Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you’ve got sourdough starter—whether it’s discard or active—this is your sign to bake cookies. These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and have that rich, buttery flavor with just the slightest tang from the starter. Letting the dough ferment for 8+ hours takes these over the top: crisp edges, gooey centers, and deep flavor.

Why use sourdough starter in cookies?

Discard or active, your starter adds more than just flavor.

Discard (unfed starter) gives a gentle tang and helps reduce waste—it’s a smart, sustainable swap that adds depth without overpowering the cookie.
Active starter adds natural leavening and a bit more lift, making the cookies slightly puffier and softer in the center.

Either way, the long fermentation makes them easier to digest and lets the ingredients come together for an even richer taste. These freeze well—if you don’t eat them all first.

New to sourdough? Grab Mad Kneady’s Dehydrated Starter and you’ll be baking your first loaf and these cookies in just a few days.

400 g all-purpose flour (about 3 ⅓ cups)
65 g active sourdough starter (about ¼ cup) - if you have discard that works perfectly fine as well, just bring it to room temp.
225 g salted butter, softened (about 1 cup)
230 g cane sugar or coconut sugar (about 1 ⅙ cups)
220 g light brown sugar, packed (about 1 cup, packed)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
400 g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (about 2 ¼ cups)

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or just grab a bowl and spoon—no judgment), cream together the browned butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar. To brown your butter: melt it in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it smells nutty and turns golden brown. Let it cool slightly before using. Beat the sugars and butter starting on medium speed and work your way up to high. You want it fluffy, pale, and whipped—about 3 minutes.

2. Add in the sourdough starter, eggs, salt, and vanilla. Mix until everything’s smooth and combined.

3. Now slowly mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Once that’s in, fold in your chocolate chips. Don’t over mix—we’re making cookies, not bread 😅

4. Scoop the dough into a small Tupperware or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Seal it up well so it doesn’t dry out. Let it hang out at room temp for 8+ hours. I usually make the dough in the morning so it's ready to bake by the evening. If you want to bake later, you can pop it in the fridge after fermenting—just let it come to room temp before baking.

5. When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).

6. Roll the dough into 24–30 cookies, depending on how big you want them. I usually go for 70–90g per cookie for that bakery-style size. Press the tops down slightly.

7. Bake for 8–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.

(Optional: sprinkle some flakey sea salt, I love Maldon’s)

8. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet (they finish setting up outside the oven). Then dig in!

(Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for 6 days. To reheat, bake at 350°F for 5 minutes—they’ll taste like they just came out of the oven 🔥)

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