The Best Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dive into the world of sourdough baking with a twist—our recipe for The Best Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies! These cookies are the perfect solution if you’re looking for a delicious way to use up your sourdough discard. With their crispy edges, chewy centers, and pockets of melty chocolate chips, they’re sure to become your new favorite treat. Here are the steps to create these irresistible cookies and discover a new level of sourdough baking delight.
Background On Sourdough Discards
Sourdough discard is a portion of sourdough starter that is removed and discarded during the feeding process. It’s typically removed to maintain the starter’s size and ensure its flour and water balance. Instead of throwing it away, you can use sourdough discard in recipes to add flavor and texture to baked goods, like pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and chocolate chip cookies!
I started experimenting with sourdough bread about three months ago, when a friend shared a starter. I discovered that the active sourdough starter eventually produces a lot of discard, which has led me to explore various sourdough discard recipes. I really liked this cookie; it produced nice, crispy edges and a tasty, chewy center.
What You Need To Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soughdough Starter: You can use either the discard or even the active starter in this recipe
- Unsalted Butter: We are using two sticks or 8 oz of butter. Don’t worry about softening the butter for this cookie; we will make brown butter.
- All-Purpose Flour: You could also use bread flour, making the texture chewier than all-purpose flour.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Light brown will work in the recipe, but the flavor will be slightly less intense.
- Granulated Sugar: Using more brown sugar than white granulated sugar will make the cookies chewier.
- Semi-Sweet and Milk Chocolate Chips: Using a combo of chips makes the cookie look better and adds flavor. You could use chocolate baking bars and cut them into chocolate chunks.
- Egg: Start with a room-temperature egg.
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt, Baking Powder, Baking Soda
Step-By-Step-How To Guide
- Step 1: Make brown butter by adding the unsalted butter to a small pot over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until it starts to foam and the color is like honey, with little brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan. Stir or swirl as it cooks; it will take about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the butter to cool slightly. Once the brown butter has cooled, cover it in a small bowl. Refrigerate until it has cooled completely and taken on a more solid consistency. This whole process will take about an hour to complete.
- Step 2: To make the dough, start with a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer bowl. Add the brown and granulated sugars and the cold brown butter. Mix for about 3 minutes.
- Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients—flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda—in a separate bowl, whisking to combine.
- Step 4: Add the sourdough discard, whole egg, and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Then, add the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
- Step 5: Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of milk chocolate chips. The remaining chips should be coarsely chopped and set aside.
- Step 6: Portion the dough into 18 cookies (about two tablespoons each) using a cookie scoop. Then, roll into balls (about the size of a golf ball). Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6-8 hours for the best results.
- Step 7: The next day, after the cookies have rested, remove them from the refrigerator and roll the cookie dough balls in the chopped chocolate chips. Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet. You will put nine cookies on each sheet.
- Step 8: Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 18-20 minutes. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes. While they cool, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if you wish. Move to a wire rack and enjoy!
Tips For Success
Tip 1: Give yourself time to make these. Resting the dough overnight is important; it helps with the texture of the cookie.
Tip 2: You can make smaller cookies and reduce the cooking time to 10-12 minutes.
Tip 3: When the cookies are first removed from the oven, allow them to cook on the cookie sheet. This finishes the cooking and makes the edges crispy while still retaining chewiness.
Tip 4: Cool the cookies and store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They also freeze well, both before and after baking; just place them in a freezer-safe bag.
Give this recipe for chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies a try. It’s a great way to use up your sourdough starter.
Looking for other options for the best cookies, check out these recipes:
- The Best Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe,
- A Healthy, NO Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe,
- The Best Orange Cookie From Mom’s Easy Recipe
- Old Fashion Chocolate Chip vs King Arthur Recipe Of The Year
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teasspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1-1/4 cup semisweet baking chips
Instructions
- Make brown butter by adding the unsalted butter to a small pot over medium-high heat. Cook the butter until it starts to foam and the color is like honey, with little brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan. Stir or swirl as it cooks; it will take about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the butter to cool slightly. Once the brown butter has cooled, cover it in a small bowl. Refrigerate until it has cooled completely and taken on a more solid consistency. This whole process will take about an hour to complete.
- To make the dough, start with a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer bowl. Add the brown and granulated sugars and the cold brown butter. Mix for about 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; whisk to combine.
- Add the sourdough discard, whole egg, and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Then, add the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of milk chocolate chips. The remaining chips should be coarsely chopped and set aside.
- Portion the dough into 18 cookies (about two tablespoons each) using a cookie scoop. Then, roll into balls (about the size of a golf ball). Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6-8 hours for the best results.
- The next day, after the cookies have rested, remove them from the refrigerator and roll the cookie dough balls in the chopped chocolate chips. Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet. You will put nine cookies on each sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 18-20 minutes. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes. While they cool, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if you wish. Move to a wire rack and enjoy!
Wonderful website! It has a tonne of useful information, which I’m posting on Delicious and sharing to a few friends. I am grateful for all of your efforts.