Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are rich, soft, and packed with incredible flavor. The combination of nutty brown butter, sweet chocolate chips, and sourdough discard creates a cookie that’s chewy on the inside with slightly crisp edges. If you’re looking for a delicious way to use extra sourdough discard, this recipe is a must-try.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

Sourdough discard isn’t just for bread. It adds a subtle tangy flavor, improves texture, and helps create exceptionally tender cookies. Combined with browned butter, these cookies develop deep caramel-like notes that make them taste even more special than traditional chocolate chip cookies.

What Is Sourdough Discard?

When feeding a sourdough starter, a portion is usually removed before adding fresh flour and water. This leftover portion is called sourdough discard. Although it may not be active enough to raise bread on its own, it’s perfect for adding flavor and texture to baked goods such as pancakes, muffins, crackers, and cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1½ cups browned butter, cooled
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard. Mix until everything is fully combined.

Combine the Dough

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until a soft cookie dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies less tender.

Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Chill the Dough

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 10 minutes. For even better flavor, chill it overnight. A longer rest allows the sourdough discard to develop a deeper flavor and improves the overall texture.

If refrigerated overnight, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–20 minutes before scooping.

Bake the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough into portions of about 2 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.

Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still appear slightly soft.

Cool and Enjoy

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

The cookies will continue to set as they cool while remaining soft and chewy in the center.

Tips for Success

• Use cooled brown butter to prevent the dough from becoming greasy.
• Don’t overbake; slightly underbaked cookies stay softer.
• Mix different types of chocolate chips for more flavor.
• Chilling the dough overnight creates a richer taste and better texture.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for longer storage.

Result

These Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with chocolate, infused with rich caramel-like brown butter flavor, and have a wonderfully soft texture. They’re an easy and delicious way to transform sourdough discard into a bakery-style treat that everyone will love.