Are you wondering what to do with sourdough discard? These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best way to use up leftover sourdough starter! These chocolate chip cookies are perfectly soft, chewy and so easy to make in less than 30 minutes! It's also a convenient small batch recipe, yielding about 9 cookies.
I received my sourdough starter as a gift a few months ago but have yet to make actual sourdough bread. I've tried a few sourdough discard recipes but haven't found any I loved, so I created my own in this sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe! All of my friends love them and one even said they're the best cookies he's ever had!
I've also made sourdough discard muffins, brownies, and banana bread with leftover sourdough starter! I'm excited to try these sourdough discard cinnamon rolls, too!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- It's a great way to use up sourdough discard instead of letting it go to waste!
- The sourdough cookies have a perfect soft and chewy texture and sweet and salty flavor!
- It makes about 9 regular cookies so it's nice to share amongst a few people.
- They're a fun variation of classic chocolate chip cookies with a tasty tang from the discard! For another delicious variety of CCCs, try my Salted Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Dark brown sugar: recommended, but light brown sugar will work as well.
- Sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
- Vanilla extract
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: feel free to use a dark, milk, or whatever you like instead.
- Egg yolk
- Unsalted butter
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Mix-ins: Feel free to add ¼ cup of your favorite mix-ins like nuts or toffee. You can also replace the chocolate chips with something else if you'd like. For super melty chocolate puddles, use dark chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment
This sourdough discard recipe is so easy, you just need basic cookie baking equipment!
- A nice cookie sheet (or two) to bake them on.
- A hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment is helpful, but not necessary.
- A small/medium (about 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop is good to use.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you get started, let your refrigerated ingredients reach room temperature and preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Step One (Picture 1 above) - In a medium/large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until they're combined well and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Mix in the sourdough starter discard, followed by the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) - In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir them into the wet ingredients just until the flour streaks disappear.
Step Four (Picture 4 above) - Gently mix the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. The dough will be slightly sticky.
Using a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoon capacity), place cookie dough balls 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Top with extra chocolate chips if you'd like.
Bake the cookies on the middle oven rack at 350°F/177°C until their edges are slightly tan (8-11 minutes). Sprinkle on some flaky salt and let them cool for a bit on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Expert Tips
Tip #1 - Use unfed sourdough starter. This is the leftovers that don't get fed any flour or water and is usually discarded. When I tested these with fed sourdough starter, the cookies were okay but you could taste the extra flour.
Tip #2 - Weigh your dry ingredients. Over-measuring flour is a common issue that makes cookies dry and puffy. This is easily prevented by using a food scale to weigh the flour in grams (see metric tab in recipe card below). If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cups and level it off with a straightedge.
Tip #3 - Don't over-bake the cookies! Take them out when the edges are light tan. They'll continue to bake on the hot sheet after you remove them from the oven. If you leave them in the oven for too long, the cookies might turn out dry, hard and crunchy.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard (also known as unfed sourdough starter) is the sourdough leftover after measuring out the sourdough that gets fed. This is generally thrown away, which is why I've created this cookie recipe so that it doesn't have to go to waste!
You can, but it isn't recommended. Using fed sourdough starter can give the cookies more of a floury flavor.
When they're hot out of the oven, place a larger round object around them and scoot the edges back in. This is called cookie scooting!
This is likely from over-measuring the flour or over-baking the cookies. For the best results, use a food scale to weigh the flour in grams.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to 1 week. The bread will absorb the moisture, keeping the cookies soft for days!
Refrigerator: Storing the baked in the refrigerator can dry them out, so this is not recommended. While the dough is best baked right away, it can be covered and refrigerated overnight and then baked the next day.
Freezing Instructions: Wrap the completely cooled cookies in plastic wrap and/or a freezer-safe bag labeled with "Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies" and the date for up to 1 month. The dough balls can also be frozen for 1 month and baked within that timeframe.
Did you try this recipe? I'd love to see it!
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment optional
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ scant teaspoon salt (scant = a little less than ½ teaspoon)
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ¼ cup sourdough starter discard unfed
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional).
