Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve joined the club and taken up sourdough baking! I’ve been making Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread on repeat and experimenting with all sorts of other goodies. Sometimes, I take a break, though, and put my starter to sleep in the fridge. When I’m ready to bake again and need to wake it back up, I do what you’re supposed to and scoop out a portion of it so I can feed the starter and wake it back up. I hate throwing that discard away though! So, I’ve been collecting ways to use it, and this sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe is one of my faves.

I took my traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe and altered it a bit so I could add a not-so-small amount of sourdough discard to the dough. Want to know what happened? It made the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Literally. They have this subtle tang to them from the starter, and the added moisture and acidity make them incredibly chewy and tender. Sprinkled with a little sea salt to break up the sweetness, they’ve turned me into a raving fan. I don’t think I’ll ever make chocolate chip cookies without my starter again (if I can help it).

The Secret Ingredient in These Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sourdough discard is a phenomenal addition to your baking repertoire, even outside of its normal use (loaves and other risen doughs). I’ll get into what a sourdough discard actually is in a moment here (see the section below titled “What Is Sourdough Discard?”), but for now, I want to focus on what it adds to these cookies:

• Flavour-wise, sourdough discard is what gives sourdough bread that tang so many people love. It does the same in these cookies, particularly if you let the dough chill for 24 hours before baking. In this recipe, I used 100mg of starter. That’s not a small amount, and the flavour really comes through.
• The starter not only adds moisture to the cookie dough (no dry, crumbly cookies here), but the acidity it delivers also makes the cookies more tender and chewy.
• I have a waste-not-want-not mentality when it comes to my starter. This recipe allows me to avoid tossing half of mine every time I feed it. It’s quick and easy, and you can use an active starter OR one that’s been dormant in the fridge.

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter you remove, or “discard,” just before feeding. Usually somewhere around half of your entire starter. If you have time to make a sourdough loaf that day (or pizza dough, or cinnamon rolls, etc.), you can use that discard (as long as it’s active) to help your dough rise over many hours. If you don’t have time for a more involved baking project, that discard often ends up in the trash. What a shame!

But the sourdough starter does more than just help bread rise. Even when it’s dormant (ie taken from the fridge), the tangy, sour flavour it provides can really boost various batters and doughs. You can use it in biscuits, in scones, in pancakes, and more. I love it in my Sourdough Discard Crackers (recipe coming in a few days!) and, now, in these chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Notes on Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these vegan sourdough chocolate chip cookies. Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact amounts.

• Vegan butter – Grab some at the store or try my easy Homemade Vegan Butter Recipe.
• Sugars – I use a combo of organic cane sugar and light brown sugar. If you prefer a deeper molasses-like flavour, opt for dark brown sugar.
• Sourdough discard – Your discard does not need to be active for this recipe. You can use starter that’s already fallen or starter that’s been dormant in the fridge. You don’t need it to make the dough rise. You’re using it for that sour flavour.
• Vanilla extract – To add some warmth and depth to the flavour profile.
• All-purpose flour – Or your favourite 1:1 gluten-free flour.
• Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps make the cookies a bit softer and chewier. It also helps keep the cookies from spreading in the oven. Tapioca starch or rice flour will also work.
• Baking soda – For a slight rise.
• Sea salt – To break up the sweetness a bit.
• Vegan chocolate chips – I like semi-sweet or dark chocolate here. You could also chop a vegan chocolate bar into chunks.
• Flaky sea salt – To be sprinkled on the cookies just after they come out of the oven. I find the sea salt adds a sophisticated twist to these classic cookies.

How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ready to whip up some of the best cookies you’ve ever tasted? Here’s a quick look at how it’s done (you’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below):

• Combine the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
• Put it all together. Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips.
• Chill. Cover the dough tightly and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (24 hours is better).
• Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Form cookies. Scoop out the cookies (about 2 tablespoons each) into balls and arrange on the baking sheet with 3 inches (8cm) between them. Gently press down the tops of the cookies and top with additional chocolate chips if you’d like.
• Bake. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes.
• Finishing touches. Sprinkle the freshly baked cookies with flaky sea salt.
• Cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Perfect Cookies

These sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies are easy enough, but I want to pass on some pro tips to help set you up for success:

• Room temperature vegan butter. Let the vegan butter come to room temperature before you begin. It won’t cream properly with the sugars if it’s too cold or melted.
• Don’t skimp on creaming time. Cream together the butter and sugars for at least 5 minutes or until the mixture substantially lightens in colour and becomes fluffy. This will help create tender cookies that aren’t overly dense.
• Don’t overmix. When mixing together the wet and dry ingredients, and then when folding in the chocolate chips, do so just until everything is combined. Mixing past this point will overdevelop the gluten, resulting in dense, tough cookies.
• Chill all the way. This cookie dough needs at least 2 hours in the fridge before baking but is even better after 24 hours or so. The flavours really get a chance to develop over a longer period of time for tangier, more “sourdough-y” cookies. Plus, the flour has more time to hydrate for a more tender, chewy texture.
• Keep the dough cold. When scooping the dough into balls, do so in batches, keeping the remaining dough cold as you work. This will help keep them from spreading too much.
• Leave some space. These cookies will spread a bit (especially if you don’t chill the dough for very long), so leave at least 3 inches of space between them.
• Cool completely. I know it’s hard, but I highly encourage you to let these cookies cool all the way before you dive in. They will hold together better and have a much more satisfying chew to them.

Variations

Feel free to use this recipe as a launching point for some flavour experimentation. Here are a few fun ideas:

• Chocolate on chocolate. If you replace 1/4 cup (21g) of the flour with 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder, voila! You’ve got a double chocolate chip cookie perfect for any hardcore chocolate lover.
• Espresso chocolate chip. Coffee fanatic? Add a teaspoon or two of instant espresso powder to the cookie dough (along with the dry ingredients).
• White chocolate macadamia nut. Take a break from chocolate and fold some chopped macadamia nuts and vegan white chocolate chips into the dough. Another cookie classic with a sourdough twist.
• Orange creamsicle. I’ll sometimes swap the chocolate chips out for some vegan white chocolate chips and fresh orange zest. It’s kind of like an orange creamsicle in cookie form!
• Play with other mix-ins. Aside from the above flavour variations, feel free to experiment with whatever mix-in/s you’d like. Coconut flakes would be good. So would chopped walnuts or pecans, peanut butter chips, or even chopped pretzels. Just try not to use more than 1 1/2 cups of mix-ins total (including the chocolate chips). Too many mix-ins will impact how the cookies bake.

Storing Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Countertop: Once cool, seal any leftover cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: You can also seal leftover sourdough discard cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Another option, if you don’t plan to indulge in these cookies right away, is to freeze the dough and bake it later. Just follow the recipe all the way through, forming the dough into balls. Then arrange them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pop ’em in the freezer for an hour to firm up. Load the flash-frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake some (or all) of them, you can do so directly from frozen. Just tack on an extra minute or two to the baking time.

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

Does your cookie jar need an upgrade? Try these vegan cookie recipes next:

• Brownie Cookies
• Gingersnap Molasses Cookies
• S’mores Cookies
• Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Peanut Butter Cookies

Enjoy friends! If you make these sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!