sourdough discard oatmeal cream pies

Yields: 10-12 assembled cream pies
Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling)
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes

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Nutrition Information (Per Cream Pie, estimated)

• Calories: 320 kcal

• Total Fat: 11g

• Saturated Fat: 6g

• Cholesterol: 35mg

• Sodium: 150mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 54g

• Dietary Fiber: 2g

• Sugars: 36g

• Protein: 3g

Note: Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

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Intensity & Skill Level

• Intensity: Moderate

• Skill Level: Intermediate Beginner

• Key Skills Required: Creaming butter and sugar, using a piping bag (or ziplock bag), and patient chilling of the dough. This is a very achievable recipe for bakers who are comfortable following steps carefully.

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Equipment You’ll Need

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

• Two large mixing bowls

• Medium mixing bowl

• Whisk

• Spatula

• Baking sheets

• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats

• #30 cookie scoop (or 2-tablespoon measure)

• Piping bag with a round tip (or a large ziplock bag with the corner snipped off)

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Ingredients

For the Oatmeal Cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar

• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup (240g) unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration)

• 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 cups (270g) old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant)

For the Marshmallow Cream Filling:

• ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup (130g) powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 cup (about 80g) marshmallow fluff

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

• A pinch of salt

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Instructions

Part 1: Making the Oatmeal Cookies

1. Prep and Preheat: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Mix in the sourdough discard until just combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled—this is perfectly normal.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. This ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed.

5. Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just a few streaks of flour remain.

6. Fold in the Oats: Add the rolled oats and use a spatula to fold them into the dough by hand. This prevents over-mixing and ensures a tender cookie.

7. Chill the Dough (Crucial Step!): Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential as it prevents the cookies from spreading too much and allows the oats to hydrate, resulting in a thicker, chewier cookie.

8. Scoop and Bake: Once chilled, use a #30 cookie scoop (which holds about 2 tablespoons of dough) to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie as they will spread.

9. Bake to Perfection: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look set but still soft. The cookies will look slightly underdone, which is what you want for a soft texture.

10. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It is vital that the cookies are completely cool before you add the filling.

Part 2: Making the Marshmallow Cream Filling

1. Cream the Base: In a clean mixer bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

2. Incorporate Sugar and Fluff: Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

3. Add Flavor and Texture: Beat in the marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt until smooth and uniform.

4. Adjust Consistency: With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Check the consistency. The filling should be thick but pipeable. If it’s too stiff, add the second tablespoon of cream until it reaches your desired consistency.

Part 3: Assembling the Cream Pies

1. Pair the Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, find matching pairs that are similar in size.

2. Fill the Pies: Scoop the marshmallow cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off). Pipe a generous swirl of filling onto the flat side of one cookie from each pair.

3. Sandwich Together: Gently press the matching cookie on top, flat side down, until the filling spreads to the edges.

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Chef’s Notes & Tips for Success

• Sourdough Discard: Your discard can be straight from the fridge; it doesn’t need to be active. This recipe is very forgiving with the hydration of your starter, but a 100% hydration (equal parts flour and water) starter works best.

• The Chill is Key: Do not skip chilling the cookie dough. If you do, your cookies will spread into thin, flat pancakes instead of thick, soft pucks.

• Customize Your Spices: Feel free to play with the spices. A dash of ground ginger or allspice would be a lovely addition.

• Storage: Store assembled cream pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cookies can be stored separately for longer, with the filling kept in the fridge. The filling may firm up when cold, so let the pies sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving if refrigerated.

• For a Fluffier Filling: For an even more authentic, fluffy filling, you can make a true Swiss Meringue Buttercream using marshmallow fluff, but this version is quicker and still incredibly delicious.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor! These Sourdough Discard Oatmeal Cream Pies are a perfect testament to how a little “waste” can be transformed into a truly special and memorable homemade treat.