I've been on a sourdough discard baking kick for months now. Here's my latest - sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies, and they're AMAZING if I do say so myself.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
How to Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
I've always had a major sweet tooth, and homemade chocolate chip cookies are a staple in my kitchen. And I have to say these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies turned out even better than I expected.
I got the idea after making mini sourdough discard chocolate chip muffins. And those were inspired by making sourdough discard banana muffins. It's a slippery slope when it comes to me, sugar, and sourdough starter.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
With the tangy flavor of sourdough and the sweetness of chocolate chips, these cookies have quickly become a household favorite. They're super easy to make as well.
To make these delicious cookies, you will need:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Flaky salt to garnish (optional)
Directions
Here's how to make the cookies. They're pretty simple; my 10-year-old would have no problem baking up a batch.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it browns. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Allow the browned butter to cool for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cooled brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Mix in the sourdough starter, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour, mixing until thoroughly combined and scraping the sides often.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a strip of plastic wrap and roll it into a log, covering it completely. Chill the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, divide the dough into ping pong ball-sized portions, flatten into discs, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is no longer shiny. Allow to cool before serving.
Storage
These cookies never last long at our house. But I suppose you could sore the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. Or maybe freeze them for up to 3 months.
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs
Got questions about this recipe or my other sourdough discard recipes? Leave a comment below and I'll answer.
1. Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
Yes, you absolutely can use an active sourdough starter in place of discard. Just be sure to adjust the flour and liquid in the recipe accordingly to maintain the proper consistency of the dough.
2. Can I skip chilling the dough?
I wouldn't recommend it. Chilling the dough helps the flavors develop. It also stops the cookies from spreading too much while baking. However, if you're short on time, you can chill the dough for just one hour before baking.
3. Can I substitute the semi-sweet chocolate chips with another type of chocolate?
Absolutely! When I was running low, I've used milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and even white chocolate chips. Just keep in mind that different types of chocolate may alter the flavor slightly.
Recipe
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Flaky salt to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until it browns. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Allow the browned butter to cool for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cooled brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Mix in the sourdough starter, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour, mixing until thoroughly combined and scraping the sides often.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a strip of plastic wrap and roll into a log, covering it completely. Chill the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, divide the dough into ping pong ball-sized portions, flatten into discs, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is no longer shiny. Allow to cool before serving.
Nutrition
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It's my first time making sourdough cookies, but everything came out as beautiful as in your picture. Also, the taste of these cookies was fabulous. Thanks x
It was my first time making cookies using sourdough so I was a bit nervous. But I followed the recipe to the dot and it turned out really great! Will definitely try this again!
Chocolate chip cookies are the best but this sourdough twist is something that I had never thought of. Such a clever twist to a classic…yum!!
I'm not usually one to leave comments on recipes, but I just had to for these cookies. They turned out so much better than I expected! The brown butter adds a rich nuttiness that pairs perfectly with the chocolate chips. My coworkers couldn't believe they were made with sourdough discard!
These are so good and simple to make. They didnt last long in our house too. lol. Thanks for the tips.