 to 13 minutes.

Substitution Ideas for Oatmeal Sourdough Cookies

Some other ideas for this recipe, that you can add to the raisins, or substitute are:

• Dried cranberries
• Chocolate chips
• Chopped nuts

More Sourdough Cookie Recipes and Snacks

• Soft, Fluffy Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies
• Soft Cranberry Orange Holiday Cookies with Sourdough Discard
• The Best Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers Recipe
• Easy Savory Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
• Gingerbread Crackers made with Sourdough Discard

Savor and Share

I love these cookies! And I especially love freezing the dough so we can have a few warm fresh cookies whenever we want.

Make sure to share this recipe with a friend! And if you make it, I’d love to hear about it–you can comment on this post or tag me on instagram @livingbreadbaker!

Want more sourdough starter info?

You can get myfree Quick Start Sourdough Guideto begin learning some of the key parts of the cycle of sourdough starter.

Learn the phases, the signs of an active, how to care for a sourdough starter to keep it alive and thriving, as well as how to make your own sourdough starter.

Get started or jump ahead in your sourdough journey!

If you haven’t started sourdough baking or this recipe feels daunting, I’d love to guide you from sourdough starter 101 through baking your first loaf to give you the foundational skills you need.

MyIntro. to Sourdough coursewill give you the sourdough knowledge and skills to take on a recipe like this one.

You can skip the floundering and uncertainty in sourdough and get the confidence to discover something you’ll love and will be an invaluable skill to share and pass on!

Learn more about the course here:Living Bread Baker Intro. to Sourdough

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

What is a Starter?

What is sourdough discard?

Why use Sourdough Discard?

How to Store Sourdough Discard for Starter Discard Recipes

How to use Sourdough Discard

Soft, Fluffy Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies

Soft Cranberry Orange Holiday Cookies with Sourdough Discard

The Best Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers Recipe

Easy Savory Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe

Gingerbread Crackers made with Sourdough Discard

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free sourdough quick start guide

online Intro. to Sourdough course

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