Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are an easy place to start with gluten-free baking, because the dough is mostly butter and sugar. Discard adds a faint tang that makes the chocolate taste deeper, and it replaces a little of the flour and liquid.
The one firm rule is to chill the dough. Gluten-free dough spreads fast in a hot oven, and an hour in the refrigerator lets the psyllium and the rice flour absorb moisture so the cookies keep their thickness.
Research-backed recipe. The amounts and times follow methods published by several gluten-free bakers, written here as an original recipe inside the ranges those methods share. Treat the times as a range, and let the look of the cookie edges make the call.
A note on celiac disease and shared kitchens. This kitchen also bakes wheat sourdough, so I cannot promise that these recipes are safe for celiac disease. They are written for gluten-free and gluten-sensitive bakers. If you have celiac disease, bake in your own gluten-free setup and read every ingredient label for a gluten-free certification. Ask your doctor what is right for you.
Which one is this?Compare all 5 cookie recipes
These 5 cookie recipes are close cousins. Here is how they differ, so you can pick the right one.
- Chewy Discard1 hr 27 min · Makes 24 cookies
Softened butter, all-purpose flour, brown and white sugar, unfed discard
You want a classic chewy cookie with no long rest.
- Classic Brown Butter1 hr 2 min · Makes 24 cookies
Browned butter and an extra yolk, no starter
You want deep flavor and have no starter
- Thick and Cakey24 hr 37 min · Makes 12 cookies
Cold butter, honey, about a third of the usual sugar, Caputo 00 flour, a day-long rest
You want height and a soft center and can wait
- Double Chocolate24 hr 37 min · Makes 12 cookies
The thick and cakey dough with cocoa added
You want a chocolate dough on the same slow method
- Gluten-Free DiscardYou are here1 hr 33 min · Makes 20 cookies
Brown rice, sorghum and tapioca flours
You bake gluten-free
Why You’ll Love It
- Uses discard straight from the refrigerator, with no feeding step
- Crisp golden edges and a soft, chewy middle
- The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so you can bake a few cookies at a time
- A hand mixer is all you need
Ingredients
Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate. A kitchen scale will always get you a more consistent result, especially for the flours and the starter.
- Unsalted butter, softened (115 g / 1 stick / ½ cup): Gives the cookies their richness and chew.
- Light brown sugar (150 g / about ¾ cup packed): Adds moisture and a caramel note.
- Granulated sugar (50 g / ¼ cup): Helps the edges crisp.
- Egg (1 large): Binds the dough.
- Vanilla extract (5 g / 1 tsp): Rounds out the chocolate.
- Gluten-free sourdough discard (100 g / about 7 Tbsp): Fresh from the refrigerator is fine.
- Brown rice flour (100 g / about ⅔ cup): The whole-grain base.
- Sorghum flour (70 g / about ½ cup): Adds body and a mild sweetness.
- Tapioca starch (60 g / about ½ cup): Keeps the crumb tender and chewy.
- Whole psyllium husk (5 g / about 1½ tsp): The binder. Use whole husks and not powder.
- Baking soda (3 g / ¾ tsp): Helps the cookies brown and spread evenly.
- Fine sea salt (4 g / ¾ tsp): Balances the sugar.
- Semisweet chocolate chips (170 g / about 1 cup): Check the label for a gluten-free mark.
Equipment
Gear guides: Sourdough Equipment Guide·Kitchen Scales·Banneton Sizing·Scoring Tools·Storing the Loaf·Pizza Stone vs. Baking Steel·Shop All Picks →
- Kitchen scale: weigh the flours, the discard and the chocolate.
- Mixing bowl: for creaming the butter and mixing the dough.
- Hand mixer: creams the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.
- Rubber spatula: folds in the chocolate and scrapes the bowl.
- Cookie scoop: portions the dough evenly, about 2 Tbsp each.
- Rimmed baking sheet: bakes the cookies. Two sheets help.
- Parchment paper: prevents sticking and helps the bottoms brown evenly.
- Cooling rack: lets the cookies firm up without steaming.
Sample Schedule (Same Day)
Mix
- Cream the butter and sugars
- Stir in the flours and chocolate
Chill
- Chill the dough for 1 hour
- Or up to 3 days
Bake
- Scoop onto parchment
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes per sheet
Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Method
- Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla, then the discard, until combined.
- Add the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, baking soda and salt. Mix on low until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop 45 g balls onto parchment-lined sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and golden and the centers look soft.
- Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
Notes
Save This Recipe
Get it emailed to you now, plus new recipes as they go up.
Your email is safe with me. I’ll send this recipe straight over. No spam, ever. You can unsubscribe anytime.
How to Make It
1Cream the butter and sugars. Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. If the butter has turned shiny in your warm kitchen, chill the bowl for 10 minutes before you go on.
2Add the egg, vanilla and discard. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then the discard, until the mixture looks even. It may look slightly curdled, which is normal and smooths out once the flour goes in.
3Add the dry ingredients. Add the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until no dry streaks remain, scraping the bowl once. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
4Fold in the chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula, reaching to the bottom of the bowl so they spread evenly through the dough.
5Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days. Skipping the chill makes the cookies spread thin and crisp.
6Scoop the dough. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line the rimmed baking sheets with parchment and scoop the dough into balls of about 45 g, spaced 2 inches apart. If you only have one sheet, keep the remaining dough chilled between batches.
7Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and golden and the centers still look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool.
8Cool. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, since they are fragile while hot. Then move them to a cooling rack.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Cookies spread too thin: Chill the dough longer, and keep it cold between batches.
- Dry, crumbly dough: Weigh the flours. Gluten-free flours pack differently from cup to cup.
- Gritty texture: Let the dough chill for the full hour so the rice flour can soften.
- Burnt bottoms: Use light-colored sheets with parchment, and bake on the center rack.
How to Store
To store: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. In a humid kitchen they soften, so refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates per cookie and will vary based on exact ingredients used.
175
CALORIES
27
CARBS (G)
2
PROTEIN (G)
8
FAT (G)
4.6
SAT. FAT (G)
1.3
FIBER (G)
14.5
SUGAR (G)
128
SODIUM (MG)
Desi’s Notes
Published gluten-free sourdough cookie methods share a chilled dough and brown sugar for chew, baked in a moderate oven, and this recipe stays within those ranges. For thinner, crisper cookies, press the dough balls down slightly before baking.
Cookies are another home for discard from the Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter. For something to bake next, try the Gluten-Free Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, and find the rest of the set on the Gluten-Free Sourdough page.
Before You Bake
Scaling this recipe up or down? Run your numbers through the Sourdough Calculator. And if you want a printable reference for troubleshooting or timing, browse all six Printable Quicksheets.
New to sourdough? Start with the free course
Seven short lessons over 12 days, from mixing your first starter to baking your first loaf with it. Stop anytime.
One short lesson every couple of days. Seven in all, then you’re done. No spam. See our Privacy Policy.
Already have a starter? Bake your first loaf → · Already baking? Browse recipes →
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating below. It takes 10 seconds and helps other bakers decide what to make next.
Baked this recipe your way? Share it in Community Bakes and inspire other readers.