Healthy Sourdough Breakfast Cookies
There’s something pretty fun about staring the morning with a cookie – especially one that’s hearty, wholesome, and made with real, nourishing ingredients. These sourdough breakfast cookies made with oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, flax, and cinnamon are both delicious and satisfying. They’re lightly sweetened, and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee.
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These sourdough breakfast cookies are a delicious grab-and-go breakfast that fuel your body first thing in the morning. They’re a soft baked cookie that is not overly sweet, but full of fiber from the oats and flax. Walnuts and sunflower seeds offer extra protein and a satisfying crunch, and the raisins bring a tasty pop of sweetness.
Best of all? They can be made with sourdough discard, which is a great way to use up extra starter while baking something delicious. It’s the ultimate win-win for the homestead kitchen — frugal, resourceful, and full of flavor. Our whole family has voted these healthy sourdough breakfast cookies one of our favorite recipes.
why sourdough belongs in breakfast cookies
When most people think of sourdough, they picture crusty loaves and artisan boules. But your sourdough starter – even the part you may normally discard – can be a secret powerhouse ingredient in all kinds of baked goods like these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies or Sourdough Scones. You do not need a bubbly and active sourdough starter for this recipe. Sourdough discard is starter that has been fed, reached peak strength, and has fallen again. It can be room temperature or straight from the fridge, and it will still ferment the grains when given a sufficient amount time for the fermentation process.
Here’s why I make my cookies with sourdough:
1. Boots Nutrition: The fermentation process in sourdough helps make nutrients in grains more bioavailable and more easily digestible.
2. Improves Texture: ​Sourdough discard adds moisture, making these cookies soft instead of dry or crumbly.
3. Adds Flavor: ​Thee mild tang from the starter balances the sweetness, creating a depth of flavor that doesn’t taste overly sweet.
4. Reduces Waste: Every time you bake with leftover sourdough discard, you’re putting that extra starter to good use instead of *actually* discarding it.
everything you’ll need
ingredients
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- ​Cane sugar
- Eggs
- Sourdough starter discard
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Old-fashioned oats
- ​Ground flaxseed
- ​Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Raisins
- ​Chopped walnuts
- Sunflower seeds
equipment
step-by-step instructions
1. Cream butter and sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened butter, brown sugar and cane sugar until the mixture is light and creamy – about 2-3 minutes. This helps incorporate air into the dough, giving the cookies a soft texture.
2. Add wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth. The discard will add moisture and that subtle sourdough flavor we love. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little curdled, that’s normal.
3. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
4. Sir in the good stuff. Slowly mix in raisins, chopped walnuts and sunflower seeds until everything is evenly distributed.
5. Long ferment. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap or store in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight to allow the grains to ferment.
6. Preheat, scoop and bake. The following day, allow the dough to come to room temperature so the cookie dough can be scooped. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each one slightly as they won’t spread much during baking. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
7. Cool and enjoy. Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
the perfect make-ahead breakfast
These sourdough breakfast cookies are designed for real life – the kind of mornings when you’re juggling kids, chores, or a full to-do list but still want something homemade and wholesome.
They store well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, just warm them slightly in the oven and it will taste freshly baked.
Pair them with a glass of raw milk, a hot cup of coffee, or your favorite herbal tea, and you’ve got yourself a quick, healthy breakfast – even on busy mornings.
wholesome, simple ingredients
Part of what makes these sourdough breakfast cookies so satisfying is the powerhouse combination of ingredients:
- Flaxseed: Adds omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and a lovely nutty flavor.
- Rolled Oats: Provide long-lasting energy and make the cookies delightfully chewy.
- Walnuts: Offer crunch, protein, and heart-healthy fats.
- Raisins: Add natural sweetness and moisture while balancing the tang of sourdough.
- Sunflower seeds: Provide texture and Vitamin E, a strong antioxidant.
tips for baking success
– Use room temperature ingredients. They mix together more smoothly, especially the butter.
– Experiment with add-ins. Try cranberries instead of raisins, or add pumpkin seeds or chia seeds for a different texture.
– Make it gluten-free. If you bake with a gluten-free sourdough starter, use a 1:1 gluten free flour baking blend and certified gluten free oats.
can i skip the long fermentation time?
YES. These sourdough breakfast cookies can be baked right away instead of fermenting in the fridge overnight. Follow the same baking instructions.
more sourdough discard recipes you’ll love
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sourdough Scones
- Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits
- Sourdough Pie Crust
- Sourdough Banana Bread
Sourdough Breakfast Cookies
There's something pretty fun about staring the morning with a cookie - especially one that's hearty, wholesome, and made with real, nourishing ingredients. These sourdough breakfast cookies made with oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, flax, and cinnamon are both delicious and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter, active or discard
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened butter, brown sugar and cane sugar until the mixture is light and creamy - about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until smooth. Don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled, that's normal.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.Â
- Slowly mix in raisins, chopped walnuts and sunflower seeds until everything is evenly distributed.Â
- Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap or store in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight to allow the grains to ferment. (See notes below if you want to skip this step.)
- The following day, allow the dough to come to room temperature so the cookie dough can be scooped. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Â
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each one slightly as they won't spread much during baking. Bake for 12-14 minutes.Â
- Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
You can skip the overnight fermentation in the fridge and bake right away. Follow the same baking instructions.
Use room temperature ingredients. They mix together more smoothly, especially the butter.
Experiment with add-ins. Try cranberries instead of raisins, or add pumpkin seeds or chia seeds for a different texture.Â
Make it gluten-free: If you bake with a gluten-free sourdough starter, use a 1:1 gluten free flour baking blend and certified gluten free oats.Â
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