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Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies

If you're looking for a soft sourdough oatmeal cookie, these are chewy and perfect. This recipe is made for the dough to be baked right away, and they're packed with chocolate chips.

This is one of my top two discard dessert recipes, right after Sourdough Discard Brownies, which are easy to make and freeze just like these discard cookies!

Baked sourdough oatmeal cookies on ceramic plate.

This is a super delicious sourdough discard cookie recipe, I love using discard instead of wasting it or throwing it away.

I like to make Banana Sourdough Muffins or Sourdough Discard Banana Bread frequently, and this recipe is super easy to make ahead and freeze, just like my other recipes!

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⭐️ What To Expect

Taste: These cookies are nice and soft, with a little crunch around the edges from the oats and chewy on the inside.
Ease: This is a beginner recipe, it does require an electric or stand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar.
Time: It only takes about 10 minutes to mix up the cookie dough, and 10 minutes per batch to bake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The best cookies ever! I have to fight my kids off of them so they aren't all eaten in one sitting! Thank you for sharing the goodness!!

-Tara

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for sourdough oatmeal cookies on metal baking sheet.

Unfed Sourdough Discard - I made this recipe with cold unfed sourdough starter from my fridge, but active fed room temperature starter can also be used!
Butter - I always used salted butter for my cookie recipes, it tastes amazing. Make sure to soften it at room temp or in the microwave.
Regular Old Fashioned Oats - used for their texture and so they don't absorb too much liquid too fast (just like in my coconut oatmeal cookies) and make the dough stiff like instant oats can do.
Baking Soda - Helps the cookies spread (a must with oatmeal cookies!) and have just little puff.
Salt - always makes cookies taste better and enhances the flavor.
Eggs - used as a binder and also to make the cookies soft and chewy!

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Chocolate Chips - You can use white chocolate, butterscotch, cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, cranberries etc.
Nuts! We love to add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, but you could also add peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc to your cookie dough.
Cinnamon - add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the batter with the eggs and vanilla, and 1.5 cups of raisins and you can make a cinnamon raisin sourdough cookie!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Sourdough oatmeal chocolate chip cookies whip up pretty quickly, so make sure you have the oven preheated to 350℉.

TOP TIP: Weighing your ingredients will give you the best results, if you have a kitchen scale, make sure to use it!

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment) to beat softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until creamy and white, about 3 minutes on medium/high speed.

Eggs and vanilla in metal mixing bowl with butter and sugar.

Step 2. Add vanilla and eggs to the mixing bowl and mix well, for another 1-2 minutes.

Sourdough discard and salt in mixing bowl with butter and sugar.

Step 3. Add in the sourdough discard (make sure to weigh it, especially if it is active!), salt, and baking soda, and mix until combined. Sourdough discard should be on the thinner side, not very thick. Thicker discard makes stiffer cookie dough that won't spread. Add a Tablespoon or two of water if needed!

Flour in raw cookie dough batter in metal bowl.

Step 4. Add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined.

Chocolate chips in bowl of raw sourdough oatmeal cookie dough in metal mixing bowl.

Step 5. Add in oats and chocolate chips last, mixing on low/medium speed until they are fully mixed in.

Raw cookie dough ball on metal baking sheet.

Step 6. Scoop the dough into balls onto a prepared baking sheet (12 or 13 per pan) about 1.5 inches apart. I use a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop.

Bake for 10-11 minutes until puffy and flattened. Remove and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Half of a baked sourdough discard oatmeal cookie on ceramic plate.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

Weigh your ingredients! This will help you make them correctly every time.
Make sure you don't overbake the cookies! They are best soft, which means they will look slightly underbaked when you remove them from the oven. Overbaking them will make them crunchier and more dry.
Use silicon baking mats to help bake the cookies evenly and with quick cleanup!
When scooping onto the baking sheet, do rows of 3 and 2 so that 13 fit on the pan instead of 12.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

My cookies won't spread! What should I do?

You can add a Tablespoon or two of water if the dough is stiff.
- Stiff dough can be caused by discard with different varieties of flour in it that absorb a lot of moisture, or from too much flour or oats.
- Make sure to measure ingredients by weight to get consistent results.

Is the sourdough discard active or unfed?

For this recipe, you can use either unfed cold discard from the refrigerator or room temperature active fed starter. Either works! Just make sure you weigh it, as active starter has more bubbles and takes a little more to get the correct volume.

