These irresistible brown butter sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies combine nutty, caramelized butter with tangy sourdough starter for the chewiest, most flavorful cookies you’ll ever make. Perfect for using up leftover starter while creating bakery-quality treats at home.
Okay, real talk: I’ve been making chocolate chip cookies for years, but nothing—and I mean nothing—prepared me for the game-changing magic that happens when you combine brown butter with sourdough discard. Like, where has this been all my life?
I stumbled onto these Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies on a random Wednesday when my sourdough starter jar was overflowing (again), and I was feeling way too guilty to just toss that discard down the drain. I’d heard whispers about baking with sourdough discard, but I was skeptical. Would it taste weird? Would my cookies come out flat and sad?
Spoiler alert: They came out perfect. Thick, chewy, with crispy golden edges and puddles of melted chocolate. The brown butter adds this incredible nutty, almost toffee-like depth, while the sourdough discard gives them the most amazing subtle tang that makes them taste complex and bakery-fancy. My husband took one bite and literally said, “You can never make regular chocolate chip cookies again.”
Nutty, gooey, and packed with chocolate—turn your sourdough discard into irresistible brown butter cookies! Discover more sourdough discard cookie recipes for sweet treats made from leftovers
Table of Contents
What Makes These Cookies So Special
Here’s the deal with these brown butter chocolate chip cookies with sourdough discard: they’re basically taking everything we love about classic chocolate chip cookies and turning the flavor dial up to eleven. The brown butter situation alone is a total vibe—it smells like heaven and tastes like a warm hug from your grandma.
But then you add that sourdough discard? It’s like adding a secret ingredient that nobody can quite put their finger on, but everyone agrees makes these cookies ridiculously good. Plus, you’re being all responsible and eco-friendly by using up that starter you’d otherwise waste. Win-win, my friend.
These cookies are thick, chewy in the middle, slightly crispy around the edges, and loaded with chocolate chips. They’ve got that gorgeous crackly top that makes them look professionally made, even though you’re literally just mixing stuff in a bowl and throwing it in the oven.
Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- wire rack
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
The Butter Magic
- 1 cup unsalted butter brown before use
The Sweet Stuff
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
The Binding Crew
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
The Star Player
- ½ cup sourdough discard unfed
Flavor Bomb
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
The Dry Squad
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Chocolate Heaven
- 1 ½ cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips plus extra for topping
The Fancy Finish
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown with nutty aroma. Let cool 10–15 minutes.
- Mix in both brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Stir in sourdough discard until fully incorporated.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Gently combine wet and dry ingredients; fold in chocolate chips, reserving some for topping.
- Cover and chill dough for at least 2 hours, up to 72 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden but centers slightly soft. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to wire rack.
- Press extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
Ingredients You’ll Need
Let’s talk about what goes into these magical cookies from sourdough discard. I’ve organized everything so it’s super easy to follow, and I promise—nothing here is weird or hard to find.
| Ingredient Category | What You’ll Need | Little Notes from Me |
|---|---|---|
| The Butter Magic | 1 cup unsalted butter | This is getting browned, baby! It’s the secret weapon that makes these cookies taste like they came from a fancy bakery. |
| The Sweet Stuff | 1 cup light brown sugar, packed ½ cup granulated sugar |
The combo of both sugars is chef’s kiss—brown sugar keeps ’em chewy, white sugar helps with those crispy edges. |
| The Binding Crew | 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk | That extra yolk? Total richness upgrade. Trust me on this. |
| The Star Player | ½ cup sourdough discard, unfed | Yep, the stuff you’d normally toss! Doesn’t matter if it’s been in your fridge for a week—it works. |
| Flavor Bomb | 1 tablespoon vanilla extract | Go for the good stuff if you can. It makes a difference. |
| The Dry Squad | 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon |
The cinnamon is subtle but adds this cozy warmth. You won’t taste “cinnamon cookies”—just extra deliciousness. |
| Chocolate Heaven | 1½ cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping | I’m team dark chocolate, but semi-sweet works great too. Go with what makes your heart happy. |
| The Fancy Finish | Flaky sea salt (optional) | This is optional but also… not really. That sweet-salty combo is everything. |
How to Make These Amazing Cookies
Alright, let’s get into the fun part—actually making these beauties! I’m gonna walk you through this step by step, and I promise it’s way easier than it sounds.
Step 1: Brown That Butter
Drop your butter into a saucepan and set it over medium heat. Here’s where the magic happens, friends. You’re gonna stir and swirl that butter occasionally while it melts, foams up, and then—wait for it—turns this gorgeous golden brown color and starts smelling like toasted hazelnuts.
