Freshly Milled Sourdough Einkorn Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookies are made with freshly milled whole wheat einkorn, old-fashioned rolled oats, sourdough discard, maple syrup, plump raisins, and cinnamon. They bake up soft and lightly chewy with plenty of oatmeal-raisin texture.

Sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookies on a white plate in the foreground with three cookies, and a blue and white floral china plate stacked with more cookies in the background, styled on a white embroidered linen tablecloth with baby's breath flowers.

I mill the einkorn wheat berries fresh on demand, same day, before every batch, but whole wheat einkorn flour works beautifully if you are not milling at home yet. These are a year-round staple in our cottage, and a first batch never makes it to the cookie jar. I always make a double for extras to freeze to bake later.

If you love baking with sourdough discard, No-Bake Sourdough Discard Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies and Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies Recipe belong on your list too.

Oh My Goodness, they are delicious. This recipe is a keeper!
~ Barbara

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Freshly milled einkorn gives them a bakery taste – The natural buttery nuttiness of whole wheat einkorn baked into a chewy oatmeal cookie is a combination that tastes genuinely different from any standard recipe. It is warm, slightly complex, and deeply satisfying in the way bakery cookies taste.
Sourdough discard that earns its place – The discard adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the maple syrup and the natural sugar of the raisins without announcing itself as sourdough. Active starter or cold discard both work equally well here.
Maple syrup as the primary sweetener – Maple syrup instead of white sugar gives these cookies a warm, smoky depth that works beautifully with the einkorn flour and cinnamon. It also keeps the texture soft and chewy rather than crisp, which is exactly what a good oatmeal cookie should be.
Chewy and soft from edge to center – Rolled oats, maple syrup, and sourdough discard together produce a cookie that stays soft and chewy for days. These do not dry out on the counter the way most oatmeal cookies do, which makes them just as good on day four as they were fresh from the oven.

Labeled overhead ingredient flat lay for sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookies showing freshly milled whole wheat einkorn flour, raisins, salted butter sticks, eggs, maple syrup, sourdough discard, rolled oats, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt on a pink eyelet linen with crochet lace and white baby's breath.

Ingredients

Freshly milled whole wheat einkorn flour – Mill the einkorn wheat berries on the finest setting, then weigh the flour after milling. Freshly milled einkorn is light and fluffy, so weighing it gives you the most consistent amount for the dough.
Sourdough discard – You can use active or cold 100% hydration sourdough discard. It goes directly into the cookie dough without a separate fermentation step.
Old-fashioned rolled oats + raisins – Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats. I use plump flame raisins without soaking, but if yours are dry, soaking them first can help plump them back up.
Maple syrup + granulated sugar – These cookies use both. Maple syrup adds sweetness and moisture alongside the granulated sugar rather than replacing it
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Overhead view of sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookies piled on a blue floral china plate beside a small white plate with three cookies, styled on a white linen napkin and crochet lace on a wood surface.

Variations & Add-Ins

Chocolate chip version – Swap the raisins for an equal weight of semisweet or dark chocolate chips for a sourdough einkorn oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with the same chewy depth and buttery nuttiness.
Cranberry walnut – Replace the raisins with dried cranberries and add ½ cup of roughly chopped walnuts for a tart, crunchy variation that works especially well as a holiday cookie.
Cinnamon spice upgrade – Increase the cinnamon to 1½ teaspoons and add ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and cardamom to the dry ingredients for a more forward, warmly spiced cookie.
Sea salt finish – Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each dough ball before baking. The contrast between the salty finish and the sweet maple and raisin interior is one of the best small details a cookie can have.

Recipe Tips

Chill the dough before baking – Refrigerate the shaped dough balls for at least 1 hour before baking, or overnight for even better results. Chilling firms the butter, prevents spreading, and deepens the flavor. Freshly milled einkorn also hydrates more fully during the chill, which improves the final texture significantly. But if you prefer flatter cookies, skip this step.

Use rolled oats not quick oats – Rolled oats give the cookies their chewy, hearty body. Quick oats absorb moisture too quickly and can produce a slightly cakey texture rather than the chewiness this recipe is built for.

Soak dry raisins before adding – If your raisins have dried out in the pantry, a 10 minute soak in warm water followed by a thorough pat dry makes them plump, soft, and far better in the finished cookie.

Pull them slightly underdone – These cookies continue to set on the pan after they come out of the oven. Pull them when the edges look set and the centers still look slightly underdone, and they will firm up to a perfect chewy texture as they cool.

Let them cool on the pan – Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Moving them too soon while they are still soft causes them to break.

Freeze the unbaked cookie dough – Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag. Bake them directly from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time.

Overhead view of creamed butter and sugar cookie dough in a stand mixer bowl, smooth and fluffy, on a pink linen napkin with crochet lace.

Overhead view of finished sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookie dough in a stand mixer bowl with a white spatula, showing oats and raisins folded throughout, on a pink linen napkin.