What kind of oats should be used?

Regular old-fashioned oats are best, quick oats absorb too much liquid and can make the dough stiff.

Can Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies be frozen?

Yes!
1. Make recipe for dough as directed.
2. Scoop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper close together but so edges are not touching.
3. Freeze 4 hours or overnight, then place into a freezer safe bag to use later.
To bake thawed: Place cookie dough balls in refrigerator overnight and then onto prepared cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake as directed in recipe.
To bake while frozen: Preheat oven to 350 F. Place frozen cookie dough balls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or baking mat. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are barely golden brown and the tops are beginning to crack. After 12 minutes check every minute until done.

Can I ferment the dough?

You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, but I would bring the dough to room temperature before scooping and baking so the cookies flatten as they bake.

How long do sourdough oatmeal cookies last?

Store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze the baked cookies (once cooled) for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.

Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!

📝 Printable Recipe

Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This is a creamy chicken gnocchi soup that's lightened up, with garlic, parmesan cheese, soft gnocchi, and packed with tender veggies. You can use canned chicken, raw chicken, or rotisserie chicken.

My favorite thing about this is that it's made without cream, so it's lighter but just as creamy and delicious as the restaurant version. Best of all, it can be made in a crock pot or slow cooker! We love to eat this with Garlic Cheese Drop Biscuits or Soft Fluffy French Bread, it goes PERFECTLY with this soup.

White bowl of chicken gnocchi soup on wood cutting board.

As much as I love Olive Garden, it's so much more budget friendly to make copycat chicken gnocchi soup at home. This recipe is diet friendly and tastes amazing! I like to have healthier soup recipe options in the fall like Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Stew, and this one is up at the top of our list of favorites along with Healthy Taco Soup.

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⭐️ What To Expect

Ease: It's a super easy chicken gnocchi recipe, in six easy steps!
Time: It's ready in just over 30 minutes, or even faster if you use pre-cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies!
Taste: This tastes just like the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup, only lightened up with more veggies, just how we like it.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for creamy chicken gnocchi soup in glass bowls on marble countertop, labeled.

Gnocchi - I use one pound of regular gnocchi, but whole wheat, gluten free, or a flavored variety such as spinach or pumpkin would be delicious as well.
Veggies - Peas, carrots, and celery are the vegetables of choice here, substitutions are listed below. I chopped these carrots, but you can buy shredded carrots to make the prep even quicker! It's the same veggie mix I use in my Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles.
Chicken Broth - or chicken stock are interchangeable in this recipe. This is the base of the soup and helps to give the chicken and vegetables flavor as they cook.
Milk - I use whole milk for this recipe, it is creamy enough for the soup but still lighter than heavy cream or half & half.
Flour - I use all purpose flour as the thickener for this recipe, substitutions can be found below.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Veggies - you could use seasonal veggies like zucchini, green beans, potatoes, broccoli, halved brussels sprouts, or even asparagus if you feel like it.
If you don't like celery, skip it! If you want to add minced, onions, add them! This is a very forgiving recipe and it's so easy to adapt.
Milk - you can use an unsweetened plant based milk if you wish and leave out the parmesan cheese to make a dairy friendly version.
Flour - for a gluten friendly option, use 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch in place of the flour.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Note: If using rotisserie or pre-cooked and shredded chicken, skip Step 1 and Step 4, and add in the cooked chicken on Step 6.

Slow cooker chicken gnocchi instructions are in the Frequently Asked Questions section later in the post.

Raw seasoned chicken breasts in pot with olive oil.

Step 1. In a large heavy bottomed pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken breasts to pot and season with salt and pepper. Sear on both sides about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown, adding lovely flavor.

Pouring chicken broth into pot of raw vegetables.

Step 2. To the pot add in the celery, carrots, peas, all spices: garlic, onion powder, chicken bouillon, and chicken broth to the pot.

Simmer on low/medium heat with the chicken for 20 minutes.

Milk and flour in measuring cup with wire whisk.

Step 3. While the soup is simmering, make the thickener!

Whisk the milk and flour together (called a slurry) in a bowl or large glass measuring cup. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of flour left.

Shredded chicken on a cutting board with forks.

Step 4. Remove the chicken breasts from the soup and place on a cutting board. Shred with 2 forks, then transfer back to the pot.

Pouring milk into pot with cooked vegetables and chicken.

Step 5. Pour the milk and flour mixture (slurry) into the soup and mix well.

