Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)

These chewy and soft sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are deliciously tangy, sweet and loaded with chocolate flavor. The perfect treat you can make in under 30 minutes using your extra sourdough starter! Plus, this recipe is made vegan, dairy-free and egg-free to fit many diets!

Unless you bake sourdough bread every day, you likely have some extra sourdough starter that's not used to make bread and you might not be sure what to do with it. This is what happens when you maintain a starter at home: you have to discard some of it as you are feeding it so it stays strong and you don't end up with a huge amount of starter.

But the good news is that you can be super creative and make all sorts of amazing baked goods using your sourdough discard!

Our family's favorite discard recipes for breakfast are these sourdough banana pancakes or these sourdough oat pancakes, and these easy blueberry sourdough scones are amazing for meal-prepping snacks. But since making these sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, my kids (and husband) are obsessed and ask for them every week!

They are SO delicious and highly addictive, just sending you a little warning! They have an unbelievably soft and chewy texture with a little bit of an underbaked feeling, the type of cookies you cannot stop eating. The earthy rolled oats add more texture and bonus nutrition, making them a filling and healthier snack, too.

And just like in my sourdough brownies or these chocolate chip granola bars, the combination of tangy flavor from the sourdough discard with the sweet chocolate chips is simply perfect.

What a great way to use up your extra sourdough discard! Let me know if you give them a try! ❤️

No sourdough discard? No problem! Try these vegan chocolate chip recipes instead!

Why you should try this recipe

• Such a delicious way to use up your extra sourdough discard!
• Makes for chewy and tender oatmeal cookies
• Packed with flavor, thanks to combination of chocolate chips, vanilla and cinnamon
• Easy recipe that can be made in under 30 minutes
• Fully vegan, egg-free and dairy-free

What you will need

• Flour: all-purpose flour is ideal for this recipe. Avoid bread flour or the cookies could end up being tough.
• Brown sugar: cane sugar should work too, although brown sugar gives the cookies such a delicious flavor.
• Rolled oats: old-fashioned thick oats work better for making oatmeal cookies since they hold their shape while cooking and add a hearty and chewy texture. Avoid quick-cooking oats if possible.
• 100% hydrated sourdough discard: both sourdough discard and active sourdough starter work for this recipe. Just keep in mind that the older the discard is, the more sour the result will be! Room temperature discard will be easier to mix in the dough as well, so if it's in the fridge, then try to take it out for 30 min before using.
• Butter: I used the vegan butter from the brand Earth Balance for a fully plant-based cookie recipe. Use slightly softened butter so it mixes better in the dough (but not too soft and not melted).
• Baking powder: leavening agent.
• Cinnamon + vanilla extract: to flavor the cookies.
• Salt.

How to make sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

(full recipe down below in the recipe card)

Preheat the oven to 350º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, butter, sourdough discard and vanilla extract.

Use electric beaters to combine until uniform, fluffy and light.

Add the dry ingredients + chocolate chips

Add the rolled oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then use a spatula to stir until just combined without overmixing.

Then, fold in the chocolate chips.

Shape and bake

Use a medium-sized ice cream scoop (or 2 spoons) to divide the dough into 12 equal balls and transfer them over the prepared baking sheet (do not flatten). Bake for 8-10 minutes, the cookies should be slightly golden brown on the edges but still looking underdone in the middle.

Let them cool down on the baking sheet before enjoying. They will still be quite soft when just out of the oven, so just give them a few minutes before touching them.

Baking tips

• Double-check the expiration date on your baking powder! The leavening power goes down over time and you want to make sure it puffs the cookies nicely.
• Do not overmix the dough! This will prevent ending up with dense or tough cookies. Just mix until it comes together and no more!
• The dough is pretty sticky, so if you can, use an ice cream scoop or a cookie dough scoop to distribute the dough.
• Leave the cookies into balls and do not press on them before baking. This will give them a soft middle texture.
• Do not overbake the cookies! Take them out of the oven once the edges turn golden brown, but the middle still looks a little underdone. They will keep cooking as they cool down and you want to ensure they are still soft and tender when you take a bite!

Variations to the recipe

Feel free to adjust some of the ingredients to your liking. Here are a few ideas to try:

• Nuts: add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans for more crunch, flavor and healthy omega-3.
• Dried fruits: you can include cranberries, raisins or chopped dried cherries for more sweetness and a yummy chewy bite.
• Spices: play around with the spices and add a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, chia spice mix or pumpkin spice mix.
• Coconut: for a delicious coconut-y flavor and a nice added texture, add a few spoonful of unsweetened shredded coconut to the dough.
• Chocolate: swap the dark chocolate for white chocolate or peanut butter chips.

Storage tips

Once completely cooled down, then you can transfer them to an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, then keep them in the fridge. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months!

If enjoying from the fridge, you can very briefly warm them up in the microwave to soften them and melt the chocolate slightly before enjoying.

FAQs

Do I have to chill the dough before baking?

Chilling the dough before shaping and baking the cookies prevents them from spreading too much while cooking, which helps them stay soft and tender. In this case, I didn't chill the dough before baking. But, if your butter gets too soft and warm, then you can transfer the dough to the fridge for about 30 minutes before dividing and transferring over the baking sheet.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

I haven't tried it yet, but this GF flour from the brand Bob's Red Mill works well and could be used in place of regular all-purpose flour. Also, make sure you use a GF sourdough starter and also, certified GF rolled oats.

More sourdough discard cookie recipes to try

• Sourdough peanut butter cookies

I hope you like this sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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