Description
These Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies are a rich and flavorful twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. Featuring nutty browned butter, the tang of sourdough discard, and melty dark chocolate chips, these cookies offer a perfect balance of sweetness and depth. Chilling the dough enhances the texture and flavor, resulting in thicker, soft-centered, perfectly rounded cookies with an optional sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a gourmet touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup sourdough discard, unfed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add-ins and Garnish
- 1-1/2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, plus extra for topping
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring and swirling occasionally until the butter foams, then turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Scrape all browned bits into a large mixing bowl and let the butter cool for 10–15 minutes.
- Mix Sugars into Browned Butter: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the browned butter and whisk until fully combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Whisk in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
- Incorporate Sourdough Discard: Stir in the unfed sourdough discard until it is fully incorporated into the wet ingredients.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Mix Dry into Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks gently to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 72 hours. Chilling is essential to develop a thicker dough and deepen the flavors for better cookies.
- Preheat and Prepare for Baking: When ready, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons in size and place them about 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers still appear slightly soft.
- Finish the Cookies: Immediately after baking, press extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies. Optionally, use a large round cookie cutter or glass to gently “scoot” the warm cookies into perfect circles for a professional look.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Adding a slice of sandwich bread helps keep them soft.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in a 300°F oven for 3–5 minutes, microwave individual cookies for 8–10 seconds, or heat in an air fryer at 300°F for 2–3 minutes for a crisp edge.
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months, ensuring they are fully cooled and layered with parchment. Freeze cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough balls straight from the freezer adding 1–2 minutes bake time.
- Tips for Best Results: Chill dough at least 2 hours for thicker cookies and better flavor. Use room-temperature sourdough discard for texture. Brown butter carefully to maximize flavor. Press extra chocolate chips on top for a bakery look. “Scoot” cookies into round shapes right after baking.
- Alternate Cooking Methods: This recipe requires baking in a conventional oven; no alternate cooking methods apply.
- Leftovers: Store leftover cookies at room temperature for snacking, crumble over ice cream or yogurt, or use leftover dough in brownies, milkshakes, or skillet cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