Raw gnocchi in pot with milk, chicken and vegetables with whisk.

Step 6. Add in the gnocchi, and simmer the soup on medium heat, stirring until it thickens and comes to a low boil, about 4-5 minutes.

Red pot full of cooked chicken gnocchi soup with parmesan cheese on top.

Add garnish like fresh grated parmesan, shredded basil, or minced green onions to serve. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

Make sure to cook the chicken for long enough before shredding. If it hasn't simmered for at least 20 minutes, it will be difficult to shred.
Use rotisserie chicken and frozen mixed veggies for super quick cook time!
Make sure you use whole milk for the creamiest soup and sauce, just like in my Lemon Chicken Gnocchi. Milk is used instead of cream for added protein but still helps the soup stay creamy!

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Should I cook gnocchi before adding to soup?

No, gnocchi only takes 2-3 minutes to cook and doesn't soak up a lot of liquid, so it's fine to add it towards the end so it doesn't become too soggy.

Can you make chicken gnocchi soup in a slow cooker?

Yes!
1. Add all ingredients except the milk, flour, and gnocchi to a crock pot, and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours until the chicken is tender.
2. Shred it, return it to the pot.
3. Add in the milk, flour, and gnocchi and cook for another hour on high heat and stir occasionally until thickened.

Can I freeze chicken gnocchi soup? How long does it last?

Yes!
Refrigerate: For 4-5 days in an airtight container
Freeze: For up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

What are gnocchi made of?

A combination of potatoes, (cooked and masked, flakes, or starch) flour, eggs, salt, and sometimes other types of flour or spices to flavor them.

What is in chicken gnocchi soup?

It usually has a base of chicken broth and milk or cream, chicken, vegetables, and gnocchi.

🥣 More Easy & Delicious Soup Recipes

These are some of our favorite budget friendly soup recipes, perfect in the fall and winter! Ones like White Chicken Chili with Corn or Shrimp and Corn Chowder can be made on the stove top or in a slow cooker, which we LOVE.

📝 Printable Recipe

Banana Sourdough Muffins

Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins are lovely and buttery, with chocolate chips and sourdough discard to make them extra moist!

I love a big loaf of sourdough discard banana bread or high protein banana chocolate chip muffins but I also love easy to make ahead breakfast recipes using sourdough discard like this one.

Tilted banana muffin on top of another mufifn in a muffin tin.

I like using sourdough discard in muffins because it adds lovely flavor without waiting forever for the dough to ferment, just like my sourdough oatmeal cookies which are baked right after making the dough. Making banana muffins with discard is a great way to use it up! banana blackberry oatmeal muffins don't use discard but are another banana muffin recipe we use to use up our overripe bananas.

I like to keep my discard refrigerated in a container so I can use it for recipes like sourdough discard crackers or these muffins.

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⭐️ What To Expect

Ease: Sourdough discard banana muffins come together quickly, and don't require a mixer. This is relatively easy recipe that's no fuss.
Taste: The banana discard muffins have a lovely fluffy texture and strong banana flavor thanks to the overripe bananas and the sourdough discard.
Time: It takes about 30 minutes start to finish to make the muffins.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Sourdough banana muffin ingredients labeled.

Bananas - should be showing brown spots, overripe bananas give the best flavor!
Brown Sugar - light or dark brown will work well for this recipe, it helps make the discard banana muffins nice and moist.
Sourdough Discard - can be actively fed at room temperature or unfed and cold from the fridge. Both have been tested in the recipe and it turns out consistently delicious every time.
Milk - dairy or plant based is fine! I prefer to use 2% or whole milk for this recipe.
Flour - I usually use all purpose, but whole wheat can be used for this recipe as well.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Chocolate chips can be swapped with chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, peanuts, whatever nut your heart desires!
If you'd rather make these into regular banana muffins without discard, you can use sour cream or plain greek yogurt in place of the discard.
Milk - can be substituted for any nut or plant based milk.
Brown Sugar - can be swapped out with coconut sugar.
Butter - can be swapped out with olive oil or vegetable oil, but will have a slightly different taste.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Sourdough banana muffins mix up really quickly, so make sure you preheat your oven to 350℉ before you get started!

Step 1. In a bowl or glass measuring cup, mash bananas until pureed.

Brown sugar and salt in bowl of wet ingredients with whisk.

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, brown sugar, and salt.

