The Best Chewy Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe—the one you turn to when unexpected guests arrive or when you need to bring a sweet treat to a dinner party or celebration. These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are pure perfection, offering a delightful twist on a classic favorite.
From the nutty flavor of brown butter to the perfectly gooey, chewy center and lightly crispy edges, every bite is filled with melty semisweet chocolate chunks and a subtle tang from the sourdough starter discard. If you’re looking for a fun variation, you might also enjoy our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie or our Chewy Sourdough Brown Sugar Cookies.
Quick Look: Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Bake Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 27 minutes
- Servings: 22 cookies
- Calories: ~300 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Chewy, gooey, and rich with nutty brown butter, melty chocolate chips, and a subtle tang from sourdough discard. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix with no special equipment needed. Just allow time for chilling!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Simple ingredients and straightforward steps: This recipe makes baking these cookies an absolute breeze. You don’t need any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients to achieve bakery-quality results right in your own kitchen. It’s as easy as whipping up a batch of Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones.
- A generous amount of chocolate chips: We guarantee that every single bite is filled with rich, gooey goodness. The combination of melty chocolate chunks and the subtle sourdough tang creates a flavor profile that is simply irresistible. If you’re a true chocolate lover, you should also check out The Best Sourdough Brownies Recipe.
- The perfect balance of textures: These cookies offer crisp edges and soft, chewy centers for ultimate cookie satisfaction. The browned butter adds a depth of flavor that elevates the entire experience, much like it does in our Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – We brown the butter to remove some of the water content. Melted, browned butter gives the cookies a better, chewier texture and adds a wonderful nuttiness.
- Sugar – I use a combination of white cane sugar and brown sugar. The brown sugar is essential for creating perfectly chewy cookies.
- Egg yolks – We remove the egg whites to reduce the water content, but the yolks bring essential moisture and chewiness to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract – Opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation for the best flavor.
- Sourdough discard – Use unfed sourdough discard that is no older than 2 weeks. For sweet treats like these cookies, younger discard provides a milder tang.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Regular all-purpose flour provides the perfect structure for these cookies.
- Baking powder & Baking soda – Make sure your leaveners are fresh! Otherwise, the cookies won’t rise properly. These help balance the acidity of the sourdough discard.
- Salt – I love using Redmond’s real salt to balance the sweetness.
- Chocolate chips – I used chocolate chunks for big pockets of melted chocolate, but you can use whatever your heart desires—from milk chocolate to dark chocolate chips, to butterscotch or M&M’s!
How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown the Butter Melt the butter in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the butter is fully melted, it will begin to bubble. Continue to stir constantly until the bottom of the pan is covered with small amber specks (about 2–3 minutes).
- Cool the Butter Carefully remove the browned butter from the heat and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Allow the melted butter to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (If it forms back into a solid, that’s okay!)
- Mix the Dry Ingredients While the butter cools, prepare your dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients Once the browned butter is at room temperature, add both sugars and use a wooden spoon to mix. Then add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. I like to add a little at a time for easier mixing. Once all the flour has been incorporated, add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Chill the Dough: Scoop 70g portions of the cookie dough and roll them into smooth dough balls. Top each ball with a few extra chocolate chips, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is best!).
- Bake and Serve: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place 5 cookies on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown. Serve warm with a tall glass of milk!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Brown the butter carefully: Browning the butter adds an incredible nutty depth to the cookies, but it can go from browned to burnt very quickly. Watch it closely and remove it from the heat as soon as you see those small amber specks. For more brown butter goodness, try our Chewy Sourdough Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies.
- Don’t skip the chill time: Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and for developing that perfect chewy texture. If you’re impatient, you can always make our The Best Sourdough Snickerdoodles which require no chill time!
- Use fresh sourdough discard: For sweet treats like these cookies, it’s best to use discard that is no older than 2 weeks. This ensures a mild, pleasant tang rather than an overpowering sourness. If you’re wondering about storage, check out our guide on How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last in a Jar?.
- Shape immediately after baking: To get perfectly round cookies, use the backs of two spoons to gently push the edges inward right when they come out of the oven while they are still warm and pliable.
How to Store
Store the baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Add a slice of bread or an apple wedge to the container to help retain moisture.
