If you love chewy, flavorful cookies with a hint of tangy depth, these Sourdough Discard Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a must-try! The rich nuttiness of brown butter pairs perfectly with the subtle tang from sourdough discard, creating a cookie that’s crisp on the edges, soft in the center, and bursting with melty chocolate. Not only is this recipe a delicious way to use up extra sourdough discard, but it also elevates classic chocolate chip cookies to a whole new level. Keep reading for the full recipe and pro tips to get perfect sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies every time!
Recommended Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Spatula
- Silicone baking mat
Ingredients For Sourdough Discard Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar – I use and prefer raw cane sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sourdough discard
- Flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions on How to Make Sourdough Discard Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
2. In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and spoon, mix the sugar and brown sugar in with the slightly cooled butter until it’s well combined.
3. Add the vanilla, egg yolks, and sourdough discard, and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda) and mix to combine.
5. With your mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Try not to overmix the dough at this point!
6. Add the chocolate chunks or chocolate chips and mix briefly to incorporate.
7. Cover the mixing bowl and place it in the fridge for 1-24 hours to chill the dough. This chilling process gives the sourdough discard and browned butter time to develop a rich, slightly nutty, and molasses-like flavor all throughout the dough.
8. Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350℉.
9. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto your greased baking sheet (or use a silicone baking mat) and flatten them just a bit with your hand.
10. Bake the cookies for about 13 minutes (depending on their size) or until they look lightly browned around the edges, but light in color in the center for the perfect soft and chewy texture.
For more crunchy cookies, bake just a few minutes longer until the cookies look evenly browned from the edges to their centers.
Storage recommendations
Once cooled, store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Alternatively, you can scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet and flash freeze the dough balls before placing them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container in the freezer. This is great for those times when you want a little treat, but don’t have much time or energy to make something!
Common Questions
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
Yes, absolutely! These cookies are delicious regardless of how active your sourdough starter/discard is. The real star of the show here is the browned butter!
What does browned butter do to cookies?
Browning the butter before using it in this cookie recipe really enhances the flavor of the cookies. It gives them a nutty depth of flavor that can’t be achieved by using creamed, room-temperature butter.
How long should browning butter take?
Browning butter typically takes anywhere between 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat. Keep a close eye on it and stir regularly to monitor the changes and developing color. It can quickly turn to burnt butter!
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Sourdough Discard Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment OR large mixing bowl and wooden spoon
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cookie scoop
- 1 baking sheet greased OR use a silicone baking mat
- 1 spatula
- 1 cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup sourdough discard
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
How to brown butter
- In a stove pot on medium/low heat, melt the butter until lightly golden brown. Once the butter has melted, it will start to bubble. Stir it while it continues to bubble for a few minutes.Once it's finished, remove it from the heat and let it sit to cool for 5-10 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter
Making the cookie dough
- Once the butter is slightly cooled, add it to your mixer or mixing bowl with both of the sugars and mix on low/medium speed until creamed together.1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
- Then add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard and mix until combined. Try not to overmix the dough!3/4 cup sourdough discard, 2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and mix well.2.5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt
- With your mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chunks or chips to the dough and mix breifly to distribute.2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
- Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 1-24 hours to develop a rich, nutty, molasses-like flavor. It's so worth the wait!
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into dough balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Lightly press to flatten them just a bit. Bake for 10-13 minutes for soft and chewy cookies. If you prefer a more crunchy cookie, bake for a few minutes longer until the cookies look evenly browned across the tops.Enjoy!
Seriously the BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made.