These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy with the most deliciously crispy edges and plenty of ooey-gooey chocolate chips. Made with nutty brown butter and tangy sourdough discard, their rich, buttery, and complex flavor sets them apart from classic chocolate chip cookies.

Five sourdough chocolate chip cookies on a crinkled piece of parchment paper.

Recipe Update (10/28/24): I've added a bit more flour to improve the cookie texture, making them sturdy enough to bake right away. You can still chill the dough for a deeper flavor, but it's optional - perfect for when you're craving cookies fast!

My perfect chocolate chip cookie has a soft, chewy center bordered by crispy, golden brown edges, and is generously studded with ooey-gooey chocolate chips.

With this ideal cookie in mind, I set out to develop my own sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe. However, I soon realized that it's not as simple as just adding sourdough discard to any recipe.

The water in the sourdough discard consistently resulted in cakey cookies, which isn't my ideal texture. After several attempts, I experimented with browning the butter. This not only eliminates the butter's water content but also imparts a rich, nutty flavor to the cookies.

It was a game-changer! Combined with the right ratio of flour, butter, and sugar, reducing the water content by browning the butter achieved the perfectly soft and chewy texture I'd been looking for.

Today, I’m walking you through how to make the best sourdough chocolate chip cookies, including which ingredients to use, tips for success, and how to store them so you can have delicious bakery-style cookies whenever the craving strikes.

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Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

Sourdough Discard- In this recipe, sourdough discard is primarily used for moisture. However, it also lends a subtle, complex flavor to the cookies that makes them extra special. If you're new to sourdough baking, check out my guide on how to make sourdough starter from scratch.
Butter- Browning the butter imparts a rich, nutty, and buttery flavor to the cookies. It also eliminates the butter's water content, offsetting the water added by the sourdough discard. This helps give the cookies a chewier texture.
All-Purpose Flour- Flour plays a crucial role in providing structure to the cookies. It's important to use enough to bind the cookie dough effectively, yet not so much that the cookies end up with a cakey texture.
Baking Soda- Acts as a leavening agent and contributes to a chewy cookie texture.
Kosher Salt- Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
Brown Sugar- Contributes to the chewiness of the cookies and gives them a rich, caramel-like sweetness. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
Granulated Sugar- Provides sweetness, helps the cookies spread, and aids in achieving crispy edges.
Eggs- Whole eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness.
Vanilla Extract- Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies with a hint of vanilla.
Chocolate Chips- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the perfect balance of bitter chocolate flavor and sweetness. Alternatively, use chocolate chunks, a coarsely chopped chocolate bar, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate if preferred.

The ingredients to make sourdough chocolate chip cookies. Each ingredient is labeled with text. They include sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, baking soda, butter, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and chocolate chips.

Tips for Success

Plan ahead. Allow enough time for the brown butter to cool and solidify before mixing the dough. Additionally, plan to let the dough chill for at least one hour before baking for a more well-developed flavor and better texture.
Measure using a food scale. For best results, use a food scale for accurate measuring, especially with flour. Over-measuring flour with a cup can result in cakey cookies. If a kitchen scale isn't available, spoon the flour gently into a measuring cup and level it off.
Chill the dough. Chill the dough to prevent excessive spreading during baking and to enhance its flavor. The longer the cookie dough chills, the more flavor it develops and the better the final texture will be.
Use a cookie scoop. For evenly baked cookies, use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to portion out the cookie dough.
Top with more chocolate chips. Gently press a few extra chocolate chips onto each cookie before baking for a more aesthetic look.

How to Make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is how to make chocolate chip cookies with sourdough discard.

Step 1: Brown the butter. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, whisking continuously, until the butter turns a rich amber color with dark brown specks and gives off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the brown butter to a bowl to prevent it from burning. Let it cool until it solidifies (to speed up, refrigerate or set the bowl over ice and stir).

Brown butter in a glass measuring cup sitting inside a large bowl of ice water. There is a rubber spatula in the brown butter.

Solidified brown butter in a glass measuring cup.

Step 2: Whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.

The dry ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl.

Step 3: Mix wet ingredients. Once the brown butter has solidified, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add both the brown and granulated sugars and beat with a hand or stand mixer until fully combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, mix in the sourdough discard and vanilla extract until smooth.

The wet ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick dough forms and no streaks of flour remain. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 5: Chill the dough. For a more well-developed flavor and texture, cover the cookie dough and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours). If you’re short on time, you can bake the dough immediately if it’s not too soft.

Sourdough chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 6: Preheat the oven. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 7: Form cookie dough balls. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each. For visual appeal, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball if desired.

Six sourdough chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 8: Bake cookies. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until edges are golden brown and centers are just slightly underbaked.

Step 9: Cool and enjoy. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Six baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Variations and Mix-Ins

Sea Salt- Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie before baking to enhance the sweet and savory contrast.
Chopped Nuts- Swap half of the chocolate chips for coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds.
Dried Fruits- Add raisins, dried cranberries, cherries, or apricots.
M&M's- Replace chocolate chips with colorful M&M candies - perfect for celebrating any holiday!
White Chocolate Macadamia - Swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips with creamy white chocolate chips and add some chopped macadamia nuts. (Want more details? Check out my sourdough white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe!)

Sourdough chocolate chip cookies with Valentine's Day M&M's mixed in. — Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M's replacing half of the chocolate chips for a fun Valentine's Day twist!

How to Store

Store baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

For longer storage, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature.

For make-ahead cookie dough, you can refrigerate it for up to 48 hours or freeze pre-portioned dough balls for up to two months. When baking from frozen, add a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed.

A hand holding up four halves of two sourdough chocolate chip cookies to show the texture of the inside of the cookie.

A cover of a recipe ebook with the title "Everyday Sourdough: 27 Sweet & Savory Sourdough Discard Recipes." There is an image of sourdough discard cinnamon rolls on the front. At the bottom, it reads "By Ashley Petrie of Everyday Homemade."

Grab a copy today!

Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?

It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!

Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.

No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.

Let's Connect!

Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].

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