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The Ultimate Chewy Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

Close-up of several chewy sourdough chocolate chip cookies piled on a white rectangular plate, backlit by sunlight.
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Create bakery-style chocolate chip cookies using your sourdough discard. This recipe delivers a chewy texture, rich brown butter flavor, and a subtle tang, proving that reducing waste can result in an extraordinary dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (220g) sourdough discard (unfed starter)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1 cup (170g) milk chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams, then browns, and nutty brown bits form at the bottom. Immediately pour the brown butter into a large, heat-safe bowl, scraping in all the browned bits. Let it cool for 15 minutes.
  2. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt to the cooled brown butter. Whisk until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and sourdough discard. Mix until smooth.
  3. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Fold in both types of chocolate chips using a spatula.
  6. Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 72 hours, for the best flavor and texture. Chilling helps create thick and chewy cookies.
  7. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Scoop the chilled dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  9. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly soft.
  10. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is key for thick, bakery style sourdough cookies. If you are short on time, chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
  • For the best flavor, use a mix of high-quality chocolate chunks and chips.
  • You can substitute the sourdough discard with an equal amount of all-purpose flour and water if you do not have discard, but the subtle tangy chocolate chip cookies flavor will be absent.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/sourdough-chocolate-chip-cookies/