Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal cookies were the first cookies I ever baked, and I still remember the messy countertops, the sticky wooden spoon, and sneaking warm bites straight from the cookie sheet.
These days, I love giving those childhood favorites a fun sourdough twist with chewy oats, sweet brown sugar, and lots of melty chocolate chips. These sourdough discard oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are everything I want in a cookie: soft, chewy centers, golden brown edges, and just a hint of tang from the sourdough starter discard.
Whether you’re swimming in extra discard or just looking for a new way to use it up, this is a delicious way to turn it into a batch of dreamy, sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
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Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The chewy texture! You get soft, chewy centers with golden brown edges every time.
- No waste baking. A great way to use up excess sourdough discard instead of tossing it.
- Easy pantry ingredients. You probably already have everything in your kitchen.
- Customizable. Swap in chocolate chunks, raisins, or your favorite type of chocolate chip.
- They freeze like a dream. Make now, bake later for fresh cookies on demand.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Sourdough Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Here’s what goes into these chewy sourdough oatmeal cookies:
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Brown sugar + white sugar: I use mostly light brown sugar for softness and flavor, with a bit of white sugar for crispy edges.
- Vanilla extract: A must for any good cookie recipe.
- Egg: Just one whole egg keeps the dough tender and rich.
- Sourdough discard: I use 100% hydration sourdough discard.
- For a milder flavor, use discard that’s fresh or no more than 1–2 days old. Generally when making sweet treats I use discard that is only 1-2 days old.
- Want to boost that tangy flavor? Use discard that’s 3–4 days old.
- If your discard is runny, add a spoonful of extra all-purpose flour to balance the dough.
- All-purpose flour: This keeps the cookies sturdy without being cakey.
- Baking soda + salt: For lift and balance.
- Old-fashioned oats or Quick Oats: Old-fashioned oats give a bit more of a chewy texture.
- Chocolate chips: I usually go with semisweet, but milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or chocolate chunks are all fair game.
Ingredient Tips & Substitutions
- Rolled oats vs quick oats: Old-fashioned oats give these cookies that signature chewy bite. If you only have quick oats, they’ll still work great, the texture of the cookies will be a bit softer.
- Chocolate chips: Swap in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate chunks, or even peanut butter chips for a fun twist.
- Sourdough starter: These cookies are made for sourdough discard, but you can also use active sourdough starter. Just avoid discard that’s been sitting too long. Anything overly sour will overpower the cookies.
- Vegan swaps: Try a flax egg in place of the whole egg and plant based butter.
How to Make the Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven and line your cookie sheet or prepared baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a separate bowl.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars
Cream the butter and sugars using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients
Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Then add the sourdough discard. Mix on low speed until just combined.
Step 5: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients
Mix in the dry ingredients, then stir in the oats and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Step 6: Make Cookie Balls
Scoop cookie dough balls with a medium cookie scoop (about 40g) and space them out on the parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake
Bake time is 10–12 minutes. Look for golden brown edges and slightly soft centers.
Step 8: Cool
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or cooling rack to finish cooling.
How to Store Your Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and chewy for 3–4 days, though they never last that long in my house!
How to Freeze These Cookies
You can freeze the baked cookies or the dough:
- To freeze dough: Scoop cookie dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag. When you are ready to bake, you can bake straight from frozen. Just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- To freeze baked cookies: Let them cool fully, then wrap and store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature or give them a quick warm-up in the oven.
Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50g) white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80g) sourdough discard (unfed)
- 1½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2½ cups (225g) old-fashioned oats or quick oats
- 1 cup (175g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer), cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard on low speed until combined.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Stir in oats and chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp or 40g) to portion dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
- Let cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes as they will continue to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Store in an air-tight container for 3–4 days or freeze for later.
Notes
- Use fresh discard when possible: The flavor of your cookies will depend on how old your sourdough discard is. For the perfect balance of flavor, I recommend using discard that’s no more than 1–2 days old. Older discard can add more of a tangy, fermented taste that not everyone loves in cookies.
- Measure flour accurately: For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your all-purpose flour. If you don’t have a scale, use the scoop and level method: gently spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Too much flour = dry cookies!
- Check your dough consistency: If your discard is especially thin, your dough might feel slightly soft or sticky. Add 1–2 tablespoons of extra all-purpose flour if needed. Your dough should hold its shape when scooped.
- Chill for thicker cookies: Want a thicker cookie with even more chew? Chill the dough for 30–60 minutes before baking. Totally optional, but it helps control spread.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies will continue baking on the sheet for a minute or two after you take them out. Pull them when the edges are golden brown and the centers still look a little soft. That’s the secret to that gooey, chewy texture.
- Let the cookies cool before storing: If you store warm cookies in an airtight container, the trapped steam will make them soggy. Let them cool fully on a wire rack first.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @catchthecrumbsourdough on Instagram to show it off!