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Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (With Discard)

The first time we made this sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe we were pleasantly surprised by the moist cake-like middle, slightly crispy outside, and delightful cookie flavor. This recipe is the perfect way to use up your sourdough discard and treat your family.

Why Bake With Sourdough Discard

Every time you feed your sourdough starter, you discard most of it before adding fresh flour and water. The starter that you remove before you feed it is called sourdough discard. This keeps your sourdough starter fresh, healthy, and ready to use.

However, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the discarded portion, so you can put it to good use in other baking such as this sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe!

Side view of a cookie filled with chocolate chips resting against a cooking rack.

In addition to preventing waste, your Sourdough discard recipes will benefit from the extra flavor and moisture provided by this ingredient.

What are sourdough chocolate chip cookies like?

When we first made these cookies, we had no idea what to expect. We were concerned that our sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies would taste sour. We certainly did not want our cookies to taste like our sourdough bread!

Side view of the interior of a baked chocolate chip cookie

So when they came out of the oven perfectly moist, flavorful, and delicious we were both relieved and a little surprised that the “sour” in the sourdough starter discard basically disappeared.

This cookie is like no other we have ever tasted. The consistency is soft and tender with a nice rise and tastes like a delicious chocolate chip cookie. The middle is cakey and soft. The edge, where it is a little bit more golden, has this perfect texture of a crispier cookie.

Ingredients for our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

top down view of ingredients used to make sourdough chocolate chip cookies including sourdough starter, flour, sugar, vanilla, butter, baking soda, oil, egg, and salt and chocolate chips

These cookies are easy to bake and fun to eat! Plus it just feels right to know you are preventing food waste. Make extra and share with friends! See the recipe card below for exact amounts. Make sure to print it for your recipe box!

  • Butter – I always use unsalted. If you use salted omit the salt.
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar. You can substitute with an equal amount of raw sugar.
  • Brown Sugar – I like dark brown but the light brown sugar is just fine.
  • Egg – Grade A large is what I use for consistency.
  • Oil – We used canola but any neutral tasting oil will work.
  • Vanilla – I highly recommend real vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla.
    • If you use imitation it will not affect the outcome of this cookie, however.
  • Sourdough Discard (unfed starter).
  • Flour – All-purpose flour
  • Salt – We like fine sea salt but kosher or table salt will work too.
  • Baking Soda – Make sure your soda is fresh! Baking soda absorbs odors and loses its potency over time, so replace your box often.
  • Chocolate Chips – We tend to use 60% cocoa but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate too.

How do you make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Cookie batter in a scoop hovering over the bowl
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF before you get started so that your oven is nice and hot when the cookies are ready to bake.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. It saves so much clean-up time! It also removes any issues you could have by baking on a light or dark-colored baking sheet.
  3. In a large bowl, with a whisk or hand mixer, mix butter, sugars, egg, and oil until light and fluffy.
  4. Add sourdough starter and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
  5. Combine your dry ingredients: flours, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated (no more dry flour), but don’t over mix.
  7. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  8. Rest the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  9. With a cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough into a pan. Space them as they will spread.
  10. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Until the edge is slightly brown.
  11. Rest on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack.

If baking scares or confuses you, check out our Baking Basics Techniques, Tools, and Ingredients article.

Top down view of chocolate chip cookies sitting on a cooling rack.

Storing Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • This cookie dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to one week. The cookie dough can also be frozen prior to baking. 
  • We freeze shaped cookie dough on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and once frozen, put them in an airtight freezer container such as a resealable freezer bag.
  • Cookies can be baked from a frozen state. Add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
  • Baked cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
  • These sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies freeze beautifully. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Side view of the interior of a baked chocolate chip cookie

