Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with brown butter, semisweet chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt. They have an incredible flavor and are perfect for using up sourdough discard! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Never did I ever think this internet space of mine would host a recipe as… interesting… as sourdough chocolate chip cookies. However, after falling headfirst into the world of sourdough baking, I’ve become obsessed with finding new ways to use up my discard, and it wasn’t long before my love of desserts and my love of sourdough merged.
Today’s recipe blends these two worlds beautifully, and it surprised me how quickly I fell head over heels for this recipe. In fact, it’s my new favorite chocolate chip cookie, yes, even more than my go-to best chocolate chip cookies–and I never thought I’d find a cookie that topped those. If you love that recipe, just wait until you try this one.
The flavor is unparalleled, rich and deep, intense and chocolatey. Top everything off with a sprinkle of sea salt and it’s true cookie bliss.
It’s not as simple as just adding discard to any old cookie recipe
When developing this recipe I knew that simply adding sourdough discard to a standard chocolate chip cookie dough wouldn’t work. At least, it wouldn’t yield the chewy, flavorful cookie I was seeking. Adding that much liquid was bound to result in too-thick, cakey cookies, which I definitely didn’t want.
I took a few notes from my experience with developing other high-liquid recipes (like my pumpkin cookies) and creatively reduced the liquid and water content in a few ways. We use only egg yolks (no whites) and brown the butter (to cook out the excess water), which takes the cookie to even higher heights. The end result is oft and chewy cookies that aren’t at all cakey and stay soft for days!
What makes these cookies so amazing?
- Sourdough discard adds unique depth and wonderful flavor (it’s not at all sour here) that’s hard to put your finger on, but so good. Like… so good.
- Browned butter imparts a rich, nutty taste that is unparalleled.
- Chopped chocolate and sea salt accents the other flavors perfectly.
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients in these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies:
- Sourdough discard. If you use my sourdough starter recipe, the amount you will discard there is the exact same amount needed here today. Saving sourdough discard for other recipes (like my sourdough pancakes!) is a wonderful way to reduce food waste (and a great excuse to eat more cookies)!
- Butter. To compensate for the discard and reduce the water content in the dough, we’ll brown our butter. This extra step creates an AMAZING flavor as well, so it’s worth it. If you’ve never browned butter before, I have a post on how to brown butter that might be helpful for you.
- Egg yolks. Discarding the egg whites and just using the yolks also helps to reduce the water in our cookie dough.
- Chocolate. Semisweet or 60% cacao chocolate baking bars are my preference in this recipe. You can use whatever type of chocolate you prefer though, such as semisweet, milk, or dark chocolate. Despite these being sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies, I recommend buying bars and chopping them yourself (like I do with my brown butter chocolate chip cookies). This allows the chocolate to distribute beautifully through the cookies and melt more than regular chocolate chips would. It just also adds to that gourmet feel! Yes, of course actual chips will work instead, but I do recommend you try them with chopped chocolate at least once.
- Vanilla extract. This also adds depth of flavor to the cookies. If you have homemade vanilla, now is the time to whip it out.
- Sea salt. Adding a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the baked cookies enhances the sweet and savory flavors, creating a delightful contrast.
SAM’S TIP: I think these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies taste best when the dough has had quite a bit of time to chill; in fact, I like to let mine sit overnight before scooping and baking. Technically the dough will be firm enough that you can bake it right away (the cookies would just be a smidge flatter), but if you have the patience to let the flavor develop, you will be rewarded with amazing cookies!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown the butter – Cook the butter over medium low heat until it melts, then increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly as the butter bubbles and pops (it’s the most pleasant sound in the world). Once the popping slows, look for golden brown specks forming in the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and let cool completely.
- Add the wet ingredients – Add the sugars, egg yolks, and vanilla to the cooled butter, then stir in the sourdough discard.
- Add the dry ingredients – Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually stir them into the wet ingredients.
- Chocolate and chill – Add the chopped chocolate and fold it into the dough until incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (I like to let mine chill overnight for the best flavor).
- Scoop and bake – Roll 1 ½ tablespoon sized cookie dough balls between your palms before placing on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 350F for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown.
- Salt and enjoy! Sprinkle the warm cookies with sea salt and let them cool completely on their baking sheets before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: Never put cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet! Doing this can cause your dough to spread and result in super thin cookies. If you don’t have multiple cookie sheets, let your dough chill in the fridge in between batches while your cookie sheets cool down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, I think these sourdough chocolate chip cookies tastes best after chilling the dough overnight. You can make this dough up to 4 days in advance, just note that if you do chill it longer than 60 minutes, it will be a bit tough to scoop at first (just let it sit at room temperature until scoopable).
I developed these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies as a way to 1) use my sourdough discard instead of discarding it and 2) create an incredibly flavored cookie that’s a bit different from the norm.
No matter the recipe type, sourdough discard imparts flavor and also has some nutritional benefits too. That’s not to say these cookies should be considered health food though!
Yes! Follow the chilling step first, then freeze according to the instructions for drop cookies in my how to freeze cookie dough post.
More Ways to Use Sourdough Discard:
I seriously can’t wait for you to try these!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (140 g) sourdough discard
- 2 ¾ cup (340 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (255 g) semisweet chocolate chips or 6 oz chopped semisweet or dark chocolate bar
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Brown the butter. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly. Butter will sizzle and pop. Once popping slows or stops and you notice the butter is beginning to turn golden brown (there will be brown flecks on the bottom of your pan) immediately remove from heat. Pour into a large heatproof mixing bowl and allow to cool until no longer warm to the touch before proceeding.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Once butter has cooled, add sugars, eggs yolks, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar, 2 large egg yolks, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add sourdough discard and mix well, until fully incorporated.⅔ cup (140 g) sourdough discard
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 ¾ cup (340 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until thoroughly combined.
