Have extra sourdough starter discard and not sure what to do with it? What if you used it to bake the best sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies you have ever tried!? these are even better than regular chocolate chip cookies that don’t use sourdough discard! This cookie is thick and has crispy edges, yet with a chewy center, and chocolate chips in every bite! It is the definition of a perfect chocolate chip cookie, but this recipe has a secret ingredient that makes this no ordinary chocolate chip cookie!
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I purposely feed my sourdough starter extra flour to get some discard to whip up these delicious cookies! You can bake them right away or keep them in the fridge for a long fermentation for better digestion.
This is the season of lovely smell wrapping your home of fresh cookies baking in the oven as the children excitingly wait for the sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies to cool down so they can enjoy them with a cold glass of milk. Making cookies around Christmas time is always more special, I especially like to make an extra batch to keep one and gift one. It is the season of giving after all, and who doesn’t like to receive cookies as a gift!?
I started my sourdough journey when COVID-19 hit in 2019. While I was stuck at home, I picked up a new hobby, sourdough! Ever since then, I have been trying to add sourdough starter to every recipe. It has so many health benefits; fermenting decreases the phytic acid to make the nutrients more bio-available and the grain more digestible.
If you want to fully ferment these cookies for 24 hours, this will make the sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies slightly healthier, but it also adds a delicious and subtle tang that slightly cuts through the sweetness of the cookie.
These bakery-style cookies are soft, thick, and chewy. They are loaded with chocolate chunks in every bite!
If you are new to sourdough, find my sourdough tutorial on how to grow a sourdough starter here.
FAQ
Should I use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter for this recipe?
Sourdough discard is best, but either will work. Since you don’t need to rise this recipe like you would a sourdough bread, you can use either.
Do you have to long ferment these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies?
No. You can also follow the non-fermented version. The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda and that helps the cookie to rise. Although you won’t reap the benefits from the ferment, if you have no issues digesting grains, then whip them up and bake them right away.
ingredients for sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies
Dry ingredients
- 3.5 cups + 440g of flour- – I used bread flour
- 2 tsp 10g salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons 10g apple cider vinegar
Wet ingredients
- 2 room temperature eggs
- 1 cup 250g sourdough discard- unfed sourdough starter
- 2 teaspoons 10g vanilla extract
- 1 cup 226g cold unsalted butter cubed – 2 sticks
- 1 cup 200g brown sugar
- 1 cup 200g white sugar
- 3 cups 680g chocolate chips – milk, dark chocolate, or a mix of both
Tips
- I recommend using the food scale to measure the flour for accuracy
- Bread flour is higher in gluten, which produces a more chewy cookie. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour in its place.
- Apple cider vinegar’s function in most baked goods recipes is to supply acid. The acid reacts with a base to leaven our baked goods by creating little bubbles. With proper leavening, our baked goods rise appropriately and have a better crumb.
- Enhance the flavor of the cookie with flaked sea salt. Add a pinch on top of the dough balls before you place them in the oven
- In order to create soft and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies, the batter must NOT be over-mixed.
- Do not overbake these sourdough cookies, I recommend baking for 15 minutes. The center should look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you take them out of the oven as you allow them to cool.
What is sourdough discard?
Discard is the portion of the sourdough starter that is discarded when it is fed or refreshed. This discarded portion of the starter is not active. To avoid food waste, it can be used in Sourdough discard recipes instead of being thrown away.
Why you will love these sourdough discard cookies:
- Great way to use up sourdough discard- This adds flavor to the cookies and gives them their chewy texture
- Can be made in advance- You can make the cookie dough and then refrigerate it for 24 hours. This will ferment the grains making them easier to digest and deepen the flavors.
Tools you will need to make sourdough cookies
- food scale or measuring cups and spoons
- 2 small mixing bowls
- 1 large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment
- whisk
- knife and cutting board
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper and plastic wrap
- cookie scoop
HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE
Store baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 7 days.
Or freeze any leftover baked cookies for up to 3 months. After the cookies have cooled completely, individually wrap them in plastic wrap and insert them into a freezer-safe bag.
How to make sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies
In order to create soft and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies, the batter must NOT be over-mixed.
To a large bowl add 440 grams of flour, 2 tsp salt (10g), 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp baking powder. Mix, and set aside.
