Chewy Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are the cookies I make when the discard jar is getting full and I don’t want to just toss it. They’re chewy in the middle, a little crisp at the edges, and noticeably less sweet than a bakery cookie. The discard adds a soft tang that cuts through the sugar instead of getting buried under it. No mixer, and the dough is just as happy chilling in the fridge for up to 3 days as it is going straight into the oven. This is the chewy, crisp-edged version, made with softened butter and no frozen-dough step. If you want thick, tall, cakey cookies instead, my Thick and Cakey Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies use cold butter, honey and a freeze-then-bake method.
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 DiscardYou are here1 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 Discard1 hr 33 min · Makes 20 cookies
Brown rice, sorghum and tapioca flours
You bake gluten-free
Why You’ll Love It
- Uses up a full cup of discard, fed or unfed, straight from the jar
- About a third of the sugar in a typical chocolate chip cookie, so the sourdough tang actually comes through
- Chewy middles, crisp edges, no stand mixer required
- Dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bake a few at a time
- Freezer-friendly: scoop, freeze, and bake straight from frozen whenever you want two cookies instead of two dozen
Ingredients
Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate. A kitchen scale will always get you a more consistent cookie, especially for the flour.
- Unsalted butter (½ cup): Softened to room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
- Granulated sugar (⅓ cup): For sweetness and helping the edges crisp.
- Brown sugar (⅓ cup): Adds moisture and a deeper, molasses-y flavor that pairs well with the discard’s tang.
- Egg (1 large): Binds the dough together.
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp): Rounds out the flavor.
- Sourdough discard (1 cup): The star of the show. Unfed straight from the jar is perfect, no need to feed it first.
- All-purpose flour (1½ cups): The base of the dough.
- Baking soda (½ tsp): Gives the cookies lift and helps them spread properly.
- Fine salt (½ tsp): Balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey.
- Chocolate chips (1 cup): Semisweet is classic, but chopped chocolate bar works too if that’s what’s in the pantry.
Equipment
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- Large mixing bowl: For creaming the butter and mixing the dough.
- Baking sheet: Line it with parchment for easy cleanup. Two sheets hold all 24 cookies, or bake in batches.
- Cookie scoop: A 2-tablespoon scoop keeps the cookies uniform, though a regular spoon works fine too.
- Parchment paper: keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
- Cooling rack: lets the cookies firm up without steaming on the pan.
Sample Schedule
Day 1
- Mix the dough and chill it for at least an hour, or overnight if that's easier
- Scoop and bake whenever you're ready. Straight from the fridge is fine
Chewy Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Method
- Cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart, and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Notes
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How to Make It
1Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes by hand with a sturdy spoon or whisk, less if you’re using a mixer.
2Mix in the egg, vanilla, and discard. Add the egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard. Stir until smooth. The batter will look a little looser than a normal cookie dough at this stage, and that’s correct.
3Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing here is what makes cookies tough, so stop as soon as it’s combined.
4Fold in the chocolate chips. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand until they’re evenly distributed through the dough.
5Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This firms up the butter and lets the flour hydrate, which keeps the cookies from spreading into thin, greasy puddles in the oven. Overnight is even better if you have the time.
6Scoop and bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Discard straight or age doesn’t matter much here. This is one of the few recipes where a jar that’s been sitting in the fridge for a week works exactly as well as fresh discard, since you’re not relying on it for rise. If your dough seems too soft to scoop after chilling, give it another 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. For thinner, crispier cookies, skip the chill and bake straight away; for thicker, chewier ones, chill overnight.
How to Store
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 2 extra minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates per cookie and will vary based on exact ingredients used.
140
CALORIES
20
CARBS (G)
2
PROTEIN (G)
6
FAT (G)
12
SUGAR (G)
Desi’s Notes
I like these best on day two, once the dough’s had a full overnight chill. The flavor rounds out and the tang from the discard gets a little more pronounced. If you’re doubling the recipe for a bake sale or a school event, the dough freezes beautifully, so it’s worth making a double batch and keeping half in the freezer for next time.
Want a thicker, cakier cookie? My Thick and Cakey Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies use cold, cubed butter, honey and Caputo 00 flour, and the shaped dough is frozen and baked straight from the freezer so the cookies stay tall.
For a classic cookie without sourdough, see Classic Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The gluten-free version is Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Before You Bake
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