Butter, eggs, sourdough discard in white bowl.

Step 3. Add in the milk, eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla, and melted butter, and whisk together until mixed well, about 1 minute.

Flour and whisk in bowl of wet ingredients.

Step 4. Add in the flour and baking powder, and gently mix until there are no flour pockets left, careful not to overmix.

Sourdough discard muffin batter in bowl with whisk and chocolate chips.

Step 5. Add in the chocolate chips last, gently mixing them in.

Raw banana muffin batter in muffin wrappers in muffin tin.

Step 6. Scoop the banana muffin batter into greased muffin tins or tins lined with paper. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Half of a banana muffin in muffin wrapper.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you substitute Oil with Butter?

Yes, you can use a neutral flavored oil and substitute the same amount of oil for butter.

How long do Banana Sourdough Muffins last?

Room Temperature: 3-4 days.
Frozen: up to 3 months.

Could I make as a loaf instead?

Yes! I would use 2 large loaf pans and divide the batter between them, and bake at 350℉ for 45-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Can I add nuts?

Yes! We love to add about 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the muffin batter in place of the chocolate chips or WITH the chocolate chips.

Can I make Banana Sourdough Muffins overnight?

Yes! You can rest the batter refrigerated overnight and then scoop it into the muffin tins and bake in the morning. I would increase the oven temperature to 375℉ if baking cold batter, and check at about 17-18 minutes for doneness.

📌 Top Tips For Success

Make sure to mash the bananas really well, so they're more liquid than chunks.
Use bananas that have brown spots on them to get the most flavor!
Measuring the ingredients by weight will help ensure perfect muffins every time! Sometimes bananas are different sizes and can add a lot of extra liquid to the recipe if you don't measure.

🍌 More Banana Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Blueberry Jello Salad

A quick jello side dish is luscious Blueberry Jello Salad with special whipped topping, perfect for 4th of July, summer potlucks, and family parties.

Blueberry pineapple jello with whipped cream is all the flavors of summer! Sometimes I like to make this with Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling, but using canned makes it even easier to make, which I am always a fan of.

Blueberries and raspberries on whipped filling and blueberry jello in white dish.

I like to make blueberry jello salad during the summer or winter for holidays with lots of fresh blueberries and raspberries on top. It works especially for the 4th of July in the USA, it's the perfect red white and blue dessert.

The best part is it's an easy NO BAKE jello dessert recipe, so we don't need to turn on the oven and heat up the house. I love it for the holidays because it's a great dessert that's not pie for people who aren't fans. It's a companion (or alternative) to easy cranberry jello which we also love!

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Why This Recipe Works

Jello to fruit ratio is balanced, so it doesn't fall apart when sliced.
Uses canned pineapple (you can't even tell it's in the jello) to help stabilize the jello and flavor it!
Simple whipped cream cheese topping, or you can use Cool Whip.
Uses canned blueberry pie filling to make it even easier to make!
Can be made ahead!

🛒 Ingredients

Blueberry Pie Filling - canned is great, or a half batch of homemade blueberry pie filling works as well!
Jello Mix - I use a combination of raspberry jello and berry blue jello to make a lovely purple jello.
Crushed Pineapple - It has to be crushed, the tidbits and chunks are just too big for this recipe. It helps to add texture and flavor to the jello.
Cream Cheese - full fat or ⅓ fat, or even fat free will work for this recipe. It helps to stabilize the whipped cream topping and tastes amazing!
Heavy Whipping Cream - a whole pint for the whipped cream cheese topping!

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

In place of the cream cheese and whipped cream topping, you can use Cool Whip.
Instead of raspberry jello, strawberry could be used. I'd keep the berry blue though! Some readers have said they have used two boxes of grape jello with similar results, just a slightly different flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

It's pretty simple to make this easy blueberry jello dessert, and I'll walk you through the steps of making the whipped cream cheese topping so it's smooth and creamy with no lumps!

Pouring boiling water into bowl of red and blue jello, and hand pouring pineapple juice into measuring cup.

Step 1. (above) Mix Jello mixes and boiling water together in large bowl and whisk until jello is dissolved.

Step 2. (above) Drain ¼ cup of the pineapple juice out of the can and dump the juice, we don't need it.

Crushed pineapple and blueberry pie filling in white bowl with whisk, Bowl pouring blueberry jello into white dish.

