Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bakery-style cookies with crisp edges, soft chewy centers, and a subtle sourdough tang. Nutty brown butter and a puddle of both dark and milk chocolate give them a butterscotch-y depth, deepened further by an overnight rest.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter OR 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (135g) sourdough discard
• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup (142g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (90g) bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups (213g) dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped; divided
• 1 1/4 cups (213g) milk chocolate, chopped; divided
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Salt · Vanilla Extract

1. Brown the butter: In a small deep pot over medium-high heat, cook the butter, whisking frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes until it turns a light honey color with little brown bits. Let cool 5 minutes (you should have a scant 1/2 cup / 85g).
2. Transfer the brown butter to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until it is opaque and creamy, about 1 hour.
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and chilled brown butter. Mix until evenly combined with a wet, sandy appearance, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the sourdough starter (or discard), egg, and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated.
5. Add the all-purpose flour, bread flour, table salt, baking powder, and baking soda; mix until just incorporated.
6. Switch to a spatula and fold in 1 cup (170g) each of the dark and milk chocolate. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup (43g) of each for topping.
7. Scoop the dough into heaping 2-tablespoon portions (about 57g / 2 oz each) onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.
8. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the middle third. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and combine the reserved dark and milk chocolate in a small bowl.
9. Roll each dough ball between your palms, then dip the top into the reserved chocolate mixture.
10. Arrange the cookies on parchment-lined sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart, with no more than 6 cookies per tray.
11. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until set and slightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center.
12. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using. Let cool at least 10 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Baking’s Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (from “The Sweet Side of Sourdough” by Caroline Schiff). Works with either ripe active starter (1/2 cup / 113g) OR sourdough discard (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon / 135g), so it’s a great discard recipe. The overnight (minimum 8-hour) chill is important for flavor and texture. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. You can freeze the chocolate-dipped dough balls up to 2 weeks and bake straight from frozen for the full 22 minutes. For smaller cookies, scoop into 28g (1-oz) portions and bake 13 to 15 minutes.