Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe transforms your sourdough discard into a delicious treat, minimizing waste while maximizing flavor. The cookies are irresistibly soft and chewy, with a perfect balance of sweet chocolate chips throughout. The blend of bread flour and all-purpose flour gives these cookies a fantastic texture that stands out from your average chocolate chip cookie. Plus, chilling the dough allows the flavors to deepen, resulting in a cookie that tastes like it came from your favorite bakery.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients
¾ cup + 1 teaspoon (95 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup + 1 teaspoon (125 g) bread flour (all-purpose can be substituted)
1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients 1
1 large egg
½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard
1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

Wet Ingredients 2
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (340 g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

(Tip: You'll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients
   In a small bowl, whisk together bread flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Mix wet ingredients 1
   In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla extract, and sourdough starter discard until smooth. Set aside.

3. Mix wet ingredients 2
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cold cubed butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms small crumbles, about 45-60 seconds. Add chocolate chips and mix for another 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

4. Combine ingredients
   Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until it becomes crumbly, about 20-30 seconds. Pour in the egg mixture and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and starts pulling away from the bowl’s sides, about 20-30 seconds. Stir with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

5. Chill dough
   Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 balls (2 scoops per cookie). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (24 hours is ideal).

6. Bake
   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake cookies for 15-17 minutes, until edges are golden brown but centers still look slightly underbaked. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Servings and Timing

• Makes 12 cookies

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Chill time: 2 hours (or up to 24 hours for best results)

• Bake time: 15-17 minutes

Variations

• For a chewier cookie, use bread flour as directed.

• Substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour for a softer texture, though it won’t be as chewy.

• Mix in nuts such as walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.

• Swap semi-sweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate or dark chocolate depending on your preference.

• Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking for a sweet-salty twist.

Storage/Reheating

Store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Placing a small slice of white bread inside the container helps keep cookies fresh longer. You can also freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months; thaw and bake as directed.

To reheat, warm cookies in a microwave for 10-15 seconds or in an oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes to restore softness.

FAQs

Can I use 100% all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Yes, but the cookies will be softer and less chewy compared to using bread flour.

What is sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of starter you remove during feeding. It’s not fully active for baking bread but perfect for recipes like these cookies.

Can I skip chilling the dough?

Chilling helps develop flavor and texture, but if you’re short on time, you can bake immediately. The texture may be less chewy and flavorful.

How do I store the dough before baking?

Keep the dough balls covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them for longer storage.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Unsalted butter is preferred to control salt content, but if using salted, reduce the added salt slightly.

Can I make these cookies vegan?

This recipe contains egg and butter, but you can experiment with egg substitutes and vegan butter alternatives.

Why do the cookies look underbaked when I remove them?

They should appear slightly underbaked in the center to keep soft and chewy once cooled.

Can I add other mix-ins besides chocolate chips?

Yes, nuts, dried fruit, or other types of chocolate chunks work well.

How do I know when cookies are done?

Edges should be golden brown while the center looks a little soft.

What is the best type of chocolate chips to use?

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are classic, but milk or dark chocolate chips work equally well.

Conclusion

This sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe is a wonderful way to use your sourdough discard while baking a delicious treat that rivals any bakery. The combination of bread flour and chilling the dough creates thick, soft, and chewy cookies packed with chocolate chips in every bite. Whether you’re new to sourdough or an experienced baker, these cookies are sure to become a favorite go-to recipe in your kitchen. Enjoy the rich flavor and satisfying texture that come from this creative use of sourdough starter!

Print

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Soft, thick, and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies made using sourdough discard, with a perfect bakery-style texture and rich chocolate chip flavor.

• Author: Janet
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 25-27 minutes (including chilling time)
• Yield: 12 cookies
• Category: Dessert, Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

¾ cup + 1 teaspoon (95 g) all-purpose flour

1 cup + 1 teaspoon (125 g) bread flour (all-purpose can be substituted)

1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard

1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)

½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar

½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar

1 ½ cups (340 g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together bread flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla extract, and sourdough starter discard until smooth. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cold cubed butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms small crumbles, about 45-60 seconds. Add chocolate chips and mix for another 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until crumbly, about 20-30 seconds.
5. Pour in the egg mixture and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and starts pulling away from the bowl’s sides, about 20-30 seconds. Stir with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
6. Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 balls (2 scoops per cookie). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (24 hours is ideal).
7. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake cookies for 15-17 minutes, until edges are golden brown but centers still look slightly underbaked.
8. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

• Chilling the dough enhances flavor and texture but can be skipped if short on time.
• Use bread flour for chewier cookies or all-purpose flour for softer cookies.
• Add nuts like walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.
• Swap chocolate chips for milk or dark chocolate as preferred.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking for a sweet-salty twist.
• Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 7 days; adding a slice of white bread helps keep them fresh longer.
• Freeze unbaked dough balls up to 3 months; thaw before baking.
• Reheat cookies in microwave 10-15 seconds or oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes to restore softness.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: Approx. 210 kcal
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 130 mg
• Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 27 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 35 mg