Step 3. (above) Save 2 Tablespoons of the pie filling in a bowl for the topping, and stir the rest of the blueberry pie filling and crushed pineapple into the jello mixture until combined.

Step 4.(above) Pour the jello mixture into a 9x13 inch pan or serving dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours, or freeze for at least 2 hours to set up.

Cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla in metal bowl and wire whisk mixing cream into cream cheese.

Step 5.(above) In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar together on high speed until smooth.

Step 6.(above) Pour in about a ½ cup of the whipping cream and mix together on medium speed until it's all combined and smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Keep adding the whipping cream ½ cup at a time and mix together so that the mixture stays smooth and creamy.

Whipped cream topping in metal mixing bowl and spatula spreading topping onto set blueberry jello.

Step 7. (above) Turn the mixing speed to high and whip for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and no longer runny.

Step 8. (above) Spread the whipped cream cheese topping carefully over the chilled jello once it is completely set up.

Berries on top of whipped cream topping and hand swirling blueberry pie filling into whipped topping.

Step 9. (above) This part is optional! Make 4 dots of blueberry pie filling across the topping in 5 or 6 rows and swirl with a toothpick.

Step 10. (above) Place fresh blueberries and raspberries on top.

At this point you can serve the blueberry jello or chill it for a few more hours so the whipped cream sets up a little more. I like to make at least the jello portion in the morning or the night before so it's ready by lunch time or dinner time for holidays.

Spoonful of blueberry jello salad with whipped cream cheese topping and berries.

📌 Top Tips For Success

Don't use fresh pineapple! Use canned. The enzymes in the fresh fruit break down the gelatin in the jello and it won't set up correctly.
Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature and softened before whipping. It helps to make it smooth with no lumps!
You can make the jello portion the night before and make the whipped topping before you're ready to serve it.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long can I refrigerate Blueberry Jello Salad?

For up to 3 days, do not freeze.

Is there a blueberry flavored Jello?

Yes! It's easy to buy blue berry jello online or in stores.

What is Jello Salad made of?

Usually a combination of jello mix, fruit, water, whipped cream or cool whip, and sometimes cream cheese or sour cream to make it creamy.

What fruit does not mix well with Jello?

Some fresh fruits can prevent the gelatine from setting like pineapple, mango, kiwi, or guava that have high amounts of enzymes.
Using canned pineapple is fine.

What is the best fruit to put in jello?

Some fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries are all good options to put into jello that won't prevent it from setting.

🫐 More Easy & Delicious Berry Recipes

We love summer berry dessert recipes! If you're looking for berry desserts for potlucks, here are a few of our favorites.

📝 Printable Recipe

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

This Discard Banana Bread with greek yogurt and chocolate chips can be made with fed or unfed discard starter. Uses only one bowl!

We love to slather Honey Butter Spread over slices of warm banana bread fresh from the oven. This is a fantastic way to use sourdough discard! It turns overripe bananas and discard into moist, fluffy banana bread. It uses two bananas just like in my Strawberry Banana Bread and Banana Sourdough Muffins.

Baked sourdough banana bread in metal pan with chocolate chips on top.

This sourdough starter banana bread recipe uses ½ cup of sourdough starter. I don't like wasting the discard so I save it in a container in the fridge to use in recipes like this!

Using ½ cup of discard in the banana bread gives it flavor, just like in my Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, and it makes it a little more fluffy and less dense because of the acid and baking soda reaction, and works with the greek yogurt (or sour cream) to keep it moist and fresh for longer.

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Why This Recipe Works

Active starter or cold unfed sourdough discard can be used for this recipe!
Simple wet ingredients to dry ingredients mixing technique that uses one bowl.
More fluffy and less dense from the acid in the discard and greek yogurt reacting with the baking soda.
Measured by weight and volume, so it's easier to make successfully. Sometimes it can be difficult when bananas are different sizes!

🛒 Ingredients

Bananas - make sure to wait until the are at least all the way yellow and not green, and preferably with brown spots on them. Overripe bananas have more flavor and are softer and easier to mash.
Sourdough Discard - it can be active fed starter or cold unfed (refrigerated) discard, both work for this recipe! Just make sure you stir it to get the bubbles out and/or weigh it to get the right volume of liquid.
Brown Sugar - used as the sweetener aside from the bananas, brown sugar helps to hold the moisture in during the long bake time of the banana bread.
Baking Soda - the rising agent in the banana bread, it reacts with the acid in the discard and yogurt.
Greek Yogurt - adding yogurt helps the bread stay fresher, longer. It also helps activate the baking soda to give the bread more lift and be less dense.

