Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies use sourdough discard, which balances the sweetness and adds a subtle tang. The recipe uses brown butter for a nutty flavor and only an egg yolk, which helps make a chewy cookie.
Ingredients (~13 cookies)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard (100% hydration)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Brown the Butter and Mix
Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, then continue cooking. It will sputter and pop – this is the water cooking off.
Once the popping subsides, swirl the pan. You’ll see brown flecks forming on the bottom and it will smell nutty. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl.
You should have about 6 Tbsp (90g) butter remaining after browning. Add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the hot butter and whisk to combine.
Set this aside for 30 minutes until the butter has cooled to room temperature.
Meanwhile, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together.
Finish the Dough
When ready to make the cookies, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes until well combined. Add the egg yolks and whisk for 2-3 minutes on medium-high.
Don’t worry if this looks separated; it will come together after adding the starter.
Add the sourdough discard and vanilla. Mix for a few minutes until the mixture becomes smooth, like a thick cake batter. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed, just until everything comes together as a dough.
Fold in the chopped chocolate. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Bake the Cookies
When ready to bake, set your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the chilled dough into balls, about 2.5 oz (70g) each.
Place them on the baking sheet with plenty of space to spread – about 6 per tray. Sprinkle the cookies with a little flaked sea salt.
Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
If the cookies look puffy, you can give the baking tray a firm tap on the counter to help them flatten.
Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Ingredients (~13 cookies)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, diced
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard 100% hydration
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate roughly chopped
Method
- Brown butter in saucepan over medium heat until nutty and flecked, about 5-7 minutes.
- Pour browned butter into mixing bowl and whisk with sugars. Let cool 30 minutes.
- Beat butter-sugar mixture with electric mixer. Add egg yolks, then sourdough discard and vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Fold in chopped chocolate.
- Refrigerate dough 4-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll chilled dough into 2.5 oz balls. Space 6 per tray. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake 16-18 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
- Tap tray to flatten if cookies look puffy.
- Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
