It’s a bit funny how your taste changes when you grow up. I was never a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies when I was younger, but perhaps I just didn’t get introduced to the right oatmeal raisin cookies. Because now, I am 100% on board with these chewy, crispy and crunchy sourdough oatmeal cookies with raisins and walnuts. The sourdough discard adds a subtle tanginess while brown butter adds a nutty toffee-like flavor, giving these cookies an extra depth of flavor and complexity that might just change your mind even if you were not an oatmeal raisin cookies lover to begin with.
Now, if you are not a fan of raisins, I totally understand because that was me at one point in my life, you can still enjoy a very similar sourdough oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips instead! But I am completely obsessed with raisins though, there is something about that cinnamon and raisin flavor combo along with the crunch and nuttiness from walnuts. I’m going to go so far to say these will be the BEST sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies you will ever make.
Key ingredients
For many of my sourdough cookie recipes, I can pinpoint that one special key ingredient that will truly make or break the cookie. But for these sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies, it’s the combination of all the ingredients put together that give them their ultimate texture and flavor I know you will love.
- For depth of flavor, you gotta brown your butter and of course add your sourdough discard (or active starter). While browning butter removes excess water in the butter, adding your sourdough starter will replace that lost moisture. All the while, giving your cookies that subtle tang and nutty toffee-like notes.
- For chewiness, use egg yolk instead of whole egg; use just brown sugar, no need for granulated sugar; and baking soda only, skip the baking powder.
- And finally, the mix-ins that make these cookies what they are – rolled oats, raisins and walnuts – nothing is special about these but when mixed into a base cookie dough that are well designed and tested, they become the star.
- Don’t forget your ground cinnamon, I only use 1 teaspoon but feel free to add more if you love stronger cinnamon flavor.
How to make sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies
Follow along visually as we make these sourdough discard oatmeal cookies. Or you can skip ahead, detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
1. Make brown butter & toast walnuts
Make brown butter and let it cool in your stand mixer bowl ahead of time. It’s okay if it resolidifies. Toast the walnuts in the mean time and let it cool too!
2. Cream butter with sugar
Beat cooled brown butter with brown sugar for 2 minutes until thoroughly incorporated and lightened in color.
3. Add remaining wet ingredients
Beat egg yolk, sourdough discard and vanilla with the butter/sugar mixture for another 2 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Don’t be afraid to beat this for a long time to emulsify the mixture well.
4. Incorporate dry ingredients
Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl first and then add it to the wet mixture. I didn’t use my “lazy girl method” here (this is where I save a bowl by sifting and adding all the dry ingredients directly on top the wet ingredients) because I wanted the cinnamon to distribute more evenly. Stir until just combined is good enough.
5. Stir in oats, raisins and walnuts
This step will further mix the dough, that’s why it’s not necessary to mix super thoroughly in step 4. Also, you don’t want to over-mix cookie dough to keep them soft and chewy.
6. Divide the dough and chill
I like using my 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the dough right away while it is still soft, then chill them for at least an hour.
7. Bake and cool
Bake 6 cookies to a tray. These don’t spread as much as my ultimate sourdough oatmeal cookies with pecans and toffee, but if you want perfectly round cookies, scoot the edges toward the center using a spatula or a large round cookie cutter, right when the cookies come out of the oven and are still soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 mins to allow them to set further before moving them to a wire rack.
That’s it folks! I hope these cookies will turn you into an oatmeal cookie lover if you’re not already one. Enjoy. 🙂
Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Light Color Saucepan
- Skillet
- Baking Sheet
- 3 Tbsp Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 170 grams (6 oz) unsalted butter brown
- 100 grams (1 cup) walnuts raw or roasted and unsalted
- 250 grams (1 ¼ cup) brown sugar light or dark brown
- 1 large egg yolk
- 10 grams (2 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 90 grams sourdough starter discard 100% hydration
- 135 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 3 grams (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- 2 grams (1 teaspoon) cinnamon
- 4 grams (¾ teaspoon) kosher salt Morton brand
- 100 grams (1 cup) old-fashioned rolled oats don’t sub instant oats
- 140 grams (1 cup) raisins
Instructions
- Brown the butter – Heat unsalted butter in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, it will become foamy. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles, start whisking continuously at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty – about 8 to 9 minutes – take it off the heat and immediately pour it into the stand mixer bowl and allow to cool.170 grams unsalted butter
- Roast the walnuts – In a skillet over medium heat, roast the walnuts for 3 to 5 minutes until toasty and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Then roughly chop the larger pieces.100 grams walnuts
- Beat in sugar – Once the butter has cooled down, add brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment for at least 2 minutes until lightened in color.250 grams brown sugar
- Incorporate sourdough starter – Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, sourdough starter and continue beating for at least another 2 minutes until fluffy and creamy.1 large egg yolk, 10 grams pure vanilla extract, 90 grams sourdough starter discard
- Add dry ingredients – Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking soda into a small mixing bowl, stir in the kosher salt until evenly distributed. Add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture in the stand mixer bowl and stir until incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.135 grams all-purpose flour, 3 grams baking soda, 2 grams cinnamon, 4 grams kosher salt
- Add mix-ins – Add the chopped walnuts, oats and raisins, stir to distribute evenly. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to ensure good distribution of everything throughout the cookie dough.100 grams old-fashioned rolled oats, 140 grams raisins, 100 grams walnuts
- Scoop and chill – Portion the cookie dough with a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and place them on a lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days, before baking. Chilling the dough is essential to allow the butter to re-solidify, the flour to hydrate and the flavor to develop.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake – Place 6 dough balls on a baking sheet, and bake 1 batch at a time for about 14 minutes, until the cookies start to turn golden but the middle is still slightly underbaked.
- Cool – Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet to finish baking from the residual heat for 10-15 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storing baked cookies: store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 6 months.
- Storing cookie dough: portioned cookie dough can be kept refrigerated for 3-4 days, and frozen for 3-6 months.
- Baking frozen dough: you can bake frozen cookie dough balls directly from the freezer without thawing, simply increase baking time by about a minute or so.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