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Greek Yogurt - substitute with sour cream! Can be fat free or full fat.
Melted Butter - Can be substituted with a neutral flavored oil like olive oil or vegetable oil.
Brown Sugar - coconut sugar or white granulated sugar would also work.
Use peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips for a fun flavor switch!
Add ½ cup chopped peanuts, walnuts, or pecans to the batter for more texture and crunch in the banana bread.
Leave out the chocolate chips and replace with nuts if you wish, or have both! Both. Both is good.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Having sourdough discard (sourdough starter) in banana bread doesn't make the recipe very different from regular banana bread. This recipe mixes the wet ingredients together first, then the dry ingredients last.

Don't forget to preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9x5 inch bread loaf pan with parchment paper or baking spray.

Mashing banana with immersion blender in glass measuring cup.

Step 1. Mash bananas with a fork, p otato masher, or im mersion blender. I prefer to do this in a measuring cup so that I can get an accurate measurement of the banana puree.

It's okay if the measurement isn't exactly 200mL (a little more than ¾ cup), but it should be close!

Eggs, vanilla, banana, sourdough discard, and greek yogurt in white bowl.

Step 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, greek yogurt, sourdough discard, melted butter, and vanilla.

Brown sugar and salt in wet ingredients in a white bowl.

Step 3. Add in the brown sugar and salt and whisk together.

Flour and baking soda over wet banana bread batter in white bowl.

Step 4. Add in the flour and baking soda, and stir together until just combined with no flour pockets left. Don't overmix once the dry flour is gone, too much mixing makes tough bread.

Chocolate chips in raw banana bread batter with whisk in white bowl.

Step 5. Add in the chocolate chips last and stir them in gently until just mixed in.

Raw banana bread batter in metal pan with parchment paper.

Step 6. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top, then place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Sliced loaf of sourdough banana bread standing vertically on herringbone pattern cutting board.

After removing it from the oven, let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes before trying to slice it. Slicing it hot can make it squish or crumble apart, cooling it down a little makes more even slices.

📌 Top Tips For Success

Stir the sourdough starter if it's active and room temperature before measuring it, this will help get rid of some bubbles. Weighing it is the most accurate though!
Bake the sourdough starter banana bread on the middle shelf of the oven. The bottom shelf may brown the bottom too much and the top shelf may burn the top!
Measure the dry ingredients by weight and volume for the banana! It's much more accurate, especially with the dry ingredients and bananas being different sizes.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Is sourdough banana bread healthy?

While sourdough in general is considered easier on the gut and this recipe does have greek yogurt and eggs meaning it has a decent amount of protein, this bread also has sugar, butter, and chocolate in it. I treat it as a sweet treat, and eat it in moderation.

Does the discard need to be fed or unfed?

Either! Just make sure if it's fed and active to stir it well before measuring it so there's no bubbles puffing it up.

How long does sourdough banana bread last?

3 days at room temperature.
3 months in the freezer.

What size of bread pan should I use?

This recipe was tested using a 9x5 inch bread loaf pan.

Knife spreading butter over sliced of baked sourdough discard banana bread.

🍌 More Ways To Use Bananas

I'm ALWAYS looking for ways to use ripe bananas. Here are a few of our family favorites!

📝 Printable Recipe

Honey Butter Spread

This is a super simple 5 minute vanilla honey butter spread tastes amazing on cornbread, rolls, biscuits, pancakes, and more!

It's not a whipped honey butter recipe, it's even easier than that! This makes enough honey butter to use on a 9x9 inch batch of warm Honey Butter Cornbread or Sourdough Discard Cornbread, so make sure to double it for company or a large group.

White bowl of mixed vanilla honey butter on marble countertop.

This is a super delicious vanilla honey butter spread with NO powdered sugar or marshmallow fluff, although you could do that as a yummy variation. We're keeping it a simple, traditional honey butter.

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Why We Love This Recipe

SO EASY. It's as simple as softening the butter and mixing the ingredients together in the right order so they don't separate.
Not whipped, no need to get the mixer dirty! Also, easy to whip if that's what tickles your fancy.
Easy to customize! See the variations below to get some ideas on fun ways to make this honey butter unique to you!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for honey butter in glass dishes on marble countertop with red striped towel.

