Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and so easy to make when you use your sourdough starter discard. No electric mixer is needed for this recipe (just your muscles), and you can have a soft, cakelike cookie or bake a little less time for a chewier cookie. Try my original Chocolate Chip Cookies recipes for another delicious recipe on this favorite classic cookie.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you have a sourdough starter, you might as well use it as often as you can! For these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, you will use your sourdough starter that has not been fed for a couple of days or sourdough starter discard. There’s no reason to waste any of your starter when you have recipes like this or my Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes! With all the ingredients mixed in one bowl, it’s so simple to get the dough ready to be baked into a delicious cookie.
Baking Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you have the dough prepared, it’s time to bake the cookies!
But, baker beware…a mere two minutes can be the difference between a softer, fluffier, more cake-like cookie and a chewier, flatter cookie. I made them both ways, as you can see in the next couple of pictures. For all of the cookies, I used a 3-tablespoon scoop of dough.
If you want the more cake-like cookie, bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. For a chewier cookie, bake for only 6-8 minutes. The baking temperature for both is 350°F.
Be sure to bake the cookies to the doneness you prefer, which can VARY depending on the water content in your starter, the size of your eggs, the humidity, and your oven. You will want to bake the cookies and start checking at 6 minutes. Keep adding an additional 2 minutes until you reach the desired doneness.
The Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies you see on the top picture above were baked in that 6-8 minute range. They have a chewier texture and did not ‘puff up’ like the more cake-like cookie below it. The cake-like cookie was baked in the 8-10 minute range. You can see the difference in the picture below as well. The cookies on the left were baked in less time than the cookies on the right.
This may vary in your oven.
How to Freeze Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cookies can be easily stored in the freezer. To freeze the cookies, let them cool completely. Then, lay the cookies flat on a piece of parchment paper, put them in the freezer for a few hours, and then store them in a zipped plastic freezer-safe bag. Remember to label the bag with the date. Cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Let them sit out at room temperature overnight to thaw.
Can I Freeze the Dough Before Baking?
Yes! First, form the dough into the balls as if you were going to bake them. Instead, place the balls of dough in the freezer until solid (about an hour). Then, store the dough balls in freezer-safe containers. When ready to bake, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowl I like using these glass mixing bowls
- Baking sheet This pan from Nordic Ware works great!
- Parchment paper I use this brand
- Kitchen scale (optional)
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons (1 stick + 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups (16 ounces) large chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugars. (Make sure the butter is soft enough to mix with the sugar by hand.)
- Add the egg to the mixture, stirring until incorporated.
- Stir in the sourdough starter and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda, careful to not overmix.
- Finally, incorporate the chocolate chips and let the dough refrigerate for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight. (I have made them without refrigeration and they get more cake-like in texture.)
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. (Let the refrigerated cookies come to room temperature.)
- Drop spoonfuls (2-3 tablespoons) of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (I use a 3 tablespoon ice cream scoop.) Bake 8-10 minutes for a cake-like cookie. Bake 6-8 minutes for a chewier cookie. (My recommendation!) The cookie MAY appear a little wet in the center and that is ok. It will continue to bake and be cooked throughout after being out of the oven for a few minutes.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Baked 10 minutes were very cakes. Second batch baked 8 minute and seemed raw. Not a huge fan of consistency but were very tasty!
Hi there, may I know if I can use discards which are at least a month old (if not longer)? Would it affect the texture / taste of the cookies?
I would try to revive it and then use it. If it can’t be revived it won’t work in the recipe.
I’ve made these many times and everyone loves them. My girlfriend doesn’t care at all about my sourdough bread and only wants these cookies! I’m at high altitude and make it exactly as written, though I usually bake 2-3 minutes longer.
Thanks for the feedback, Brian!
These are the lightest fluffiest cookies I think I have ever made and eaten. My family went bonkers over them. They were so easy to make. Inhave finally found the best chocolate chip cookies.
I was really disappointed with these. The texture was like pancakes – not cookies. 🙁
I followed directions to the t, measured everything on a scale, refrigerated the dough, all the things — and ended up with pancakes.
Bummer.
I won’t make these again.
Is it okay to use active starter?
What did I do wrong?! Cooked for 10 mins and still came out raw… I let them get to room temp and oven is working fine so what the heck?
I followed your recipe to the letter–no changes, so feel that my evaluation is valid compared to others who make changes and then rate the recipe. What’s up with that? It nullifies their rating as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, my cookies look nothing like yours. The texture is strange…spongey. Must be the sourdough action? They did not crisp up either. I thought that the flavor was quite good once I got past the unusual texture. After pulling out the first tray and seeing how spongey, not crisp, and pale they were, I popped them under the broiler for about a minute which browned them nicely and gave them a better appearance, though still not crisp exterior and edges. Also thought they could have used just a bit more sugar, though. I don’t think I will make them again, or any sourdough discard chocolate cookie for that matter, because I will be comparing them to Nestle Tollhouse recipe which I have always felt is the gold standard. Thanks for sharing your recipe, though. I, personally, ate 8 cookies! Told myself that they were “healthy” cuz of the sourdough discard which contained organic buckwhet flour, LOL. Wink wink.
Hubby LOVES these. Did struggle with baking time and temp to get the ewwy gooey goodness without overcooking and making the cake like. We live in SLC valley, a but of elevation but not much. Baking at 425 for the 6-8 seems to work well here, plus be sure no extra butter. I tend to do that with cookies but this recipe is perfect.
My 4 year old said these are the best cookies she’s ever had!