Sourdough Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Joselyn Buehler

This cookie dough starts with a base of nutty brown butter, uses sourdough discard to aid fermentation and add depth of flavor, and uses brown sugar to achieve a caramelized chewy cookie packed with oats and whichever inclusions you like. This Sourdough Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookie will be the last oatmeal cookie recipe you will ever need- I promise!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Servings 16

Equipment

Medium sized pot for browning butter
Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl
stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixers
Spatula
Parchment paper or silicone mats
2 oz cookie scoop (2 Tablespoons)
Large circular cookie cutter (optional) for making perfectly round cookies
3 Baking sheets
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

Sourdough Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (120g) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter or discard past peak or unfed
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspooons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups (275g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional

Mix-in's:

1 3/4 cup (275g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or dried raisins
Flaky sea salt (for garnsish) optional

Instructions

Brown Your Butter:

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes. I like to do this the night before.
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the butter to a the stand mixer bowl to cool to and become solid again.

Cream butter and sugars:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. It'll be a bit crumbly, that's okay!
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup (120g) granulated white sugar

Beat Wet Ingredients:

Add the eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix everything at the bottom. This insures all your cookies come out evenly.
1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter or discard, 2 teaspooons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs

Incorporate Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, mix together with a whisk the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon (if using). This is important to make sure your ingredients are evenly distributed.
2 cups (275g) all-purpose flour, 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure a tender cookie texture.

Add Chocolate Chips or Raisins:

Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You can add them to the mixer if using, and pulse them through the dough for ease.
1 3/4 cup (275g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or dried raisins

Scoop and Chill Dough:

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. For optimal fermentation, consider chilling the dough overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before baking to make scooping easier and ensure the right consistency of your cookies.
Note about refrigerating dough: If you want to scoop and refrigerate dough as balls, I recommend chilling 1-2 hours then scooping. Gram weight for these cookies is roughly 60-70 grams. Refrigerate overnight covered, and allow dough to sit on counter 1 hour before baking as listed below.
Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. I scoop six to one cookie sheet.
Note about freezing dough: If you choose to freeze the cookie dough, I recommend refrigerating the dough after mixing until it firms up (about 1-2 hours). Scoop your cookies and refrigerate overnight to achieve optimal fermentation. If you wish, you can skip this refrigeration step, but your dough won't ferment as long. After dough has refrigerated, transfer to airtight containers or zip locks with air removed and freeze. When ready to bake cookies, allow dough to sit out and thaw 2 hours and bake cookies as directed below.

Bake Cookies:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear slightly underbaked.
Immediately upon removing from the oven, slap the baking sheets on the countertop to achieve a crinkly appearance on the cookies. You may need to return cookies to the oven for an additional five minutes at this point if baking larger cookies, mine usually require another 4-6 minutes.
While the cookies are still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter larger than your cookie to perfect the edges and give your cookie a perfect shape and even thickness by placing the cookie cutter over the cookie and making a circle that will nudge any irregular edges into a perfect circle, if desired.
Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt if desired.
Flaky sea salt (for garnsish)
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack.

Notes

How to Store:

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days, or in airtight container in freezer for up to 4 months.

Course Cookies