One of my absolute favorite flavor combinations is maple and pecans. This combo is great all year round but I especially love it in the fall and winter months. While I already have several maple pecan recipes on Foragers of Happiness (like my soft sourdough maple pecan cookies, my sourdough maple pecan shortbread cookies, and my sourdough maple pecan scones), I was super excited to make these maple pecan sourdough oatmeal cookies.

sourdough maple pecan oatmeal cookies stacked on a piece of parchment paper with a plate of cookies in the background and a cookie with a bite taken out of it in the foreground.

Why You Will Love these Sourdough Maple Oatmeal Cookies

These sourdough discard oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy and are perfectly balances in terms of sweetness and heartiness. The maple glaze is the perfect finishing touch but you can skip it altogether if you desire. The cookies are great on their own.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Sourdough Oatmeal Maple Pecan Cookies Ingredients in individual measuring cups and bowls.

Flour: You can use all purpose flour or bread flour in these cookies. I do not recommend substituting whole wheat flour unless it is in small quantities like 1/4 of the total amount.
Baking Soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Butter: I have tested this recipe with both unsalted and salted butter. I prefer unsalted butter in baking as it will yield more consistent results.
Brown Sugar: If you do not have brown sugar you can add 1 tablespoon of molasses to 1-1/4 cup of white sugar.
Maple Syrup: I highly recommend using pure maple syrup in this recipe. This adds the main flavor in these cookies and substitutions will not achieve the same results.
Sourdough Discard: This recipe will work with active starter or unfed sourdough discard.
Eggs: If you are vegan or have an egg allergy, you can substitute your favorite egg replacer. I have tested this recipe with the Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and had great results.
Vanilla: I always recommend pure vanilla extract but you can also substitute imitation vanilla.
Oats: I used old fashioned rolled oats but you can also use instant oats with similar results. The cookies will just taste slightly less hearty.
Pecans: You can substitute any of your favorite nuts but walnuts would be the most similar in texture and flavor.

For the Maple Glaze

maple glaze ingredients in individual cups.

Maple Syrup
Butter
Milk
Powdered Sugar

How to Make Maple Pecan Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

dry ingredients for sourdough oatmeal cookies.

Step 3: Over medium heat, melt 12 tablespoons of butter, stirring frequently. Once melted, continue to stir until the butter starts to turn a golden color and exhibits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat.

brown butter in saucepan with pretty towel and brown sugar in background.

Step 4: Immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Set the pan aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Step 5: Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, sourdough discard, and eggs, in that order. Do not put the eggs in first or they may cook.

spoon mixing wet ingredients in the saucepan containing the browned butter..

Step 6: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until almost completely mixed.

wooden spoon mixing wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for maple pecan sourdough oatmeal cookies.

Step 7: Pour in the chopped pecans and oats and stir until completely combined.

bowl of maple pecan sourdough oatmeal cookie dough with oats and pecans mixed in.

Step 8: Scoop the dough into cookie dough balls measuring about 1-1/4 inch in diameter. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Step 9: Bake in preheated oven for 12-13 minutes. The edges should be slightly golden but the centers should still be soft and slightly gooey.

Step 10: Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, the transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Glaze the Cookies

Step 11: Make the glaze by whisking together the melted butter, maple syrup, milk, and powdered sugar in a small bowl.

maple glaze being whisked together in a bowl.

Step 12: Place a sheet of parchment paper under the wire rack. Drizzle the maple glaze evenly over the cookies. Allow to completely set before serving or storing.

spoon drizzling maple glaze over maple pecan oatmeal sourdough cookies on a wire rack.

How to Store

Store these cookies in an airtight container or allow ziplock bag. These cookies are best when consumed within 3 days but will typically last up to one week.

How to Freeze

These cookies can also be frozen in a gallon freezer bag for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the cookie dough. To do so, scoop the cookie dough into individual cookie balls. Place in a single layer in the freezer bag. Seal the bag and place the bag flat in the freezer until completely frozen. When ready to bake, follow instructions as written in recipe, adding about 2 minutes to the bake time.