Tips and Tricks

  • Sourdough discard doesn’t have to be fed or used right away. Just add it to a container and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.
  • If the discard begins to smell foul or takes on a pinkish hue, it’s no longer safe to use.
  • Raw sugar can be replaced by granulated sugar.
  • Resting the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes will help the cookie not to spread as much while cooking
  • Because all sourdough starters may have a different consistency, you may need to add a little bit of flour. Mine is like a pancake batter. So, I used 2 cups of flour. Your batter should be thick and sticky but not soupy or chalky.
  • We would also recommend if you need to make more than 1 batch in the oven, put the dough back in the fridge or away from the heat source until they’re ready to bake so the cookie won’t spread too much.
  • Don’t use a hot baking sheet. We recommend letting your baking sheet cool or using multiple cookie sheets.
  • We used a 1-1/2 tablespoon scoop. Our sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe makes 39 cookies filling each tray with 12 cookies. You can use a larger or smaller scoop and bake accordingly.
  • Bake Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies for 12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through baking.
Scoop full of cookie dough

We love cookies! You can find all of our cookie recipes here!

A stack of chocolate chip cookies with chips scattered around the bottom.

More recipes you may like

If you liked this recipe, we would appreciate your comment and a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!

Side view of a stack of chocolate chip cookies with the top cookie broken in half

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Julie Menghini
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies have a moist cake-like middle, slightly crispy outside, and delightful cookie flavor. This cookie recipe is the perfect way to use up your sourdough discard and treat your family.
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword: Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, Sourdough
Servings: 39

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup oil vegetable or canola
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose flour can substitute bleached
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips milk chocolate or bittersweet can be substituted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the butter and white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and oil. Mix until combined.
  • Add the sourdough starter and vanilla. Mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir or whisk to combine.
  • With the mixer on low, spoon dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Don't overmix.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips either with the mixer on low or by hand.
  • Rest the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Scoop 12 balls of dough onto a cookie sheet (3×4) using a 1-1/2 tablespoon scoop.
  • Bake for 12 to 14 minutes turning the pan half way through baking.
  • Let the cookies rest 2 to 3 minutes on the pan before tranferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

Sourdough starters can have different consistencies. Our discard has a pancake consistency. You want your dough to be thick and sticky but not soupy. If it’s too thin add a touch of flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 119IUCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Pin this recipe!

Two photo collage for Pinterest. The top photo is of a cookie broken in half showing the interior and the bottom photo is a full cookie dotted with chocolate chips leaning against a cooling rack.
5 from 9 votes (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




Vivian W.

Monday 27th of May 2024

The cookies came out delicious, especially with soft texture in the middle. Just wondering if there is a way to make the outside crispier and still keep the inside moist & soft?

Thank you!

Vivian W.

Tuesday 28th of May 2024

@Julie Menghini, Thank you very much for the helpful tips. Really appreciate every detail you provided! I am gonna try to bake another batch this weekend! Thank you!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 28th of May 2024

Hi Vivian, so glad you enjoyed them. If you substitute the 1/4 cup of oil with butter, they will be crispier on the edges. So, 1 cup of butter and no oil. You can also increase the temperature of your oven to 375ºF and monitor them closely since they may cook quicker. As soon as they start to brown on the edges remove them from the oven. Leave them on the cookie sheet to cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Please let me know how it goes for you.

Teashie Cullins

Thursday 18th of August 2022

I am trying to use up spelt sourdough discard. Would that work in these cookies? Thank you!

Julie Menghini

Saturday 20th of August 2022

Absolutely, Teashie!

Susan Choo

Thursday 26th of August 2021

Hi Julie How much is 1/4 oil for the sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe? Thanks Susan

Julie Menghini

Friday 27th of August 2021

Oops, that is 1/4 cup, Susan. Thank you for bringing that to my attention and I hope you'll let me know how you like these cookies. We love them.

Erin

Monday 7th of June 2021

Our discard is still going strong a year later, and I'm so excited to discover this recipe. Why? I love chocolate chip cookies and haven't had good luck with the sourdough cookie recipes until this one. IT WAS SO GOOD! Thank you for this!

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 8th of June 2021

Thank you Erin! We loved this recipe too and am so glad it worked for you too.

Ann from Sumptuous Spoonfuls

Saturday 22nd of May 2021

I am always on the lookout for more uses for sourdough starter ... these cookies look fabulous!

Julie Menghini

Monday 24th of May 2021

Thank you, Ann! We love them.

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