Have leftover sourdough starter and not sure what to do with it? These Sourdough Discard Cookies are an easy, delicious solution. This small-batch recipe yields soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies in under 30 minutes and uses just a quarter cup of unfed starter.
I have made a lot, and I mean a LOT, of chocolate chip cookies in my life and this is by far one of the best ones I’ve ever made…★★★★★
– Katherine
I received my sourdough starter as a gift in 2021 but have only baked one loaf of sourdough bread. I experimented with discard recipes until I developed this chocolate chip cookie version that I love. Friends consistently rave about them—one even called them the best cookies he’s ever had.
Why We Love This Recipe
- It puts sourdough discard to good use so it doesn’t go to waste.
- Uses everyday pantry ingredients—no special bread flour required.
- The cookies are soft and chewy with a balanced sweetness and a subtle tang from the discard.
- Small batch recipe makes about nine cookies, perfect for sharing or when you don’t want a large batch.
Ingredients
- Dark or light brown sugar (dark adds extra depth and chewiness).
- Unfed sourdough discard (about 1:1:1 starter-to-flour-to-water is common, but most discards work).
- Vanilla extract for classic cookie flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark/milk chocolate or chunks if you prefer).
- Only the egg yolk is used in this recipe—no whole egg required.
- Unsalted butter at room temperature but still slightly firm; overly soft butter can make cookies spread too much.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Mix-ins: Add up to 1/4 cup of chopped nuts, toffee, or different chocolate. For gooey pockets of chocolate, use dark chocolate chunks instead of chips.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Cookies
Quick Recipe Video
Step by Step Instructions
Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a medium-large bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Step 2: Mix in the sourdough discard, then the egg yolk and vanilla extract. A hand mixer is convenient for this small batch.
Step 3: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until the flour streaks disappear.
Step 4: Gently stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be slightly sticky.
Step 5: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place balls 2–3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Top with extra chips if desired.
Bake on the middle rack at 350°F (177°C) until the edges are lightly golden, 8–11 minutes. Sprinkle flaky salt if you like and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Expert Tips
- Use unfed (discard) starter. Fed starter can work but may give a more floury note.
- Weigh dry ingredients. Overmeasuring flour commonly causes dry, puffy cookies. Use a food scale or spoon and level flour when using cups.
- Don’t overmix. Mix only until combined to keep cookies tender and chewy.
- Adjust flour if needed. If your discard is particularly liquid, add a little more flour to reach the right dough consistency.
- Don’t overbake. Remove cookies when edges are light tan; they will continue to set on the hot sheet.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of your starter that is removed before feeding. This unfed starter is perfect for recipes like these cookies so it doesn’t go to waste.
Yes, but it may add a floury flavor. Unfed discard gives the best balance of tang and texture in this cookie.
Right after baking, place a slightly larger round object over the cookie and gently scoot the edges inward to form a perfect circle.
This usually comes from too much flour or over-baking. Weigh flour or use the spoon-and-level method, and watch the bake time closely.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to 1 week—the bread helps keep cookies soft by absorbing excess moisture.
Refrigerator: Refrigerating baked cookies can dry them out, so it’s not recommended. You can refrigerate the dough overnight and bake the next day.
Freezing: Freeze cooled cookies wrapped in plastic or in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. You can also freeze dough balls for up to 1 month and bake from frozen (add a minute or two to bake time).
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Orange Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
-
Easy Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
-
Marshmallow Crispy Cookies (Costco Copycat)
-
Chewy Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Scale or measuring cups
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer (optional)
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
Weigh dry ingredients in grams with a food scale for best results.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 scant teaspoon salt (a little less than 1/2 tsp)
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 1/4 cup (58 g) unfed sourdough starter discard
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (60 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional).
- Cream the butter and brown sugar until very well combined, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the sourdough discard, then the egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the baking sheet, spacing 2–3 inches apart. Top with extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake on the middle rack until edges are lightly golden, 8–11 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet 5–10 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
Sourdough discard: Use the unfed portion of your starter. Fed starter can be used but may add a floury taste.
Measuring flour: For consistent, non-dry results weigh flour in grams. If using cups, spoon and level.
Storage: Keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 week; freeze up to 1 month.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving and may vary.
Leave a comment below and share your results.