Ready to elevate your cookie game? These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are chewy, rich, and irresistibly delicious! Made with sourdough discard, they’re a great way to reduce waste while creating a decadent treat. Perfect for dessert, parties, or even an afternoon snack, this sourdough cookie recipe will quickly become your go-to for baking with your starter discard.
It took me several tries to perfect this recipe with sourdough discard. While in the stage of recipe testing, I knew I hit the mark when everyone I gave a sample to raved about these cookies! If you are one of those people who likes to have cookies around, I suggest baking half and keeping the rest of the dough in the fridge for a few days. I found that if I made them all at once, they disappeared rather fast!
Not only do these sourdough discard cookies make use of your leftover starter, but they also add a subtle tang that enhances the classic chocolate chip sweetness. Nobody will guess there’s sourdough in them! This recipe is simple to follow and uses everyday ingredients, making it ideal for bakers of all levels.
If sourdough isn’t for you, then try our better than Costco chocolate chip cookies for a yummy traditional cookie.
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Why We Love This Sourdough Discard Cookies
- Reduce waste. If you’re an avid sourdough baker, you know how quickly starter discard can pile up. Instead of throwing it away, these cookies let you repurpose it into a delicious treat! Using sourdough discard not only reduces waste but also makes you feel good about turning something seemingly useless into an amazing treat.
- Unique flavor twist. The sourdough discard adds a subtle tanginess that enhances the sweetness of the chocolate and the richness of the dough. It’s not overpowering—it’s just enough to make these cookies stand out from traditional chocolate chip cookies. This sourdough cookie recipe offers a unique depth of flavor that will have everyone asking for your secret ingredient!
- Perfect texture every time. These cookies are a dream for texture lovers. Thanks to the combination of butter, sugars, and sourdough discard, they’re soft and chewy on the inside with slightly crispy edges. The addition of chocolate chips makes every bite gooey and indulgent. Plus, chilling the dough ensures the cookies bake evenly and retain their chewy perfection.
Once you try these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies, they’ll become your favorite way to use up discard and satisfy your sweet tooth!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Unsalted butter – softened butter helps create a rich, creamy base when combined with the sugars. If salted butter is all you have, reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
- Granulated sugar – gives the cookies structure and sweetness while helping to achieve the slightly crispy edges.
- Brown sugar – packing the brown sugar ensures you get the right amount for that soft and chewy texture.
- Sourdough discard – the secret ingredient! It adds a subtle tanginess to these cookies, enhancing and balancing the overall flavor profile. Unfed discard works perfectly here since it doesn’t need to be active for this recipe.
- Eggs – are essential for binding the ingredients and adding richness to the dough. Make sure they’re at room temperature for better incorporation into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Vanilla Extract – use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- All-purpose flour – flour provides structure to the cookies. This amount is perfect for balancing the wet ingredients, creating a dough that holds its shape while baking. Sift the flour if you prefer a lighter texture.
- Baking soda – acts as the leavening agent, giving the cookies just the right amount of lift for a soft, chewy texture.
- Kosher salt – balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor. Kosher salt has larger flakes and a milder taste compared to table salt, which is why it’s preferred. If substituting table salt, use about 1 ½ teaspoons.
- Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips – use semi-sweet for a classic flavor, or milk chocolate for a sweeter option. For variety, you can mix in dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even chunks of your favorite chocolate bar. If you are unsure of the best chocolate chips to buy, check out this article: Pro Bakers Top Chocolate Chips.
Don’t have any eggs in your refrigerator? Try our chocolate chip cookies without eggs!
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For the best chewy cookies, use room temperature butter (softened, but still cool) and eggs. If you forget to pull your eggs from the fridge 30 minutes ahead of time, place them in a glass of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Double Chocolate Sourdough Cookies – Swap ½ cup of the all-purpose flour with cocoa powder for a rich, chocolatey dough. Use a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips for a flavor contrast. Try white chocolate chip cookies or white chocolate raspberry cookies for a non-sourdough versions.
- Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies – Mix 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the dough for a subtle coffee flavor that complements the chocolate.
- Spiced Sourdough Cookies – Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm, spiced flavor. Perfect for fall or holiday baking!
- Nutty Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies – Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the dough for a crunchy texture. Toast the nuts beforehand for extra flavor.
- Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies – Replace ¼ cup of butter with ¼ cup of creamy peanut butter for a nutty twist. Use peanut butter chips or chopped peanut butter cups instead of chocolate chips.
- Salted Caramel Sourdough Cookies – Press a caramel candy or a dollop of caramel sauce into the center of each cookie before baking. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately after baking for a sweet-and-salty combination.
Equipment Used In This Recipe
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large mixing bowl)
- Spatula
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cooling rack
How to Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cream the Wet Ingredients:
Add softened butter, sugars, and sourdough discard to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
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- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla:
Add eggs and vanilla, mixing at medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing at low-medium speed until just combined.
- Add Chocolate Chips.
Stir in the chocolate chips by hand or mix briefly with the mixer. - Chill the Dough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Bake the Cookies.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until edges are slightly dry and tops are light golden. - Cool and Serve.
Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For extra gooey cookies, press a few chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies immediately after baking.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these sourdough discard cookies with a cold glass of milk, a hot cup of coffee, or crumble them over vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
Sourdough Cookie Recipe FAQs
Flash-freeze scoops of dough on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Place frozen dough on a prepared pan, let thaw for 30 minutes, and bake as directed.
Yes, but the discard chocolate chip cookies add a unique flavor and texture. If you don’t have sourdough discard on hand, use our other chocolate chip cookies recipe.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Other Sweet Treat Recipes to Consider…
- Recipe for Strawberry Crisp
- Cinnamon Swirl Muffins
- Recipe for Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
If you tried this sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer - or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened, but still cool
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sourdough discard unfed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 12 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips about 2 cups
Instructions
- Add the softened butter, sugars, and starter discard to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl. Mix at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with spatula.Add the eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed for 30 seconds, or until well combined. Then, scrape down the sides of the bowl with spatula.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients, a cup at a time, to the wet ingredients while mixing at a low-medium speed for 30 seconds or until just mixed. Do not overmix, or your cookies will be crumbly and dry.Stir in the chocolate chips and mix for 15 seconds to incorporate. Alternatively, you can stir the chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Prepare the cookie sheet(s) by greasing or lining it with parchment paper (or silicone baking mats).
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) leveled off, portion dough onto prepared cookie sheets – 12 per sheet – leaving 2 inches of space between each scoop of dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies look slightly dry and the tops are very light golden. Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula.
- Store cool cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Before baking, place baking sheets in the freezer for 1 hour to flash-freeze the scoops of dough. Once frozen, store frozen cookie dough in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Place frozen cookie dough on prepared pans. Let it thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or until thawed but still cold. Bake according to the recipe instructions shown above.
Nutrition
Patty Turner says
These cookies are delicious! I reduced the amount of white sugar to 1/2 cup and I ran out of all-purpose unbleached flour so I used about 1 1/2 cups spelt flour. I also added the walnuts.
This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Danielle says
I’m so glad I found a way to use up my discard! I was a little nervous about the sourdough affecting the flavor, but you are right, you can’t taste it at all and the cookies are so good and chewy! Will for sure be making these again and again.