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.
Sorry that happened to you! Everyone’s oven is different as well as how big/small you chose to make the cookies. If you found the flavor to be good then next step would be altering size and baking temps.
My daughter made these and they are the bet. I am wondering if I can substitute splenda because I am diabetic or will it not work.
Hi, Barbara! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. You should be able to substitute with Splenda at a 1:1 ratio. But, we have not tried that, so I can’t say how that would affect the end result. Let us know and have a great day!
I am going to make these today and will let you know how it works out. Thanks so muc!
The suggested cookie size is 3 tbsp which filled my ice cream scoop. I don’t believe cookies this size will cook in 8 minutes. Using a smaller scoop, the cookies were still enormous and raw at 8 minutes.
I was excited to use my sourdough discard. I might try again and use a brownie pan.
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These are the BEST cookies EVER!! I have made them 3 times now and I absolutely love them. They stay soft and have the best flavor. Definitely a keeper recipe.
What a great find- I wanted a sourdough discard cookie recipe- this uses a good cup of sourdough discard which is a plus. I do like the cake like texture, though compared with traditional chocolate chip recipes, both the oven times yielded the same cake like results, one just more doughy than the other. Would definitely make again!
My first batch was so cakey that i tried the next batch as mini muffins. They made the best chocolate chip muffins I’ve ever tasted!
Thank you for the great recipe!! I substituted coconut oil for butter my first time baking these and the results were delicious! I refrigerated the dough 15 minutes, used an ice cream scoop, and baked 9 minutes. Perfect!
These are delicious! I love a soft chewy cookie! I made these with gluten free flour and plant based butter. I did use the egg and the starter had all purpose flour in it. I used a 1 1/2 TBSP scoop and parchment paper. The first batch took 7 minutes, the second took 9 because I put the dough back in the fridge. Lesson is to just keep an eye on the cookies in the oven and pull them out when they are lightly browned on top. I will make them again.
Love these as a way to use up my extra starter. I do have to bake them for at least 12-14 minutes though, so just be aware that your scoop size and your oven temp make a difference.
Everyone I share these with love them. Thank you!