These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are a thick bakery style cookie made with sourdough discard, brown sugar, vanilla, and tons of chocolate chips.
Sourdough baking has been one of my favorite pass times! While I love baking sourdough bread, I also love adding my discard (what’s leftover when you feed your starter) to baked goods, like these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies or my fudgy sourdough brownies.
I’ve played with several recipes trying to mimic my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, but with the added flavor of the sourdough and this one I’m sharing is my favorite!
Ingredients
Butter: disclaimer, I have used this exact same recipe with browned butter and cold butter. I LOVE both versions, but prefer to use the cold butter.
Sugar: both brown and granulate sugar are used.
Sourdough Discard: make sure that your discard is not active at all. I like to save up discard in the fridge and use at least 2 day old discard, otherwise you can end up with too puffy of cookies.
Eggs: no cookie is correct without some eggs.
Flour: I typically will use all-purpose, but I also love to substitute in half of the flour for bread flour. This gives a chewier textured cookie.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder: trust me, you want to add both here.
Salt: the salt really helps to bring out all of the flavors!
Chocolate Chips: we don’t skimp! Add them all in or swap for chopped chocolate bars. Milk chocolate may be my favorite, but dark chocolate is also so so good here!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Cookies
- Cream butter, sugars and discard for five minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, do not overmix here. Leave a little bit of dry materials before adding in the chocolate chips. You want everything to be JUST incorporated.
- Chill in the fridge for four hours or as long as overnight for an extended ferment (do not do this on the counter).
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spoon out dough and roll into balls before placing on the pan. About 2 tbsp
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
Share Your Experience
I would love to hear about your experience making and enjoying my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or leave a review below. Your feedback helps me improve our recipes and provides inspiration to fellow bakers.
Save this recipe for later by simply using the pin button on the recipe card or any of the photos above. Happy cooking!
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cups butter cold
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup discard
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugars and discard for five minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, do not overmix here. Leave a little bit of dry materials before adding in the chocolate chips. You want everything to be JUST incorporated.
- Chill in the fridge for four hours or as long as overnight for an extended ferment (do not do this on the counter).
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spoon out dough and roll into balls before placing on the pan. About 2 tbsp
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
Kathy says
I will never make chocolate chip cookies any other way ever again. These are heavenly! Thank you!
Kayla says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Charlene says
Do you use the butter straight from the fridge or do you soften it?
Kayla says
Straight from the fridge is my favorite here. However, if I can’t use my stand mixer then I will use softened.
Paula says
All my sourdough and discard area frozen. I want to make cookies today. Can I substitute equal amounts flour and vinegar mixed to make 1/2 cup discard to use and get that little bit of sour taste? Have never done that but sounds like it might work. Thanks. Recipe looks wonderful
Kayla says
I have never tried it before so cannot say that it would work. You could try halfing the recipe incase it doesn’t turn out.
harrispkf4b99cd54f says
Thanks Kayla. I’ll give it a try with half recipe.
harrispkf4b99cd54f says
Kayla I did make the recipe but decided to use buttermilk instead. Not the same. They cookie was very good and is still my go to recipe but the buttermilk didn’t give it that tang that I expected. Will wait for the discard next time. 🙂 Thanks for your help.
Kayla says
Good to know! Thank you for the update.
Sierra Kamin says
Are you using just regular flour or unbleached flour?
Kayla says
I typically will use unbleached, but I have used bleached before and it works!