If you’re making a larger batch or want to keep them fresh longer, freezing the dough is a great option. Scoop the cookie dough balls onto a baking tray, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for an extra few minutes.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs
Can I Use Regular Butter Instead of Browned Butter in these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies?
For the best flavor and chewy texture, it’s highly recommended to use browned butter because it adds a nutty depth that regular butter just can’t match. However, if you’re in a pinch, regular butter can be used, but the cookies will not be quite as flavorful. If you love the taste of browned butter, you’ll also adore our Chewy Sourdough Brown Sugar Cookies.
What Should I Do If I Don’t Have Sourdough Discard this Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe calls for?
If you don’t have sourdough discard on hand, you can increase the flour by 100 grams and add the 2 egg whites as well. You’ll still get a delicious cookie, though it might miss out on the slight tanginess and extra chewiness that sourdough discard brings to the table. If you’re looking to use up a lot of discard, try our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie!
Why are my sourdough chocolate chip cookies puffy?
Puffier and drier cookies usually happen from a little extra flour. For the most accurate measurements of your ingredients, I always recommend using a kitchen scale.
If you tried this Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
FULL RECIPE TUTORIAL
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Yield: 22 cookies
Prepare yourself because these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe are chewy, gooey perfection. Browned butter and sourdough discard are the secret ingredients, plus plenty of melty chocolate chips! Whip them up quick or let them long-ferment, but I promise you they won't last long.
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Ingredients
- 226 grams unsalted butter, browned 1 cup
- 200 grams white sugar 1 cup
- 220 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 200 grams sourdough discard 3/4 cup
- 2 egg yolks 40g
- 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- 355 grams all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups
- 6 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
- 4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 4 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 350 grams chocolate chips 2 cups
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the butter is fully melted, it will begin to bubble. Continue to stir constantly until the bottom of the pan is covered with small amber specks (about 2–3 minutes). You should be left with 180g of browned butter.226 grams unsalted butter, browned
- Carefully remove the browned butter from the heat and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Allow the butter to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (If it forms back into a solid, that’s okay!)
- While the butter cools, prepare your dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.355 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams baking soda, 4 grams baking powder, 4 grams salt
- Once the browned butter is at room temperature, add both sugars and use a wooden spoon to mix. Then add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard, and mix until fully incorporated.200 grams white sugar, 220 grams brown sugar, 2 egg yolks, 8 grams vanilla extract, 200 grams sourdough discard
- Finally add the dry ingredients. I like to add a little at a time for easier mixing.
- Once all the flour has been incorporated, add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.350 grams chocolate chips
- Scoop 70g of the cookie dough with a cookie scoop, about 3 Tablespoons, roll into smooth dough balls, top with a few extra chocolate chips, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, overnight is best!
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 5 cookies on a 13×18 inch rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown.
- Leave them on the cookie sheet for 5 extra minutes, sprinkling the tops with flaky sea salt, if desired, then remove to cool fully on a wire rack or enjoy warm!
To create a perfectly round cookie shape, use the backs of two spoons to shape the cookies. Make sure to do this immediately out of the oven while the cookies are still warm! Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
How to Store
Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2–3 days with a slice of bread or apple to help retain moisture. If you’re making a larger batch or want to keep them fresh longer, freezing is also a great option. Scoop the cookie dough balls onto a baking tray and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for an extra few minutes. You’ll always have homemade chocolate chip cookies on hand!FAQs
Can I Use Regular Butter Instead of Browned Butter?
For the best flavor and chewy texture, it’s best to use browned butter because it adds a nutty depth that regular butter just can’t match. Browning butter helps to remove extra moisture, so using melted butter will be too much moisture for this cookie recipe.How Can I Make These Cookies If I Don’t Have a Cookie Scoop?
You can use a spoon to drop dough onto the baking sheet. Try to make each dough ball around 70 g for even baking. This recipe card was updated on 03/10/26.Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
Is it okay if I double the recipe or does it only work best if you do one batch at a time?
You can absolutely double this recipe!
I have been wanting to make sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies for some time. I know there are many recipes out there, but I knew that I could come to your website and find a recipe that is easy, to the point, and an extra bonus and find a video tutorial.
