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Sourdough Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sourdough Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

There’s nothing quite like the smell of brown butter, warm pumpkin spice, and melty chocolate chips drifting through the kitchen. These Sourdough Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy with golden edges, rich with nutty brown butter, and spiced just right. The oats add a rustic texture, the pumpkin keeps them moist, and the spice will keep you warm curled up with a cozy blanket and a steaming mug of coffee. I don't like choosing favorites, but if I had to- it would be this cookie.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Servings 18

Equipment

  • Medium sized pot - for browning the butter.
  • Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl - for mixing your cookie dough.
  • Electric mixer (stand or hand-held) - for combining dough.
  • Spatula - for scraping down the bowl.
  • Parchment paper or silicone mats - to line cookie sheet to avoid burning.
  • Baking sheets - to bake cookies.
  • 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop - for scooping cookies (optional).
  • Large circular cookie cutter (optional) - for perfectly shaped cookies. You can also use a small bowl.
  • Wire cooling rack - for cooling cookies.

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (200g) white sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough discard (100% hydration)
  • 3/4 cup (180g) pumpkin purée
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 2/3 cups (150g) rolled oats
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Mix-Ins:

  • 1 1/2 cups (250g) chocolate chips

Instructions
 

Brown the 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 (226 g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 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.

Prepare the Dough:

  • 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) brown sugar, 1 cup (200g) white sugar
  • Add the egg yolks, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree 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.
    2 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough discard (100% hydration), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3/4 cup (180g) pumpkin purée

Incorporate Dry Ingredients:

  • In a separate bowl, sift together with a whisk the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. This is important to make sure your ingredients are evenly distributed.
    2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour, 1 2/3 cups (150g) rolled oats, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 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:

  • Fold in the semi-chocolate chips, 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.  Make sure the bottom ingredients of the bowl are folded in and all of the ingredients are incorporated.
    1 1/2 cups (250g) chocolate chips
  • Make sure cookie dough ingredients are well combined.

Chill the Dough:

  • Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours. For optimal fermentation, consider chilling the dough overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking to make scooping easier and ensure the right consistency of your cookies.
  • Because of the addition of the pumpkin, the chilling of this dough is key.
  • 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 and allow dough to sit on counter 30 minutes before baking as listed below.
  • 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 about 1 hour and bake cookies as directed below.

Bake the Cookies:

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats. I use these silicone mats all the time https://amzn.to/4hRU204.
  • Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, portion out your cookie dough and roll into balls.
  • Line the cookies on the cookie sheets in 2 rows of 3, to make 6 large cookies. Bake cookies on center racks for 15 minutes.
  • 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. Cookie edges should be golden and centers should be soft and just set when cookies are done. These visual cues are key to achieve a perfect cookie.
  • 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. I use the largest cookie cutter from this set linked here https://amzn.to/4k7NYlu.
  • Sprinkle warm cookies with flaky sea salt if desired.
  • Allow cookies to cool 25-30 minutes before enjoying.
Course Cookies, Cookies and Bars