Name: Sourdough Discard Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 24 cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 115g butter, softened; 100g brown sugar; 75g white sugar; 1 large egg; 100g sourdough discard; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 225g all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 175g chocolate chips

These chocolate chip cookies are the perfect balance of chewy and crispy, with complex flavor from sourdough discard. The fermented flour creates an incredible texture that regular cookies simply cannot match.

They are dangerously addictive straight from the oven.

Instructions

Cream Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add Wet Ingredients

Beat in the egg until combined. Add sourdough discard and vanilla, mixing until smooth.

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Make Dough

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Chill (Optional but Recommended)

For thicker cookies with more developed flavor, refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. This step is optional but makes a difference.

Bake

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto lined baking sheets, spacing 5cm apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers still look slightly underdone.

Cool

Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes - cookies will continue to set. Transfer to a wire rack.

Tips & Notes

Chilling the dough prevents spreading and develops flavor
Underbake slightly for chewy centers
Use a mix of chocolate chips and chopped chocolate for varied texture
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before baking for extra flavor
Dough freezes well - freeze scooped balls and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes

The Sourdough Secret

The acidity in sourdough discard tenderizes the gluten, creating cookies with a chewier, more complex texture. The flavor is subtly more interesting - not sour, but with depth that makes you want another cookie.

Variations

Brown Butter Cookies

Brown the butter until nutty and fragrant before creaming with sugars. Let cool slightly first. This adds incredible depth.

Double Chocolate

Replace 30g flour with cocoa powder and use a mix of dark and white chocolate chips.

Oatmeal Raisin

Replace 75g flour with rolled oats. Add 100g raisins and 1 tsp cinnamon. Reduce chocolate chips to 100g or omit.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Add 100g peanut butter with the discard. Reduce flour to 175g. Press with a fork before baking.

Salted Caramel

Fold in caramel bits instead of some chocolate chips. Top with flaky sea salt.

Why Rest the Dough?

Resting allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld. The discard continues to work during this time, developing even more complex flavor. It also makes the dough easier to handle and results in thicker cookies.