Instructions

Mill the flour and prepare dry raisins if needed – Mill the einkorn wheat berries on the finest setting of your grain mill, then weigh the freshly milled flour for the recipe. I use plump flame raisins and add them straight to the dough. If your raisins feel dry, cover them with warm water and let them soak for 10 minutes while you begin the recipe. Before adding them to the dough, drain them and pat them completely dry.
Mix the dry ingredients – In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the freshly milled einkorn flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and fine sea salt until evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.
Cream the butter, sugar, and maple syrup – Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large mixing bowl and hand mixer. Beat until the butter and sugar are pale and fluffy. Add the maple syrup and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the discard, eggs, and vanilla – Add the sourdough discard, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed so everything is evenly combined.
Add the dry ingredients – With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry flour remains, then stop. Einkorn dough can become sticky and dense when it is overworked, so there is no need to keep mixing once the flour is incorporated.
Fold in the oats and raisins – Add the old-fashioned rolled oats and fold them into the dough on the lowest mixer speed or by hand. Add the raisins, making sure any soaked raisins have been drained and patted completely dry first. Fold just until the oats and raisins are evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and a little sticky.
Chill the dough – Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough will firm as it chills, making it easier to scoop and helping the cookies bake thicker with less spread. If you prefer flatter cookies, you can skip the chilling time.
Preheat the oven and scoop – When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to portion the chilled dough into balls and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake – Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the centers still look slightly soft. Don’t wait for the centers to look completely baked. The cookies will continue to set on the hot baking sheet after they come out of the oven.
Cool – Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them. They are still soft when they first come out of the oven and can break if transferred too soon. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Hand holding a single sourdough einkorn oatmeal raisin cookie up close, showing the golden oat texture and raisins, with a white embroidered plate and more cookies blurred in the background alongside baby's breath flowers.

Freezing and Storage

Room temperature – Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These cookies stay chewy longer than most oatmeal cookies because of the maple syrup and sourdough discard in the dough.
Refrigerator – Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best chewy texture.
Freezing baked cookies – Let cool completely, then layer in an airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezing unbaked dough balls – Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a labeled freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 350°F and add 2 to 3 extra minutes to the baking time. A single batch rarely makes it to the freezer around here, the cottage baking tip around here is to make a double batch if you want a freezer stash to actually pull from.

Did you know you can convert your favorite recipes to freshly milled flour? Learn how to convert recipes and find more fresh flour guides at The Cottage Mill.

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FAQ

Yes, einkorn flour is an excellent choice for cookies. Its natural buttery nuttiness adds genuine flavor depth, and its softer gluten structure produces a tender, slightly dense cookie rather than a tough one.

Yes, sourdough discard works well in oatmeal raisin cookies. This recipe uses 100 grams of 100% hydration discard, and you can use it active or cold. There’s no separate fermentation step needed.

No, you don’t need to soak raisins if they’re already soft and plump. I use plump flame raisins and add them straight to the dough. If your raisins are dry, you can soak them first to plump them up. I’ve tested it both ways with good results.

Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour for thicker, chewier cookies. I refrigerate the whole bowl of dough before scooping it onto the baking sheet. If you prefer flatter cookies, you can skip the chill and bake them right away.

Yes, you can replace the sourdough discard with an equal weight of plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk. Use 100 grams in place of the 100 grams of sourdough discard.

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Emily Rider

Home miller since 1999 with fresh-milled flour & sourdough experience. Sharing from-scratch recipes and traditional kitchen skills, rooted in the seasons and inspired by everyday cottage living and seasonal rhythms.

About Me

2 Comments

Barbara Esposito says:

September 30, 2026 at 3:03 pm

Just made these cookies and Oh My Goodness they are delicious. I milled the Einkorn berries on the finest setting. I absolutely love a recipe that works exactly as it should, and this recipe did that for me. Emily, your directions and pictures were spot on. The cookies were light, slightly chewy, but cakey, with a nuttiness from the Einkorn that almost made me think I had added walnuts! The maple syrup is a nice touch. The cookies were not too sweet – a nice change from traditional recipes. This recipe is a keeper!

1. Emily Rider says:
  
  September 30, 2026 at 3:48 pm
  
  Hi Barbara,
  
  Oh my goodness, this made me smile so big! I always love when one of my recipes makes its way into your kitchen, my FMF sister! I’m so happy you loved these cookies. And YES, the nuttiness and butter flavor from the Einkorn with the maple syrup is one of my favorite things about them too. It gives them that little something extra while still tasting like the oatmeal raisin cookies we know and love.
  
  And thank you for what you said about my directions and photos. That means more to me than you know, especially coming from you because you’ve baked so many of my recipes right alongside me!
  
  I always look forward to hearing what you think and what you notice. I’m so grateful for you, my FMF BFF, and so happy we found each other through this little cottage corner of the internet. Thank you for baking another recipe here at the cottage!
  
  With love and gratitude from the cottage,
  Emily

Oh My Goodness, they are delicious. This recipe is a keeper!~ Barbara