This isn’t just a way to cram sourdough starter or discard into a cookie recipe. These cookies are BETTER than the best chocolate chip cookies. Note that this recipe is PERFECTLY balanced for 100% hydration starter, meaning you feed your starter equal WEIGHTS of flour and water each time you feed it. If your cookies turn out thin and burnt, your starter is over-hydrated…it has too much water in it. If your cookies turn out cakey and thick, your starter is under-hydrated…it has too much flour in it. You can fix this by giving your starter a feeding that’s correspondingly heavier on flour or water. Check out my Troubleshooting Simple Sourdough video for an explanation.
(The “Print” feature is at the bottom of the recipe.)
Toys in this video
- Side Swipe Blade: (Amazon knockoffs like Beater Blade are NOT as efficient…I’ve tested. This company only sells directly and are currently out of stock of several items…which may be my fault! They are restocking for Spring 2024, so check back!)
- Pre-cut parchment sheets (AMAZING time saver, and cheaper than buying rolls that never tear properly.)
- My favorite kitchen scale (Restaurant grade, takes AA batteries or plug in.)
- Danish Bread Whisk (More efficient mixing of batters and doughs without overworking gluten.)
- Cookie Scoop #60 1 Tablespoon, 1/2 ounce size
(I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy something from one of these links, I’ll get a few cents. Thanks!)
The Recipe
(Yields about 5dz cookies using 1 Tbsp scoops.)
In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, add:
- 2 sticks (8oz / 227g) unsalted butter, softened (to soften cold butter quickly, place unwrapped sticks in 3 cups of 90F/32C water for 5-10 minutes, then pat dry before unwrapping)
- 6oz / 170g white sugar
- 6oz / 170g brown sugar
Beat on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Then add:
- 2 eggs (if mixing by hand, add them one at a time)
Then add:
- 6oz / 170g sourdough starter (at 100% hydration. This is VERY important. If your starter is overhydrated, your cookies will be thin and burnt. If your starter is underhydrated, your cookies will be thick and cakey. See my video on how to fix an overhydrated starter here!)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
If mixing by hand, add the starter in small amounts around the bowl. Mix until starter is fully incorporated. Then add:
- 9oz / 255 g all purpose flour
- 0.3oz / 9g salt (any type)
- 1 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
Mix on low speed, only until almost all the dry flour is incorporated. Then add:
- 2-2.5 cups (or more) of chocolate chips…any type or mixture
(Yes, you can also add as many nuts to this recipe as you want. I do NOT endorse the corruption of chocolate chip cookies with nuts!)
Mix on low speed only until the chips are incorporated.
Scoop in 1 Tablespoon amounts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment/foil/wax paper or greased. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 350F /175C oven for 12 minutes, rotating after 6 minutes. Cookies are done when lightly browned around the edges and on top.
For frozen cookies, bake on the center rack of a preheated 350F / 175C oven for 6 minutes. Rotate and bake an additional 7-8 minutes until done.