In a small bowl measure out 250 grams of sourdough discard (1 cup), 2 room temperature eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla. mix, and set aside.
Cube 1 cup cold butter then add it to a bowl with 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
( you can add it to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment) With your hands combine the butter, apple cider vinegar, and the sugars together to form little crumbs. Next, add the chocolate chips to the butter and sugar mixture and combine it together.
Add in the dry ingredients and continue to mix them either by hand or in a stand mixer.
Lastly, add the wet ingredients to the large bowl and mix only to combine the ingredients. It is very important to not over mix the sourdough cookie batter as it can result in a cake-like cookie (I used my hands to combine it, you can use the stand mixer)
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper then use an ice cream scooper to shape the cookies and line them 2 inches apart. This makes approximately 21 cookies. Cover with seran wrap and put them in the freezer while the oven preheats to 375. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Sprinkle some course salt on top of the sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies while they just come out of the oven ( the salt is optional, of course) Let them cool down on a wire rack, and Enjoy them with a glass of cold milk!
If you want to long ferment the sourdough cookie dough in the fridge for 24 hours,
Cover the unbaked sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie dough with saran wrap then refrigerate. The next day, shape the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart, then bake the cookies cold at 375 for 15-17 minutes. And enjoy the best chocolate chip cookies to ever exist 😉 The cookie has crispy edges with a soft and chewy center…its all you would ever want in a cookie!
sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies
Equipment
- Food scale
- 3 bowls
- stand mixer with a paddle attacment
- baking sheet with parcment paper
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 3.5 cups 440g flour
- 2 tsp 10g salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp 10g apple cider vinegar
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 room temperature eggs
- 1 cup 250g sourdough discard- unfed sourdough starter
- 2 tsp 10g vanilla extract
- 1 cup 226g cold unsalted butter cubed – 2 sticks
- 1 cup 200g brown sugar
- 1 cup 200g white sugar
- 3 cups 680g chocolate chips – milk, dark chocolate, or a mix of both
Instructions
In order to create soft and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies, the batter must NOT be over-mixed.
- To a large bowl add 440 grams of flour, 2 tsp salt (10g), 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp baking powder. Mix, and set aside.
- In a small bowl measure out 250 grams of sourdough discard (1 cup), 2 room temperature eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla. mix, and set aside.
- Cube 1 cup cold butter then add it to a bowl with 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ( you can add it to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment) With your hands combine the butter, apple cider vinegar, and the sugars together to form little crumbs. Next, add the chocolate chips to the butter and sugar mixture and combine it together.
- Add the dry ingredients and continue to mix them either by hand or in a stand mixer.LAstly, add the wet ingredients to the large bowl and mix only to combine the ingredients. It is very important to not over mix the sourdough cookie batter as it can result in a cake-like cookie (I used my hands to combine it, you can use the stand mixer)
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper then use an ice cream scooper to shape the cookies and line them 2 inches apart. This makes approximately 21 cookies. Cover with seran wrap and put them in the freezer while the oven preheats to 375. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Sprinkle some course salt on top of the sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies while they just come out of the oven ( the salt is optional, of course) Let them cool down on a wire rack, and Enjoy them with a glass of cold milk!
IF YOU WANT TO LONG FERMENT THE SOURDOUGH COOKIE DOUGH IN THE FRIDGE FOR 24 HOURS,
- Cover the unbaked sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie dough with saran wrap then refrigerate. The next day, shape the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart, then bake the cookies cold at 375 for 15-17 minutes. And enjoy the best chocolate chip cookies to ever exist 😉 The cookie has crispy edges with a soft and chewy center…its all you would ever want in a cookie!
Notes
TIPS
- I recommend using the food scale to measure the flour for accuracy
- Bread flour is higher in gluten, which produces a more chewy cookie. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour in its place.
- Apple cider vinegar’s function in most baked goods recipes is to supply acid. The acid reacts with a base to leaven our baked goods by creating little bubbles. With proper leavening, our baked goods rise appropriately and have a better crumb.
- Enhance the flavor of the cookie with flaked sea salt. Add a pinch on top of the dough balls before you place them in the oven
- In order to create soft and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies, the batter must NOT be over-mixed.
- Do not overbake these sourdough cookies, I recommend baking for 15 minutes. The center should look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you take them out of the oven as you allow them to cool.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? LET ME KNOW!
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