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!
This looks like such a great recipe! Read through all the notes and comments but couldn’t find the answer to my question. Wondering if I can eliminate the baking powder since I don’t like cakey cookies. Would that be okay since I’m looking for thick, chewy cookies? Thanks!
Great question! Yes, you can eliminate the baking powder if you prefer your cookies thicker and chewier. The baking powder gives them a little lift, while the baking soda handles spread and browning. Without the baking powder, your cookies will likely be a bit denser and chewier — which sounds exactly like what you’re going for! Hope you love them!
Believe your measurements for the flour is off. 355g is closer to 3 1/2 cups this could be why others are coming out flat.
Thanks for catching that! I use a standard of 1 cup = 140g, so 355g of flour works out to about 2 ½ cups by weight. Cup measurements can definitely vary depending on how the flour is scooped (lightly spooned vs. packed), which is why I always recommend weighing if possible for the most consistent results. If you measured 355g, you’re right on target for this recipe!
Great recipe. I underbaked my first batch, but once I got the timing right, they turned out delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Yes, the bake time makes all the difference with cookies — once you nail it, they’re perfect. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
I was worried to do this receipt because I have done discard ones before and they were gross!! These were amazing!! And the way the recipe is written it’s super easy to follow!! Will be my go to cookie recipe!!!!! Thank you!!!
Ahh this makes me so happy to hear!! I totally get the hesitation—discard cookies can be tricky, but I’m so glad these turned out for you and that the directions were easy to follow. Thank you so much for sharing—I’m honored this will be your go-to cookie recipe!
I could not make a chocolate chip cookie to save my life 😆 according to my husband(jokes but true). Could make everything else but this recipe is great! My family loves them plus gives use to my discard sourdough. Think using a chocolate sourdough discard would be good too?
I’m so glad your family loves them — that makes me so happy to hear! You know, I’ve never tried this recipe with chocolate discard, but it should work here. It will just add a subtle cocoa depth to the dough that pairs perfectly with the chocolate chips. Sounds delicious!
Hey, we tried your chocolate chip sourdough recipe. It was perfection! I give it a full five stars and beyond.
I did have a question though outside of your peanut butter blossoms or your peanut butter and jelly sourdough cookies do you have just a peanut butter cookie? I didn’t see a recipe in your discard section but if you have one, I would love to get your recipe on that.
I’m so happy you loved the chocolate chip sourdough cookies — thank you for the sweet review! I don’t have a plain peanut butter sourdough discard cookie recipe on the blog just yet, but that’s such a great idea and now I’m craving them too. I’ll add it to my recipe testing list! In the meantime, you could try adapting my peanut butter blossom cookies by simply skipping the chocolate kiss topping for a classic peanut butter cookie vibe.
Hi, I just made these cookies for the first time and WOW! They are delicious! I did cut the sugar content by 125g (couldn’t help myself 😁) and only used light brown sugar.
They are the best! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing! We can’t get enough of them too!
Can I make this into a cookie cake?
I haven’t tested it as a cookie cake myself, but it should work! 🍪 Just press the dough evenly into a greased 9-inch round or square pan, then bake at the same temp but for a longer time — start checking around 20–25 minutes and pull it when the edges are set and the center is just slightly soft. It’ll firm up as it cools. If you give it a go, please let me know how it bakes up!
This is the best cookie recipe ever!! My brother requests that I bring him cookie dough every time I see him to keep his freezer full!
Oh my goodness, the best kind of compliment! So thrilled to hear that you and your brother love these cookies as much we do. Thank you so much for sharing!
Do you have a nutritional information per cookie?
Unfortunately at the moment, no. But I hope to update the recipe card to include the nutritional information soon!
I truly don’t know how this recipe has less than five stars, these are without a doubt the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made in my life! I love them slightly underbaked with a little sprinkle of sea salt on top. Perfection!
Ahh this makes me so happy to hear!! I’m thrilled you loved them—they’re one of our all-time favorites too. The sprinkle of sea salt on top is chef’s kiss! Thanks so much for taking the time to share!
I thought I’d share my experience with these cookies. Firstly, they are absolutely the best cookies I’ve ever had! I didn’t have enough starter for an entire batch, so I halved the recipe. To speed up the process, I put the browned butter in the fridge for about 15 min. I also reduced the sugar to 80g white sugar and 100g brown sugar (instead of 100g white sugar and 110g brown sugar for half the recipe). I divided the batter evenly to form 12 cookies, which was 63g each for me. Instead of balls, I formed them into discs with my hands and placed them on a large 2/3 size baking sheet. I didn’t have time to ferment it in the fridge at all, so I plopped them into the oven right away and baked for about 11 min. They flattened out a bit, but not as much as I expected. They were large cookies but very delicious and chewy! I will experiment with slightly less sugar next time, perhaps 70g/90g. I hope that helps someone who was considering reducing the sugar or skipping the ferment. Thank you for the recipe!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and helpful tips! I love hearing how you adapted the recipe—and I’m so glad you loved the cookies! It’s great to know they still turned out delicious without the ferment and with less sugar. I’m sure your notes will be super helpful for other bakers too. Happy baking!
These are divine! Second time making them and they’re just gorgeous. How long can I keep dough in the fridge?
I’m so glad you’re loving the cookies—thank you!! You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it often gets even better with time as the flavors deepen. Just make sure it’s tightly wrapped or in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out.
You can also scoop and freeze the dough for longer storage—perfect for fresh-baked cookies anytime! Let me know if you give that a try!
Just made these cookies for the family and they turned out amazing! Thank you for the recipe!!
So thrilled to hear that you all loved this recipe, Amy! Thank you so much for sharing!
You mention using egg yolks, I’m just confused if it’s just the yolk or the whites and the yolk, I’m used to using the whole egg.
Hi Gideon! This recipe only requires two egg yolks! To keep the cookies perfectly chewy, we need to remove some moisture (since we added some from the sourdough discard), so the egg whites is the perfect ingredient to eliminate. Hope this help and you love the cookies!