This chocolate chip sourdough cookie recipe yields cookies that are soft and chewy instead of cakey. They are a great way to use up your sourdough starter discard!
You do need to chill the dough for thick, chewy cookies, so plan ahead!
Since discovering the joy of making sourdough bread a couple years ago, I am completely obsessed with it! But of course sourdough baking also means that sometimes you will have an overabundance of sourdough start.
I have recently been experimenting with sourdough discard recipes of all kinds. (My sourdough waffle recipe is seriously amazing!)
I tried a couple of sourdough cookie recipes that resulted in cakey cookies, which I’m not really a fan of. I almost always prefer chewy cookies that are rich and buttery.
What I love about these sourdough discard cookies:
- The dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- The sourdough start adds a depth of flavor, but the cookies aren’t sour. (The dough does have a slight tang to it though.)
- Two kinds of chocolate! Milk chocolate adds sweetness, and semi sweet chocolate chips give them the ooey gooey melted chocolate that people go crazy for.
- They have a nice chewy texture.
- Sourdough start/discard magically helps them stay soft for days!
Are sourdough cookies better for you than regular cookies?
Although sourdough cookies are definitely NOT health food, they do have some benefits over traditional chocolate chip cookies. The phytic acid breaks down as the grain in sourdough ferments, making the minerals in the flour more easily digested. Fermented foods also promote gut health.
But these cookies are definitely a treat, so eat them in moderation!
How to make the best sourdough chocolate chip cookies:
- WET INGREDIENTS – Beat the soft butter and sugars for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally with a silicone spatula. Add the egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard; beat just until combined.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.
- CHILL – Either cover the bowl with a lid, or wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 8 hours, but up to 2 days.
- FORM – Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into heaping tablespoon portions, then roll into balls. Chill the dough balls while you preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- BAKE – Place the chilled cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheets at least two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Press a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
- COOL – Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing.
In my opinion, homemade chocolate chip cookies are always best when they are barely cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. Just make sure you cool them before storing them. 🙂
Leftover cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. For maximum freshness, you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
You can also store the cookies in a heavy duty freezer-safe bag in the freezer for 3-4 months.
PRO TIPS:
- For best results, you must chill the dough! If you skip that step, your cookies will spread and be thin & crunchy.
- If you use unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough.
- I use sourdough discard, but active starter will also work.
- For pretty, bakery style cookies, reserve some of the chocolate chip for the tops of the cookies. Press them into the tops of the cookies as soon as you take them out of the oven.
SOURDOUGH COOKIE RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- Use chocolate chunks or chopped candy bars instead of the chocolate chips.
- You can use white chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips for different flavors of cookies.
- Stir in a cup of chopped nuts for a tasty crunch. Toast them first for best flavor!
- Sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on top of the cookies either before or after baking them.
MORE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPES:
- 1 Egg Cookie Recipe
- Million Dollar Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Nestle White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brookie Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup sourdough starter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- ¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine softened butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard. Beat just until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. (I like to reserve about 1/2 cup for the tops of the cookies.) Stir until there are no streaks of flour.
- Cover the dough or wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Roll dough into 1 1/4" – 1 1/2" balls. I like to use a cookie scoop to make sure my cookies are all the same size. Place in the refrigerator while you preheat your oven to 375°.
- Line cookie sheet(s) with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until barely golden brown around the edges. Don't overbake or they won't be soft.
- Immediately press a few chocolate chips on top of each hot cookie.
- Let cookies sit on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- I like to use half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use any kind you prefer.
- You can store cookies in an air-tight container for up to a week. They also freeze well.
Nutrition
Sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies are always soft, and because the dough needs to chill, they are the perfect cookie for making ahead of time!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Just enter your email and get it sent right to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
Leave a Reply