- Use a spatula to fold in chopped chocolate until well incorporated.1 ½ cups (255 g) semisweet chocolate chips or 6 oz chopped semisweet or dark chocolate bar
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30-60 minutes (or, my preference, overnight).
- Once dough is ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop chilled dough into 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized balls, for neat, uniform cookies roll between your palms to make them round. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are beginning to turn golden brown (centers will still be soft and may appear slightly underdone).
- Within several minutes of removing cookies from oven, sprinkle all over with flaky sea salt.Flaky sea salt
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before removing and enjoying.
Notes
Storing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
These were probably the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made. The brown butter flavor is so rich. And the sea salt sprinkle on top is a great counter to the sweetness of the chocolate. I do think that they needed a little more than 12 minutes to cook. My family loved them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Cheryl! 🙂
Love it
I just had to give this five stars again. Seriously the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had. I just finished making a double batch. Might have to do that all the time when I make them. Thanks again.
These will have you making them every week! Honestly, these are my favorite cookie, EVER! I have to keep making sourdough bread just so I can keep making these. My family can’t get enough. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the review, Jules! We’re so happy you family loves this one 💕
These cookies are a staple for my Micro-Bakery, they’re ordered A LOT.
I had a customer request them to be Chocolate Chocolate Chip which will be fantastic but I’m not sure how much Cocoa powder to use. I was thinking about 25 grams, would that be too much? How many grams of Coca powder would you add?
Thank you so much for trusting my recipes, Shelbie! I’m so glad these have been such a hit! I haven’t personally made these chocolate, but if you do add cocoa powder you will need to reduce the flour a bit. Without having experimented with it I’m hesitant to say exactly how to do it, but if you do try it I would love to know how they turn out. 🙂
Sam! They turned out amazing!
I reduced the flour to 300 grams and used 40 grams of Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.
That’s the only modification I made to your recipe and they’re delicious perfection.
I wish I could post a picture here!
Warmest regards,
Shelbie
Red Stick Bread and Board
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so glad they turned out so well. 🙂
We are OBSESSED with this recipe!
Any suggestions how to make bigger cookies? I tried just doubling the amount of dough, but they didn’t spread much and didn’t have that “big bakery cookie” feel.
Hi Rachel! I’m so glad these are such a hit! I haven’t tried making them larger. I wouldn’t think there would be any issue scooping the dough a little bit larger, but maybe it doesn’t do well if you double the scoop? Maybe try just a little smaller next time? Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Amazing taste! Stick to the 1 tablespoon and 1/2 on the size of the cookies and 12 minute exact. I added 1/4 more butter and second time around much better. Thank you for sharing. Eating the dough was much better than the actual cookies! Haha! 😉
Great recipe!
Like others — very crumbly dough. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and it’s rock hard. Weighed everything by the grams. The butter was confusing though. It’s not clear if it’s 226g MELTED butter or 226g room temp butter that you put into the pot to be melted. It does not yield the same amount.
Hi Samantha! I’m sorry to hear this happened. The 226g of butter is before you brown it. How did your butter look in comparison to mine in the video? Did you make any substitutions or alterations to the recipe?
Same comment as Karen Evenson. Dough was SOOO dry. I’m in the process of trying to soften it up. I’m starting with water but will switch to milk if it’s still too dry.
I’m so sorry to hear this happened, Faye! Did you weigh your flour? Is your starter fully established? Did you make any substitutions?
The cookies were delicious but mine were more “cake-like” not gooey. Did I do something wrong? I had them in the fridge for an hour before baking.
Hi Kim! I’m sorry to hear this happened! Did you make any substitutions? How old was your discard? Did you brown the butter?
STULID GOOD!!!!!
LOVELOVELOVE this recipe. The brown butter makes it! I have noticed that the 226 grams of brown butter works better if this is the “Pre-browning” weight. It does evaporate. Also, I have cut the amount of sugar in the recipe (100 grms brown sugar and 75 gms white sugar) and the flavor of the brown butter and dark chocolate really stand out.
This is my base for all the cookies I make!
It never fails and is a favorite from anyone who has them!
I batch bake so I prepare the dough ahead of time and freeze it. They go straight into the oven from the freezer.
How old does the discard need to be, i don’t understand because there can be so much variation.Is it the day after your starters made? I just don’t get it.
Hi Barbra! You can typically use the discard after the sourdough has risen and fallen all the way back down. 🙂
Hi Sam, how old should the actual starter be. I dehydrated some starter and I’m going to rehydrate it, which will probably take me about 4 or 5 days.So during that time, I’m going to be discarding. Do I use the discard during this time or do I wait until it’s fully rehydrated and has doubled in size a couple of times before I start using the discard.I’m just a bit confused.
Hi Barbra! You won’t want to use discard for a recipe until your sourdough is fully established. 🙂
These are extremely good cookies! We love them and so do our neighbors
However… I had the same issue as many reviewers. I followed the recipe exactly either a scale measuring in grams so I know my measurements were exact. My dough was so crumbly… even after keeping it in the refrigerator to proof overnight. I added heavy cream ( milk or water would have worked as well) … I never would have been able to form the cookies for baking without the extra liquid. Probably should be noted in the recipe if that many people have the same issue .