Soft, chewy, buttery, and packed with chocolate chips, these homemade sourdough cookies are a delicious way to use sourdough discard. They have lightly crisp edges and a soft, chocolatey center.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 g) sourdough discard
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips
- ½ cup (85 g) chopped chocolate, optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cream the Butter and Sugars
Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer for about 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and slightly fluffy.
Tip: Make sure the butter is softened but not melted.
2. Add the Egg and Sourdough Discard
Add the egg and mix until combined.
Pour in the sourdough discard and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is evenly incorporated.
The mixture may look slightly uneven or curdled at this stage. That is completely normal.
3. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
Make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Combine the Wet and Dry Mixtures
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Mix gently with a spatula just until the flour is almost completely incorporated.
Do not overmix the dough. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
5. Add the Chocolate
Fold in the chocolate chips.
If you want extra chocolatey cookies, add the chopped chocolate as well.
Gently fold everything together until the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours.
For a deeper sourdough flavor and thicker cookies, you can chill the dough overnight.
7. Preheat the Oven
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Shape the Cookies
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and gently roll it into a ball.
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2–3 inches of space between each cookie.
9. Bake
Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes.
The edges should look lightly golden, while the centers should still look slightly soft.
Do not overbake. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
10. Cool the Cookies
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes.
Then transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
11. Serve
Once cooled, your sourdough chocolate chip cookies are ready to enjoy!
They should have slightly crisp edges, a soft chewy center, and plenty of melted chocolate throughout.
Storage
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked cookie dough. Bake the frozen dough straight from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