This recipe uses salted butter which is absolutely essential for flavor!
I like to put in a good quality vanilla extract, but you can leave it out if you don't want it in your honey butter. Honey butter with vanilla is divine though, I wouldn't skip it!
Honey! You can use raw honey or regular store bought honey.

🆒 Variations

Add a ½ teaspoon (or more) of cinnamon to make cinnamon honey butter just like at Texas Roadhouse.
Add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract for a coconut flavored honey butter.
Add pumpkin pie spice to make it even fancier.
Use all maple syrup, or do half honey and half maple for a maple honey butter!
Add 2-3 Tablespoons of Marshmallow fluff for more of a whipped honey butter texture.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

It's not hard to learn how to make honey butter! Keep in mind you need to start out with softened butter!

You can either leave it out at room temperature for a few hours to soften or you can warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

Pouring honey into white bowl of softened butter.

Step 1. Add the honey to the softened butter and mix together with a small whisk or fork. Keep mixing until the honey is all the way mixed in and the butter turns smooth and creamy.

Pouring vanilla into white bowl of softened butter.

Step 2. Add the vanilla extract and mix well until it's completely mixed in.

Whipped Honey Butter Instructions

Using the same ingredients, mix the softened butter with an electric mixer using the whisk attachment on high speed for about 2 minutes, until it's light and fluffy.
Add in the honey and vanilla and whip for another 2 minutes.

Baked cornbread muffin with honey butter spreading on with a spoon.

📌 Tips for Success

Make sure to use butter that is softened to room temperature, not hard and cold, and not melted.
You can adjust sweetness! Start by mixing in only 2 Tablespoons of honey and keep going one at a time until you reach about 5 if you want it sweeter.
If the honey butter spread is too runny, pop it in the fridge or freezer for a couple of minutes to firm it up to your liking.
If you have crystallized or hardened honey in the pantry you need to use, you can warm it in 10-20 second increments in the microwave to turn it to liquid again.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What goes well with Honey Butter Spread?

• On a big slice of Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
• With Strawberry Banana Bread
• Over baked sweet potatoes or carrots
• Over toast, English muffins, rolls, pancakes, or Banana Sourdough Muffins.

How long does vanilla Honey Butter last?

It's best served soft at room temperature, but can be refrigerated for up to 1 month. Make sure to soften it and stir well before serving after refrigeration.

Can I leave Honey Butter out overnight?

Yes, once the honey and butter are mixed together it's safe to leave it out for a few days at room temperature. After that, it's best to refrigerate it to prevent the honey butter from turning rancid or stale tasting.

Can you use unsalted butter?

Yes! Honey butter can be made with unsalted butter, and add in ¼ teaspoon of salt if you wish.

Things you can Eat Honey Butter With

We like to *generously* spread it over several delicious things like Sourdough Discard Banana Bread, but here are a few of our other favorites to drizzle it over.

📝 Printable Recipe

Honey Butter Spread

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

This is a super simple 5 minute vanilla honey butter recipe tastes amazing on cornbread, rolls, biscuits, pancakes, and more!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 195 kcal

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup salted butter softened
▢ ⅓ cup honey
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make sure your butter is softened, then mix the honey into the butter (start with less if you want it less sweet) using a fork or spoon until it's smooth and creamy, it make take a minute or two.
Add in the vanilla extract and mix it in until the butter is smooth and creamy again.
Serve over warm breads, pancakes, sweet potatoes, etc. Enjoy!
If the honey butter is too runny, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes to thicken it up.

Notes

Store the honey butter spread at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Add more honey to make it sweeter if desired!

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 0.2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 3mgPotassium: 15mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 473IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Irish Poutine with Bacon

I made Irish-inspired bacon poutine with sausage, and a melty mild Irish cheddar cheese with brown gravy and it is heaven in a pan!

This bacon poutine recipe is pretty simple, takes about 40 minutes, and although it is not a traditional Canadian poutine recipe, it does keep in tradition with keeping it nice and easy, just like my Irish Cheddar Soda Bread, another St. Patrick's day favorite!

Metal pan with baked french fries, cheese, sausage, and bacon over parchment paper.

Inspired by a dish at an Irish restaurant I love, this is the best poutine recipe I've had in a long time. It's got all the good stuff: crispy fries, nice savory gravy, meat for the meat lovers and delicious melty cheese! I kept the gravy simple because I can, but a homemade version would be delicious as well!

