Sourdough Discard Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Rich, fudgy chocolate cookies made with sourdough discard, rolled in powdered sugar so they bake up with the classic crackly, crinkle-top finish. Soft in the center with set edges and a deep Dutch-cocoa flavor.

Ingredients

• 113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 115g brown sugar
• 150g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (100g)
• 60g sourdough discard
• 4g (about 1 tsp) vanilla extract
• 200g all-purpose flour
• 65g Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 10g cornstarch
• 6g baking soda
• 3g salt
• 50g powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Cornstarch · Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 375F (convection).

1. Beat the softened butter until light, then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and cream until fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Scoop the dough into 1.5-2 Tbsp balls and roll each generously in powdered sugar.
6. Place the coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart.
7. Bake 7-8 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft.
8. Let the cookies cool on the sheet 5-10 minutes until they set completely, then transfer to a wire rack.

Notes

Use fresh sourdough discard (no more than 1-2 days old) so the flavor stays mild; active starter can be substituted for discard. For a more defined crinkle and a coating that better survives the oven, roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar (a double coat), and coat right before baking so the sugar doesn’t absorb into the dough. Chilling helps too: an optional long ferment of refrigerating the scooped dough 24-48 hours before rolling in sugar deepens flavor and reduces spread. For a non-convection oven, bake at 375F for about 10 minutes. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 24 hours, or freeze for longer storage. Adapted from Amy Coyne at Amy Bakes Bread.