Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies - Chewy and Crispy (2024)

These Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies are soft, have chewy centers, crisp edges, and taste amazing. It's one of my favorite ways to use up sourdough starter discard.

Made only with egg yolk, I think you can imagine how rich and delicious these sourdough cookies are! They're perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. By the way, if you are looking for perfect breakfast cookies, I can't recommend my oatmeal cookies enough!

Video Tutorial

Why You’ll Fall in Love With These Cookies

• They have the perfect balance of flavors. These cookies are chewy yet crisp, light but still packs a deep flavor.
• These cookies are a versatile snack. You can dip them in milk during breakfast. Munch on them before lunch, or dinner, or at those wee hours in the morning when you just feel like it!
• They’re practical. This recipe presents a cost-efficient way to use your sourdough discard.

How to Bake Cookies With Sourdough Discard

The cookie dough is pretty much the same as regular chocolate chip cookie dough just without chemical leavening agents but with sourdough discard. So, the process of making them is the same and will be familiar to you from other chocolate chip cookie recipes.You can use a sourdough starter that has reached or exceeded peak activity and doesn't need to pass the float test.

Quick Tip: If you have more sourdough discard and don’t know what to do with it, you can also bake sourdough banana bread.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Egg yolk - if you plan to bake a double batch, you can use either two large egg yolks or one large whole egg. The cookies with a whole egg spread a tad more and are less rich. By the way, my air fryer chocolate chip cookies also contain only egg yolk and are a huge hit with my family! Don't know what to do with the egg white? How about angel food cake?
• Butter - I use unsalted European-style butter with 82% fat content. I tried this recipe using brown butter following the method of my brown butter cookies and loved the results. You can also use suitablebutter substitute for baking.
• Flour - use all-purpose plain flour rather than bread flour, or your cookies will end up tough and dry. Consider a suitable bread flour substitute if needed.
• Sugar - a 50/50 ratio of light brown and white sugar combines the best of two worlds. Brown sugar adds moisture and a more complex taste, and white sugar makes them spread more. Any swaps will affect the taste and texture of the cookies.
• Baking soda - this recipe doesn't use any chemical leavening agents such as baking soda or baking powder. If you like, you can add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to make them spread more and make thinner, crispier cookies. I don't recommend adding baking powder.

Please refer to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Chocolate Bars Vs. Chocolate Chips

I very much prefer high-quality chocolate bars that I chop and add to the dough. For my taste, milk chocolate fits the taste of the sourdough just perfectly. You can use either chocolate bars from the baking or candy aisle.

However, this recipe also works well with semi-sweet chocolate and chocolate chips. My general advice is to choose chocolate for your cookies that you love the taste of and would eat as a treat. This makes for the best sourdough chocolate chip cookies.

Variations (Add-Ins)

The taste of sourdough goes perfectly with a variety of add-ins. Here's what I tested and stood the taste test of my picky family.

• Peanut butter chips
• Toasted pecans
• Crushed pretzels
• Soft caramels (such as Kraft)

Quick Tip: Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins to your liking. No matter what you choose, I recommend adding no more than ½ - 1 cup of your favorite mix-ins.

Have a special diet or need to make some substitutions for your cookie recipe? We got you covered. Here are articles on butter substitute for cookies, substitute for shortening in baking, brown sugar substitute for cookies and egg substitute for cookies.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies

Learn how to bake Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies with these simple instructions!

1. Cream butter and sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the sourdough starter.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix for about 1 minute, until well combined and creamy. Mix in the sourdough starter for about 1 minute until combined.

3. Finish preparing your cookie dough.

Then add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until incorporated, about 30-60 seconds. Fold in the chocolate until it is well distributed.

4. Let the dough set.

Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 2 days. By the way, if you’re opting to chill the dough for over 2 hours, you may want to let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before rolling it until it’s a soft and spoonable dough.

5. Prepare your baking implements.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

6. Bake your cookies.

Scoop 12 equal-sized balls (about 2 tablespoons [45g]) of cookie dough, roll them into even balls, and place them, 4 inches (10 cm) apart, on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly browned and the centers look pale, puffy, and dry, with tiny cracks all over the surface.

7. Let your cookies cool and serve.

Remove your freshly baked cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until firm enough to move. Then, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. The cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Will My Cookies Taste Sour?

No, the sourdough taste is light, and it adds a deep and delicious flavor profile to the cookies, but the amount of sourdough discard used in the dough isn't enough to make them sour.

Expert Tips for Success

• Chill the dough. I strongly recommend chilling the dough as the taste will develop as it chills.
• Use the right butter. I highly advise using European-style butter to give your cookies a richer taste. That’s because this type contains more fat compared to American-style butter.
• Be precise with your measurements. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale to measure the dough ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff up the flour, then spoon loosely into the measuring cup and level with the back of a knife.
• You can bake a test cookie first. Bake a test cookie to see how much the cookie spreads. If you find that it isn't spreading enough to your liking, you can let the dough come to room temperature before baking or flatten the balls a little before baking.

Chocolate Sourdough Cookies FAQs

In my chocolate chip cookies post, I show how to spoon and level flour accurately and also give more insights into how chilling, freezing, ingredient swaps, or oven hot spots affect the final product.

You will also find a comprehensive FAQ section on why cookies are spreading too much or too little and what you can do about it, as well as addressing other common issues that concern baking cookies.

Looking for more substitutions for your cookie recipe? We got you covered. Here are articles on butter substitute for cookies, substitute for shortening in baking, brown sugar substitute for cookies and egg substitute for cookies.

More Cookie Recipes to Try

If you love sweet treats, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some of my favorite recipes.

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
• Pistachio Cookies
• Brownie Cookies
• Double Chocolate Cookies
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Recipe