Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies With Brown Butter

There are chewy, delicious regular chocolate chip cookies and then there are chocolate chip cookies made using brown butter and sourdough discard. Once you’ve tried the latter, you won’t want to go back to making plain old cookies ever again!

I’m always on the lookout for recipes that help to use up my ever-growing sourdough discard. What better way than to turn it into cookies?! This recipe has been a huge hit with my family and friends and now I want to share it with you guys!

The result is bakery-style cookies that are soft and chewy on the inside while having a little bit of crisp on the outside edge. One of my favorite aspects of this recipe is that the cookies keep amazingly well and stay soft and delicious for several days (if they last that long!).

You can also create the dough and keep it in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Or, make up a big batch of dough, scoop out the cookies, and freeze for a quick snack anytime you have a hankering for some chocolate.

Taking the extra step to make brown butter isn’t a requirement, but it adds such a depth of flavor and nuttiness that it complements the rest of the ingredients perfectly. However, if you are short on time or don’t want to take the extra step, these cookies are delicious all the same. (Just promise me you try it once!)

How To Make Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients

For the most part, these cookies require the usual suspects that you normally find in chocolate chip cookie recipes: flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In addition, you will also need the following ingredients:

Brown Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. I honestly can’t tell a difference when I use salted or unsalted, so I normally use whatever I have on hand (which is typically salted). I guess my pallet isn’t that refined.

If you are someone who can detect a difference in saltiness, just use unsalted butter. As an alternative, reduce the amount of salt slightly in the recipe if you only have salted butter.

Egg Yolks – While most cookie recipes call for whole eggs, this one requires only the yolks. It helps to give the cookies a richer flavor with a chewier texture. It will also help prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.

Chocolate Chips – Yes, this ingredient is in every chocolate chip recipe but it’s worth talking about. You can use either semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate chips help to balance out the sweet flavors in the batter and provide just a touch of bitterness. So if you prefer less sugary cookies, go that route.

However, sometimes I crave sugar and will use milk chocolate chips instead. They don’t have quite as much of a chocolatey flavor though, so that is the trade-off. As always, the choice is yours!

Sourdough Discard

This recipe calls for less than a cup of sourdough discard. You can use either discard that you have been saving after feeding your starter or you can use unfed starter. Both will work fine. Just avoid using a happy, well-fed starter at its peak.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter, don’t worry! I’ve written an entire article that walks you through making one from scratch: “Making A Sourdough Starter From Scratch – A Simple No-Fuss Way“.

Trust me, it’s a lot easier than you think, and not nearly as difficult or finicky as some people make it out to be. You just might have to wait a week or so before you can make cookies using a new starter!

Instructions For Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make The Brown Butter

Start by making your brown butter. This is a simple extra step that really adds an amazing depth to the cookie flavor (as well as a delicious aroma, too!).

Cut up your butter into chunks so it melts easier. Add the pieces into a small pan. Heat it up slowly on the stove over medium-low until the butter starts to melt.

Stirring constantly, you will notice that the butter starts to foam. That is normal and what we are looking for. If it starts to foam too much (as in almost overflowing), just reduce the heat. In about 5 to 10 minutes, the butter will start to turn a lovely golden brown color.

After this happens, you will notice a nutty aroma coming from the butter. You should also start to see the milk solids forming on the bottom of the pan. They will look like little brown sugar particles. Once you see those and smell the difference in aroma, turn off your heat.

Pour the liquid as well as the milk solids into a small bowl and allow it to cool. If you are impatient like me, stick it in your freezer for a few minutes to help speed up the process.

Make Your Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter

Once the brown butter is cooled off, it’s time to start making your cookie batter. In a large bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add your brown butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, egg yolks, and sourdough discard. (Product Link: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer)

Once the sourdough starter is added, allow the mixture to come together on a low speed for a few minutes. You are looking for a light and fluffy consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add these to your wet ingredients. Stir until they are just combined. You don’t want to overmix your batter if possible. Once combined, fold in your chocolate chips.

Speaking of chocolate chips, I like to reserve about a quarter cup of chips to place on top of the just-out-of-the-oven cookies. This helps to make them look nice and pretty (although they will still taste amazing either way).

Cover the batter and allow it to chill in the fridge for about an hour. If you are freezing the cookies, you can skip this step (more on this below).

Baking The Cookies

Once the chilling time is up, it’s time for baking. Preheat your oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Add a piece of parchment paper to a baking sheet. I love to use the unbleached parchment paper when I have it on hand. (Product Link: Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll)

Remove your cookie batter from the fridge. Take a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and drop the rounded batter onto the prepared cookie sheet. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart. I can usually get about 12 cookies per batch. This recipe will make about 40 cookies in total. (Product Link: Prep Solutions by Progressive 1.5 Tbsp Measuring Scoop)

Bake the sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies at 350º F for about 10 to 12 minutes. The edges of the cookies should be a light golden brown when they are done. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

You can store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container on your countertop for around a week (if they last that long!).

Freezing The Cookies

As an alternative to baking immediately, you can freeze these cookies. As soon as the chocolate chips are folded into the dough, use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop to drop the batter onto a lined sheet. Since the cookies won’t be baked, you can place them close together as long as they aren’t touching.

Place the tray of unbaked sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies into the freezer. Once they are fully frozen, you can then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for around 3 months. When you are ready for baking, place the desired amount of cookies on your lined baking sheet.

Cook them from frozen at 350º F for around 15 to 18 minutes. Check them frequently after about 12 minutes since some oven temperatures do vary. Enjoy!