These ranger cookies are like oatmeal cookies with shredded coconut and dried fruit upgrades. They also contain a sourdough discard flax egg. I’ve been playing around with this egg substitute for several reasons:
a) People could use an egg replacer during eggflation
Compared to January 2021, egg prices have increased by 70 percent in the US.
However, the prices at our farmers’ market for eggs haven’t jumped this much. The price of industrially produced eggs has increased much more than eggs produced on smaller, organic farms that raise animals humanely.
b) This egg substitute works so well in cookies!
I reach for it first even if I do have eggs. Flax and my discard require fewer resources to produce than eggs and no one who eats these cookies can tell the difference.
c) Vegans and those with egg allergies love cookies too
I make my cookies with pastured butter but vegan butter also works.
d) Have you ever run out of eggs in the middle of making cookies that call for eggs?
Me too! Now I’ve almost run out of the golden flaxseed meal that I use to make my “egg” but I have a jar of brown flaxseed on hand and a grain mill so I’m all set. (Either golden or brown flaxseed meal will work.)
e) I love finding ways to use my sourdough discard
This ranger cookie recipe calls for only a few tablespoons but every little bit adds up. If you nurture even a small starter, you accumulate discard from feedings. Rather than tossing that, bake something delicious. I can now add one more entry to my list of 18 sourdough discard recipes!
Some notes:
- Start your baking by mixing the sourdough discard flax egg. Because it sits for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken up, make the egg first.
- This recipe calls for discard from a 100 percent hydration starter. That means the starter contains equal amounts of flour and water by weight. If your starter is, say, 85 percent hydration, the dough may be very slightly drier. I’ve done the math and you’d need an extra 7ml of water per discard egg, which is a generous ¼ teaspoon (5 ml).
- Use relatively young discard. Discard that has sat in the refrigerator for months without any replenishing whatsoever will need some flour (i.e., food) before baking with it. Go here for more on managing your sourdough discard.
- Don’t ferment this dough. If you let the dough sit on the counter for a few hours, the dried fruit (and even the dried coconut somewhat) will draw moisture out of the dough and change its consistency.
Ranger Cookies with a Smidgeon of Sourdough Discard
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unfed sourdough discard, 100 percent hydration * (see note) straight from the refrigerator
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed brown or golden, finely ground
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons, dairy or vegan
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit, chopped
Instructions
- Make a sourdough discard flax egg by combining the sourdough discard and flaxseed meal in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with a hand mixer on high speed for about 30 seconds until creamy. Add the sugars and beat until creamy. Beat in the sourdough discard flax egg and vanilla.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda into the creamed butter and sugars. Stir in the oats, coconut and dried fruit.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and the cookies have set, rotating the trays halfway through baking. Cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Store in a container for a week or the freezer for six months.
Notes
Check out my award-winning cookbook!
- Taste Canada silver for single-subject cookbooks
- Second-place Gourmand cookbook award in the category of food waste
- Shortlisted for an award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals
Learn more about my book here.
Dear Anne Marie,
Thank you so much for this recipe – it looks great! I really appreciate the recipes you share. I’ve been a long time reader of your blog and strongly agree with your approach to living more sustainably.
I live in Australia, and the butter we get here is solid and really difficult to measure in tablespoons – we generally measure our butter by weight in grams. I wonder whether you might consider putting the butter’s weight in grams in your recipes, for those of us in Australia and the UK? That would be so helpful.
Thank you!
I would love to have the amounts in grams too. Big fan of the cookbook–I use it all.the.time.
Not a fan of coconut. Can you suggest something to substitute?
This sounds delicious! I don’t make cookies often because I like them more than is good for me, but I’m putting this recipe on my list for the next time I’m feeling self-indulgent. Thanks for sharing.