Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you keep a jar of sourdough discard in the fridge, these sourdough chocolate chip cookies are such a good way to use it. They bake up soft in the centre with crisp edges, chewy middles and melty chocolate throughout. The discard adds a lovely depth without making them taste sour, and the dough is very forgiving.
Sourdough discard cookies
Sourdough discard adds moisture, flavour and a little acidity to the dough. That acidity helps the baking soda do its job and improves the texture, giving then a really soft centre. Using discard in cookies is also a handy way to reduce waste, especially if you bake bread often or refresh your starter more than once a week.
If you are still building your starter or want to learn more about how it, see my sourdough starter guides, or my collection of sourdough discard recipes.
Just a few ingredients
How to make sourdough chocolate chip cookies
- Whisk the melted butter and sugars until smooth and glossy.
- Add the sourdough discard, egg and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate.
- Chill the dough for at least two hours, or overnight for the best results.
- Scoop the dough onto a lined tray and bake until the edges are set.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray before moving them to a rack.
Variations
Storing
Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The baked cookies can also be frozen for up to three months. The unbaked cookie dough balls can be made in advance and frozen for up to three months.
FAQs
More sourdough discard recipes
Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 140 g butter
- 100 g soft brown sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 225 g all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g discard sourdough starter
- 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a microwave or the stove, then let it cool to room temperature. 140 g butter
- To the melted butter, add the sugars, vanilla, egg, and sourdough starter. Mix it together well. The sourdough starter may be tricky to mix in initially, but keep stirring until combined. 100 g soft brown sugar, 100 g granulated sugar, 100 g discard sourdough starter, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir it all together until combined. 225 g all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
- Stir in the chocolate chips. It will be a very sticky dough. 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.
- Line two cookie sheets with baking paper. Roll the cookie dough into 16-18 balls of around 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough.
- Space the cookie balls about 3cm apart on the baking sheets. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are light golden brown, but the tops are still pale.
- Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before placing them on a wire rack to cool further.
I am so happy to find this recipe. These cookies are so delicious. I reduce the brown sugar to 80g and white sugar to 80g too. Besides I added more dark chocolate and walnuts. Thank you very much.
Trying these for the first time. Them seem buttery and delicious! I am currently chilling the dough. As I was baking I read the note….why was the original recipe shifted? Were there problems with the combination or is it more of a suggestion that we could add more starter and flour to get a different consistency?
Heya adding more flour and starter made a more cake-like cookie and I prefer a chewier one, so I lessened them 🙂 but other readers liked the previous version so I kept both.
I made these dairy free using olivani instead of butter and adding raisins instead of chocolate. The texture was nice and the kids liked them.
Would there be much of a difference if I used bread flour rather than all-purpose flour for this? I bake a lot of bread now (thanks to your other great recipes) so only have bread flour in the cupboard.
I think that will be fine! 🙂 thank you!
I used bread flour and they turned out great!
These are so delicious and easy to make,
I made these on the weekend, chilling the dough overnight (until around lunch time) and made 24 delicious cookies and froze 8 uncooked. Loved them
I put the dough in gladwrap and formed a cylinder, then sliced it for baking when chilled down. Apart from the fact I overcooked them a bit, they came out a smash hit with the Grandies and hubby.
Ooh that’s great to know they work as slice and bake cookies too! Thanks for letting me know! 😀
Can I add instant oat?
Hey Melinda, I have not tried that before so I can’t tell you if that will work well or not
Thanks for the recipe I’m about to make them but I’m not sure about the discard.
Should I use an active starter discard or one from the refrigerator?
A refrigerated discard works well 🙂