All that to say this recipe and cookies were delicious! I have made other recipes from you and they never disappoint! Always a pleasure to be able to make, my family thanks you!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Milan! So thrilled you love this recipe as much as we do. Thank you for sharing!
we love this cookies so so much
I been freezing some every time so we always have ok hand
thank u :*
So glad you love this recipe, Lilyan!
I have made this recipe 3 times now. We are that obsessed with it. I usually only bake 12 at a time and then stick the dough in the fridge or freezer till we are ready for more.
Love this! Thank you so much for sharing, Jenny!
I made them. They are delicious, but my dough doesn’t stick together. It would hardly go into a ball to put on the cookie sheet. Any idea why? Thanks!
Hi Maisa! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies. I’m wondering if the butter was reduced longer, so there wasn’t as much liquid in the cookie dough. For the best results, I always recommend using a kitchen scale. Hope this helps!
I have a dairy allergy, can I use becel plant based butter?
Hi Amilia! I have not tested this recipe with a plant based butter, so I’m not 100% certain. I’m thinking it should be fine, but it might result in a slightly different texture/flavor. If you do give it a go, please let me know! Enjoy!
I use Vegan Butter & Dairy Free./Allergen free Choc Chips all the time in this recipe & it works great & they still taste amazing!!! I do however still use Pasture free eggs so can’t say how they would taste if you swapped the eggs out.
Julie
Love hearing this—thank you so much for sharing, Julie!
That’s really helpful to know that vegan butter and dairy-free/allergen-free chocolate chips work so well in this recipe and still give amazing results.Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I mixed up the dough yesterday and put the little cookie balls in the fridge for 24 hours. I just finished baking them and my husband said they are the best chocolate chip cookies he had ever had. I did weigh all the ingredients as suggested and mixed the dough in my stand mixer on the lowest speed to make it easy since I’m recovering from knee surgery.
Hi Melissa! I’m so glad these cookies were a hit! We go crazy for them. Thank you for including the notes on the stand mixer, I will have to add that as a suggestion for others as well.
Can I mix everything in a KitchenAid stand mixer? Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Britni! You certainly can. but it’s important to no overmix the cookie dough. This can lead to a more tough and cake-y cookie. I like to mix by hand to prevent overmixing and to get that perfectly chewy cookie. Hope you love the recipe!
Do you use a wooden spoon to mix in the dry ingredients too or should I use a stand mixer for that part?
Hi Lauren! I mix this recipe all by hand!
I dont have sour dough starter, can i use something else?
Hi Darlene! This recipe was specifically developed to be sourdough. You can make your own sourdough starter with just water and flour! I share how here – https://simplicityandastarter.com/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter/
Hey! The cookies came out PERFECT!! I love this recipe and it will forever be a favorite in my home! I do have one question though… the cookies came out nice and chewy and so good warm but got super hard after they cooled! Any suggestions for that not happening?
Aren’t they heavenly? So glad you love them as well! If the cookies are hard after being cooled, I would reduce the bake time. I also recommend buying an oven thermometer. This cheap tool makes sure that your oven is heating to the right temperature, as some ovens may run hot.
I am confused. Are we supposed to be baking them 5 cookies at a time? I don’t understand the place 5 cookies on lined parchment paper part. Maybe I’m just losing it.
Also when you place them in the fridge do you just roll them up and leave them in a bowl and cover them? Or an airtight container?
Hi Jessica! That is correct! These are larger cookies and will spread slightly while baking, so I found baking 5 at a time on a large rimmed baking sheet works best. Before placing the cookie into the fridge to cool, I roll them up, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and cover them, but an airtight container would work as well! Hope you enjoy them.
Mine turned out flat and weird 🙁 I measured everything with a scale so I’m it sure where I went wrong!
Hi Chris! So sorry to hear that! It’s important to not skip the chilling for this recipe. While testing, I baked these cookies right away and they baked up flat. I would also suggest checking the expiration dates of your baking powder and baking soda. If these are expired, the cookies won’t rise properly.
Mine came out very flat. What did I do wrong?
So sorry about that, Brandi! Measuring the ingredients precisely is crucial. That’s why I always recommend using a kitchen scale. You also don’t want to skip the chill time. The butter needs time to chill before being baked, otherwise the cookies will bake up flat. Hope this helps!
Best cookies ever. I’ve made these a couple times now, following the recipe to a T. They turn out so good 🤤