The Best Chewy Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe for chewy, gooey perfection. Discover the secret to the best homemade cookies with this easy, delicious guide.
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.
Growing up, we always made the classic chocolate chip cookies on the backside of Nestle’s chocolate chips. Though that recipe will always have a place in my heart, they have forever been replaced with these Chewy, Chocolaty Browned Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies!
My goodness, they’re pure perfection!
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.
I’ll admit, I may have indulged in more of these cookies than I should have while testing the recipe! But how can you blame me when they taste this good?!
Make a double batch and freeze half for a quick dessert in a pinch!
I promise you, once you make these Chewy Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, there’s no going back.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Easy to make
Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make baking these cookies a breeze.
Plenty of chocolate
A generous amount of chocolate chips guarantees that every bite is filled with rich, gooey goodness.
Chewy texture
They offer the perfect balance of crisp edges and soft, chewy centers for ultimate cookie satisfaction.
Ingredients Needed
Butter: Browned butter helps to remove some of the water content that is added by the sourdough discard, but it also gives the cookies a better texture and adds nuttiness.
Sugar: Cane sugar can be substituted. Brown sugar helps create perfectly chewy cookies!
Egg yolks: We removed the egg whites to reduce the water content, but the yolks bring moisture and chewiness to the cookies.
Vanilla extract: For the best flavor, opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation.
Sourdough discard: Use sourdough discard that is no older than 2 weeks for sweet treats like these cookies.
Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Baking Powder: Make sure your leaveners are fresh! Otherwise, the cookies won’t rise properly.
Baking Soda
Salt: I love Redmond’s Real Salt for the cookie dough, but don’t forget to sprinkle on some flaky sea salt when the cookies are still warm!
Chocolate Chips: I used chocolate chunks, but you can use whatever your heart desires, from milk chocolate to dark chocolate chips, to butterscotch to M&M’s!
Supplies
Medium skillet
How to Make Browned Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
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)
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.
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.
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.
Scoop 70g of the cookie dough with a cookie scoop, 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, then remove to cool fully on a wire rack or enjoy warm!
TIP: 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.
How to Serve
Warm with a glass of milk, of course! But if you’re feeling really indulgent, these cookies would be the perfect base for ice cream sandwiches!
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.
Happy baking!
More Recipes Like This:
Sourdough Skillet Cookie
Chewy Oatmeal Butterscotch Sourdough Cookies
Chewy Brown Sugar Sourdough Cookies
Sourdough Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies
FULL RECIPE TUTORIAL
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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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!
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 🤤