The Best Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy, Tangy & Irresistible!)

How to Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Brown Your Butter

Place 85g (6 tablespoons) of butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan frequently as the butter melts, foams, and eventually turns golden brown with a nutty aroma. Watch carefully—it goes from perfect to burned quickly. Once you see brown specks and smell toasted nuts, immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let cool for 10 minutes.

 

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, remaining room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. This creaming step is crucial for creating the right texture—don’t rush it. The mixture should look pale and doubled in volume.

 

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Add the sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until completely combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. The mixture might look slightly curdled—this is normal and will come together once you add the flour.

 

Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents, which is especially important when working with sourdough’s acidity.

 

Step 5: Combine and Fold

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold gently until just combined—don’t overmix. A few streaks of flour are fine. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a handful for topping. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.

 

Step 6: Chill the Dough

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. This chilling step is non-negotiable for the best cookies. It allows the flour to hydrate fully, the flavors to develop, and prevents excessive spreading during baking. Longer chilling (24-72 hours) creates even better flavor.

 

Step 7: Scoop and Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), portion the dough onto prepared sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart. Press a few reserved chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie for that bakery-style look. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

 

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 11-14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. Don’t overbake—they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after removal. The cookies should look slightly pale in the center when you pull them out.

 

Step 9: Cool and Enjoy

Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes—they’ll set up and finish cooking during this time. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can wait that long). They’re incredible warm with melted chocolate, but also amazing at room temperature.

 

Pro Tips for Perfect Cookies Every Time

The Brown Butter Secret: Browning half the butter creates incredible depth without overwhelming the sourdough flavor. Use a light-colored pan so you can see the butter changing color—dark pans make it impossible to judge.

 

Room Temperature Matters: Your eggs and remaining butter must be at room temperature for proper emulsification. Cold ingredients won’t cream properly and can result in flat, dense cookies.

 

Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling is what transforms these from good to extraordinary. The cold dough spreads less, creating thicker cookies with chewy centers. It also allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld.

 

Use a Cookie Scoop: Uniform cookies mean even baking. A 3-tablespoon scoop creates perfect bakery-sized cookies. If you don’t have a scoop, portion dough into balls weighing 60-70g each.

 

The Underbake Technique: Pull cookies when they look barely set with pale centers. They’ll look underdone but will finish cooking on the pan. This is the secret to chewy centers.

 

Experiment with Chocolate: Try a mix of semi-sweet chips, dark chocolate chunks, and milk chocolate for complex flavor. Or use high-quality chocolate bars roughly chopped for dramatic melty pools.

 

Flavor Variations & Mix-Ins

Once you master the base recipe, try these delicious variations:

 

Double Chocolate: Replace ¼ cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. Use a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips.

 

Browned Butter Pecan: Add 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans along with the chocolate chips. Use only brown butter (no regular butter).

 

Espresso Chocolate Chip: Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for mocha-flavored cookies.

 

Sea Salt Caramel: Fold in ½ cup chopped soft caramels with the chocolate chips. Top with extra flaky salt.

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip: Replace ½ cup flour with 1 cup old-fashioned oats. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

 

White Chocolate Cranberry: Use white chocolate chips and add ¾ cup dried cranberries for a festive twist.

 

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to keep them extra soft—the cookies absorb moisture from the bread.

 

Refrigerator: While not necessary, refrigerated cookies last up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before eating.

Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment between layers. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

 

Freezing Cookie Dough: This is the ultimate make-ahead strategy! Scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined tray and freeze solid. Transfer frozen dough balls to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time.

 

Reheating for Fresh-Baked Taste: Warm cookies in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds. They’ll taste freshly baked with melty chocolate.