- In a medium/large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until very well combined (2-3 minutes). Mix in the sourdough discard followed by the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until the flour streaks are gone. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop cookie dough balls (about 2 tablespoons each) onto a baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Top with extra chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake on the middle rack until the cookie edges are lightly golden (8-11 minutes).
- Recommended: scoot your cookies! Right out of the oven, place a slightly larger round object (biscuit cutter, large cup, etc.) over the cookie and scoot it around to bring the edges in, making the cookie perfectly round.Also feel free to sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt!
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until they're firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack (5-10 minutes).
Anasta says
I've just made these little babies using a week-unfed discard, and they're taste amaziiingg. Just a bit question, I've weight all ingredients..but my cookies didn't turn flat as yours. Any idea or tips on that? thank youu. #now the first oven batch are gone 😁
Kayla Burton says
Hi Anasta! So happy you like them! Hmm, they could be a bit thicker if your sourdough starter has less moisture or maybe if your butter was a bit cold.
Lauren Brush says
These turned out tasty!! But they didn’t turn out flat like yours. They’re a little more cakey. Do you know what I did wrong?!
Kayla Burton says
Hi Lauren! Did you weigh your flour with a scale? Overmeasuring it can lead to cakier cookies, or accidentally using baking powder instead of baking soda. It could also be a difference in sourdough starter. I'm glad they still tasted good!!
Anne says
Loved these so much! I ran out of chocolate chips on my second batch and used butterscotch. Ummmm...YES.
Kayla Burton says
Ooh butterscotch chips would be so good in these!! I'll have to try that next time!
Linda Sherbahn says
Made four batches for a Fantasy Football draft party and they were all gone before the draft was over! Excellent flavor and texture with slightly crisp surface and soft (but not doughy) center. I added chopped walnuts and made smaller cookies but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Quick, easy, delicious, AND I can use up my sourdough starter discard…Yay! Thanks Kayla for a winner recipe.
katherine says
oooh - these came out great! super easy from start to finish - before i put them in the oven, i sprinkled them with some flaky salt and extra chips 💫 adding to my list of go-to recipes!
Kayla Burton says
Yay! Great call on the flaky salt and extra chips! Thanks for trying my recipe and leaving a review, Katherine 😀
Inga says
These are absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and these are now my favorite chocolate chip cookies! The perfect sweetness, the perfect size batch. And I love getting to use my sourdough discard. Thank you!
Kayla Burton says
Yay this makes me so happy!! Thank you, Inga!
Hala says
First time trying sourdough cookies they turned out amazing! I did not have baking soda replaced it with baking powder and mixed white with dark chocolate ammmmazing recipe 🫶 Thank you!
Kayla Burton says
So glad the baking powder worked out! The chocolate mixture sounds delicious 🙂 Thanks for giving my recipe a try!
Jana says
Excellent recipe! I'm new to sour dough bread making and I'm still trying to get my starter perfected - read lots of discard. It pains me to throw it out so I'm always looking for good discard recipes. Eureka!! This recipe makes the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever made. It's now my new "go to" chocolate chip recipe. Thanks Kayla for taking the time to figure this recipe out and posting it.
Kayla says
Yay thank you, Jana!! I'm so happy you enjoyed them! I agree, I would much rather bake something with the discard than throw it out!
Amanda says
I went out on a limb using this recipe even though there were less reviews. Let me just say this is the BEST sourdough cookie recipe I have used…and I have tried a lot. I been trying recipes because none of them were amazing, this recipe is not going to be a staple. Great recipe! Thank you!!!!
Kayla says
Thanks so much for giving my recipe a chance, Amanda!! I was also struggling to find a sourdough recipe I loved before making these so I'm thrilled you like them as much as I do!
Thomas Lis says
Without exaggeration these are the best chocolate cookies I have ever made or ever eaten. I usually think chocolate chip cookies are too sweet but these strike the perfect balance of sweet, savory and salty. If you have sourdough starter, try this recipe. If you don’t, start, and then try this recipe
Kayla says
Oh wow thank you, Thomas! I'm thrilled that you like them so much!