Learn how to make sourdough chocolate chip cookies at home with your sourdough discard!
These bakery-style cookies are soft, thick, and chewy. Loaded with chocolate chips in every bite!
Make the dough in advance and keep it in the fridge or freezer. You'll never be more than minutes away from satisfying your sweet tooth!
Sourdough chocolate chip cookies are a thing. A very delicious thing indeed!
Sourdough discard makes a naturally fermented cookie that your family will rave about.
Just like our sourdough peanut butter cookies, sourdough ginger molasses cookies, and sourdough oatmeal cookies, they are perfectly sweetened and stay soft and fresh tasting for days.
They are everything you're looking for when it comes to homemade chocolate chip cookies, but better!
Instructions
In order to create a soft and chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookie, the batter must NOT be over-mixed.
After several test batches, we found that the following method worked best for incorporating the ingredients without overmixing the dough.
To achieve this, use the paddle attachment with a stand mixer to beat cold, cubed butter with the sugars until it starts to come together, 45-60 seconds. The mixture will be thick and uneven looking.
Add the chocolate chips and continue to beat on low speed for 30 seconds. The texture of the chocolate chips will help blend the butter and sugar together evenly. (We are not looking for light and fluffy.)
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and add them to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until it has a "crumbly" texture, 20-30 seconds.
Use a fork to beat the egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add it to the batter and mix on low speed until "just incorporated", 20-30 seconds.
Use a spatula to make sure the ingredients are fully combined.
The goal is to avoid over-mixing the batter so that you get a thick, chewy, perfect cookie!
Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 large balls. Place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. 24 hours is best!
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes, or until the outside of the cookies are golden brown and the middle still looks slightly under-baked.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Tips and Tricks
After each addition of ingredients to the stand mixer, mix until "just incorporated". You do not want to add any air to the batter. Adding too much air creates a more "cake-like" cookie.
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.
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. (This is totally optional but highly recommended!)
How to store and freeze
Baked cookies
Store baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 7 days. (To keep them extra fresh and chewy, place a small piece of white bread in the container.)
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.
Unbaked cookie dough
Store unbaked cookie dough in the fridge, covered tightly for up to 7 days. (According to the FDA, unbaked cookie dough is not safe for consumption.)
To Freeze unbaked cookie dough, portion the dough out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer-safe container and keep them frozen for up to 3 months.
Bake in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 17-20 minutes, straight from the freezer.
Alternatively, allow the dough to thaw in the fridge overnight and bake according to the original directions.
Other sourdough discard recipes you may like:
- sourdough brownies
- cut out sourdough sugar cookies
- sourdough thumbprint cookies
- sourdough blueberry muffins
- sourdough sugar cookie bars
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients 1
- 1 large (1) 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)
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix dry ingredients
- Use a whisk or a fork to mix the bread flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients 1
- In a separate small bowl, use a whisk or a fork to beat the egg, vanilla extract and sourdough starter until smooth. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients 2
- Place the cold, cubed butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on low-speed until the mixture forms small crumbles, 45-60 seconds. Add the chocolate chips and mix on low-speed 30-45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low-speed until the batter starts to become a crumbly mixture, 20-30 seconds. Pour in the egg mixture and mix on low-speed until the dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 20-30 seconds. Use a spatula to stir the batter, ensuring all of the ingredients have been fully incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 balls, (2 scoops per cookie) and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover the dough with a sheet of plastic wrap so they do not dry out. Chill the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. (24 hours is best!)
- Bake in a preheated, 375°F (190°C) oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center still appears slightly under-baked. Remove and allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
NOTES
- Store baked cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 7 days. Place a small slice of white bread inside the container to help keep cookies fresh.
- Freeze unbaked dough for up to 3 months.
- Bread flour can be replaced with equal parts all-purpose flour. Using 100% all-purpose flour will produce a less chewy cookie.
Alyssa says
My cookies taste amazing !! BUT...
They are cake like in consistency. They are light and fluffy and didn't flatten out at all. I followed very closely, made sure not to over mix as you made that very clear ! I did double the recipe. I also made them half the size (for small hands) but baked them on the same temperature. I used discard that I had in the fridge, could that be the culprit? Also, I had them in the fridge for 24 hours.
We all love the flavour but really want to flatter, bakery style chocolate chip cookie rather than a cake texture! What tips can you give me? I bake with sourdough a lot but never cookies so this is very new to me.
KP says
I’m not sure what happened, but my cookies do not look anything like these cookies??? I followed the recipe exactly, did not overmix, and came out with flat, cake-like cookies. I think I’ll stick to tollhouse and sub my sourdough discard into that recipe.
Amy says
I would check to make sure your baking soda and baking powder not expired.
Mel says
My whole family loves these cookies! Does doubling the recipe require any additional tricks? I really appreciate the detailed tips you’ve provided. Thanks!
Amy says
The recipe can be doubled with no adjustments! Glad you are enjoying them so much 🙂
Audrey says
they're great! i leave them in the bowl for 24hours. i like my cookies a bit smaller!
and i cutted the sugar a bit!
Thanks for the recipe !
viva sourdough!
mel coon says
I made these & they were the best chocolate chip cookies I ever ate. My hubby loved them also. thank you for the great recipe. The only thing that would be better was if we could just throw it all together & mix it. 🙂
Ann says
Hi Amy,
Can I shape the dough into a ball instead of just scooping? Will the dough be too sticky? Thank you!
Amy says
Yes you should be able to do that!
Astrid says
My dough was sticky. Should it not be?
Amy says
It shouldn't be too sticky. Do you use a scale to measure your flour? If it was sticky, it may not have had enough flour in the dough.
Debbie says
About how many Tbs. is a cookie scoop, I dont have one. Alternatively, about how much does each cookie weigh?
Also, if put into the fridge for 24 hours will the flour actually ferment? I'm needing truly sourdough desserts for the sake of easy digestion.
Amy says
Hi Debbie, a cookie scoop is equal to 1 tablespoon, so 2 tablespoons per cookie. The actual fermentation depends on your starter and flour. I am working on a cookie recipe that only uses sourdough discard and no additional flour so that you will know that the flour has been fermented.
Caroline says
LOVE this cookie recipe! Looking forward to the new all discard one!! Is it out yet? If not, when? Thanks!!
Christine Maginnis says
I have been making these consistently for the last 2 months - I just keep collecting discard In a container in my refrigerator, and when I have enough I make two batches of these cookies. After letting them sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours, I freeze them and then when I want to bake them I pull them out and cook (frozen) for 15 minutes. I have also been substituting whole wheat flour for all purpose and instead of using bread flour I use all purpose. They turn out great! You can barely tell there is whole wheat flour in them. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Sara Laimon says
Definitely the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies I've made. I actually made 3 dozen (we prefer more that are smaller in our household) and I veganized them with half vegan butter/1/2 coconut oil, and a flax egg. Turned out great. Will bake them a bit shorter next time to keep them a little more chewy, but super good taste and will definitely make again. Thx! I've also made your banana bread vegan as well and it turned out fabulous.
Lisa T says
WOW! TO DIE FOR! This is seriously one the best chocolate chip cookie recipes out there and so fun to be able to use sourdough discard! Another FABULOUS recipe, Amy! I scooped the dough (using a 2-inch cookie scoop), froze them overnight, and baked (from frozen) today for 16 minutes. It's nice to have the cookie dough ready in the freezer for baking!