If you need veggies with it, it's fantastic with another Irish themed food like buttery easy crockpot cabbage.

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Why You'll LOVE This Recipe

THE CHEESE. There's nothing like a good melty mild irish cheddar cheese on top of french fries to brighten your day and make your taste buds happy.
Bacon and Sausage - along with potatoes are all very Irish if I do say so myself. The meat rounds out the dish, making it either a filling appetizer or loaded fries for dinner.
It's a great St. Patrick's Day dinner recipe, but it's also a great game day appetizer.

🛒 Key Ingredients

French fries, raw sausage, raw bacon, gravy mix, irish cheese, and colby jack cheese on marble countertop.

Bacon - thick cut is best for this, trust me!
Sausage - Irish bangers are best, but bratwurst is an easily found and similar tasting substitute.
Gravy - Traditionally, a type of brown gravy is used for poutine. Homemade or a mix would be fine, it really isn't fancy in Canada.
Colby Jack Cheese - this helps even out the flavor of the mild cheddar, as well as adding more melty cheese to the mix.
French Fries - I use regular cut, but a thick cut variety or crinkle cut would work as well. Just make sure to adjust cooking time as needed if using thicker fries.

✏️ Substitutions

Colby Jack and Irish cheddar can be substituted for gouda, meunster, or another mild flavored cheese.
The Irish sausage can be swapped with bratwurst, which is usually easier to find in the United States.
A chicken or turkey gravy could be used in place of the brown gravy if preferred.

🆒 Variations

Add chopped green onions after baking the poutine for a pop of color and flavor!
Sweet potato fries, seasoned fries, waffle fries, or crinkle cut fries would be an awesome switch.
This bacon poutine would also be delicious with corned beef or brisket on top!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Don't forget to preheat the oven to 425 ℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Raw sliced sausage and bacon on wood cutting board.

Step 1. Bake French fries according to package directions, about 30 minutes to be very crispy. Leave the oven on after! We'll need it to melt the cheese later.

Slice bacon and raw sausage into small pieces.

Metal pan with cooked sausage and bacon with wood spatula.

Step 2. Cook sausage and bacon over medium heat in a frying pan for about 10-12 minutes, until bacon is crispy. Drain any excess grease, then set aside the meat to cool.

Pouring gravy over baked french fries on metal pan.

Step 4. While fries are baking and the meat is cooking, prepare the gravy mix according to package directions to make about 1 cup of gravy.

When the french fries are finished baking, pour the gravy over the fries.

Pouring cooked sausage and bacon over pan of fries with cheese.

Step 5. Layer the shredded colby jack cheese and cut up the mild irish cheddar over the fries and gravy, then spread the cooked meat evenly over the top.

TIP: You can always pour the gravy on after melting the cheese in the oven if waiting to serve for a few minutes, this will help avoid soggy fries.

Fork with bite of irish poutine over metal pan with baked french fries, cheese, sausage, and bacon over parchment paper.

Step 6. Bake the fries one more time to melt the cheese, about 5-7 minutes. It also helps to crisp up the fries a bit more.

📌 Top Tips

Make sure to bake the fries until they're very crispy, otherwise they can become soggy with gravy. I baked mine 5-7 minutes longer than reccomended.
Serve right away so it doesn't become soggy!
Make sure to use a MILD Irish cheese if you're sensitive to strong cheese. The dubliner and sharp white Irish cheddar are pretty strong tasting, and if used should be grated and mixed into the colby jack cheese. Kids may not appreciate the stronger taste.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How to store poutine?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven or an air fryer for 5 minutes at 350℉ for best results. A microwave can make the fries taste a little dried out.

Is poutine canadian or Irish?

Poutine is a Canadian food made with french fries and topped with cheese curds and gravy.
Poitin is a type of Irish liquor also known as Irish moonshine, distilled and usually made from potatoes.

What meat goes good with poutine?

A few fried sausages, smoked brisket, or slow cooked pork would be delicious with poutine.

Does traditional poutine have meat?

Traditional Canadian poutine is just the french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. This Irish poutine recipe has meat because it's delicious.

What is authentic poutine gravy made of?

Beef broth, flour, butter, and salt usually. Very simple is the default, although there are a lot of fancy recipes out there.

🍀 More St. Patricks Day Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Irish Poutine with Bacon

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Irish-inspired Poutine with bacon, sausage, and a melty mild Irish cheddar cheese with brown gravy and it is heaven!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 727 kcal