Bready or Not Original: Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
These Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies are cakey and delicious, a perfect comfort food.
The sourdough doesn’t act as a leavening agent here, but adds nuanced flavor and lends a unique breadiness to the texture. I doubt anyone would eat these and immediately identify they include a starter, but they would probably know something is different.
I added dried cranberries and walnuts to these cookies, but mix in whatever dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or chocolate chips that you want. Just don’t exceed 2 1/2 cups of add-ins. Or try to fool people into thinking dark raisins are chocolate chips. That’s just evil.
By the way, I baked up sourdough recipes like this one because I have maintained a starter for book research reasons: my next release, A House Between Sea and Sky, features a sourdough starter named Mother as an important character. Find out more (and preorder) here!
Bready or Not Original: Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
- cookie scoop or spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (113 grams)
- 3 cups rolled oats also called old fashioned oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla and sourdough discard.
- In another bowl, stir together rolled oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts to distribute.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to dole out the dough, spaced out, on the parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; the cookies should be golden at the edges and no longer glossy on top.
- Transfer cookies to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Cookies keep for at least 3 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Raspberry Brownies
So, that Roasted Cherry Brownies recipe I posted back in March? This Raspberry Brownies recipe is based on that. It uses different berries (obviously) and has no roasting involved, and if you are like me and have/had a solid chunk of raspberries in your freezer, this will give you a delicious way to use them up.
Raspberries and chocolate are such a good combo. I feel like that really doesn’t get as much attention as pairings with strawberries or cherries. The fruit amount is pretty high here, and that also means a long bake time because of the moisture involved.
On that note, if you’re using fresh raspberries, the bake time will likely be less, so please, adapt the recipe to keep your brownies and yourself safe!
Bready or Not Original: Raspberry Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 dish
- aluminum foil
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups white sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips or a mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325. Break apart the frozen raspberries into pieces of various size using a tool such as kitchen shears. Place the berries back inside the freezer for now.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl or in a pot on the stovetop, melt together the butter and dark chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Return to the large container with the melted butter and chocolate. Stir in the white sugar until no pale streaks remain. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until no white is visible. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips and most of frozen raspberries.
- Pour batter into the prepared dish. Use an uneven spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate and remaining raspberries over the top.
- Bake for 70 to 80 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test; the raspberries release a lot of moisture, hence a long baking time. Set on a rack to cool for at least an hour, speeding process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Keeps for at least 3 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Apple Fritter Cake
I have many different kinds of apple cake here on Bready or Not. This Apple Fritter Cake is special because it tastes like the luscious apple fritters found in donut shops and bakeries!
This is not a thick cake. The crumb is really there to hold a lot of apple pieces together. The use of apple butter versus applesauce adds a deeper color and richer flavor.
Then there is, of course, the icing. That’s essential to make this cake like the pastry. It adds sweetness and a delicate crunch that’s fast to melt in the mouth.
Really, I look at this as a special occasion kind of apple cake, something for a birthday, special guest, or date.
Bready or Not: Apple Fritter Cake
Equipment
- 8×8 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray or butter
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups crisp baking apples diced and divided (232 grams) (use apples like Honeycrisp, State Fair, or Kindercrisp)
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream or crème fraiche
- 1/3 cup apple butter
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons half & half
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of the diced apples. Toss to coat.
- In a big mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, egg, and egg white until light and fluffy. Mix in the melted butter, yogurt, apple butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients, making sure to scrape the bottom, until everything is just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out top. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of apple pieces.
- Bake until browned, with the middle passing the toothpick test, about 45 to 55 minutes.
- Cool completely before mixing the glaze. Drizzle it all over the top. Serve warmed or at room temperature. Individual slices can also be frozen for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not EXTRA CHEESY: Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Welcome to the last installment of our special month of Bready or Not. My cheese-centric cozy mystery Cheddar Luck Next Time just came out a few weeks ago, so we’re celebrating with another cheesy recipe from the Bready or Not archives.
This week’s feature is Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake. Only right to end things with cake, right?
This stunning Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake is gorgeous and delicious, and will win over even people (like me) who are not big coconut fans. The cake ends up being chewy, but not too chewy; sweet, but not cloying. Really, this is great as a breakfast, brunch, or dessert cake.
Serve this as cake alone, or like with any pound cake, it would be lovely alongside fresh fruit.
Please grab a copy of Cheddar Luck Next Time, which features an autistic (like me!) lead character with a passion for cheese (like me!).
Amazon: paperback | ebook (affiliate links)
Barnes & Noble: paperback & ebook
Bookshop: paperback
Bready or Not: Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 box, room temperature
- 3 cups white sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded coconut
Glaze
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- extra shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Coat a 10-cup bundt pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder. Gradually mix in the flour until just combined, then fold in the coconut.
- Pour batter into pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 75 to 80 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test.
- Cool pan for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to completely cool. Move to a plate or cake platter.
- To make the glaze, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and milk to form a smooth yet thick consistency. Pour or spoon glaze over the top, then sprinkle with additional coconut.