When you see those little brown bits at the bottom and smell that nutty aroma, you’re done! Scrape all of it (yes, those browned bits are flavor gold) into a large mixing bowl. Let it chill out for about 10–15 minutes. I know, waiting is hard, but if you add the sugar to screaming-hot butter, things get weird.
Step 2: Mix in the Sugars
Once your brown butter has cooled down a bit (it should still be liquid but not volcanic), dump in both the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Grab a whisk and give it a good mix until everything’s combined and looking smooth.
Step 3: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Crack in your egg and that extra egg yolk, then pour in the vanilla extract. Whisk this all together until it’s smooth, glossy, and looking like it could be in a magazine. This is the point where I always want to just eat the dough with a spoon, not gonna lie.
Step 4: Stir in the Sourdough Discard
Time for the star of the show! Add your sourdough discard and stir until it’s fully incorporated into the mixture. Don’t worry if your discard has been hanging out in the fridge for a bit—that’s totally fine. This is literally what baking with sourdough discard is all about.
The mixture might look a little strange for a sec, but just keep stirring and it’ll come together beautifully.
Step 5: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. This is one of those boring-but-important steps that ensures your cookies don’t end up with random pockets of baking soda. Nobody wants that surprise.
Step 6: Combine Wet and Dry
Add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Now, here’s the thing: you don’t want to overmix this. Use a spatula or wooden spoon and gently stir until you just don’t see any more flour streaks.
Then fold in those chocolate chips! I like to save a handful to press on top later because we eat with our eyes first, right?
Step 7: The Hardest Part—Chilling
Cover your bowl and stick it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. I know, I know. This is the worst part because the dough smells amazing and you just want cookies NOW. But here’s the truth: chilling is what makes these cookies thick and incredible instead of flat and meh.
If you’ve got the willpower, you can even chill the dough for up to 72 hours. The longer it sits, the more the flavors develop. I usually make the dough at night and bake the next day—works perfectly with my level of patience.
Step 8: Baking Time!
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into balls that are about 2 tablespoons each (I use a cookie scoop because I’m fancy like that), and place them about 2 inches apart on your prepared sheets.
Step 9: Into the Oven
Bake these babies for 10–12 minutes. You want the edges to be golden brown and set, but the centers should still look slightly soft and maybe even a tiny bit underdone. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you take them out, so don’t overbake them unless you’re into hockey pucks.
Step 10: The Pretty Finishing Touches
Here’s a pro move: as soon as those cookies come out of the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips on top. They’ll melt slightly and make your cookies look like they came from a professional bakery.
If you want those perfectly round cookies you see on Instagram, grab a large round cookie cutter or even a drinking glass and gently “scoot” the edges of each cookie in a circular motion while they’re still hot. It literally takes 2 seconds per cookie and makes them look so pretty.
Step 11: The Final Wait
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes (this is when they firm up), then transfer them to a wire rack. If you’re using flaky sea salt, sprinkle it on now while they’re still warm. Let them cool completely before you dive in… or don’t. I won’t judge you for eating one warm with melty chocolate. Actually, I highly recommend it.
Expert Tips for Perfect Cookies Every Time
Don’t Skip the Brown Butter
I get it—browning butter feels like an extra step. But honestly, it’s what makes these cookies go from “pretty good” to “OMG I need the recipe.” Just watch it carefully because butter can go from perfectly browned to burnt in like 30 seconds. Once you smell that nutty aroma and see those golden brown specks, get it off the heat.
Cold Dough = Thick Cookies
If you try to skip the chilling step, your cookies will spread out flat and thin. Not terrible, but definitely not what we’re going for here. The cold dough takes longer to spread in the oven, which gives the cookies time to rise and set up into those thick, bakery-style beauties we want.
Use Room Temperature Eggs
When you add cold eggs to your (slightly cooled but still warm) brown butter, things can get clumpy. Let your eggs sit out for like 20 minutes before you start, or just stick them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Game changer.
Measure Your Flour Correctly
This is huge, people. If you scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour bag, you’re gonna pack way too much flour in there, and your cookies will be dry and cakey. Either use a kitchen scale (2⅓ cups = about 290g) or use the spoon-and-level method: spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
Customize Your Chocolate
I personally love using a mix of dark chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars because the chunks look gorgeous and create those dramatic chocolate puddles. But use whatever chocolate makes you happy! Milk chocolate, white chocolate, even butterscotch chips would be amazing in these.
Fun Variations to Try
Double Chocolate Version
Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to your dry ingredients and reduce the flour by 3 tablespoons. You’ll get these insane double chocolate brown butter cookies that are basically brownie-cookie hybrids.
Add Some Nuts
Throw in ¾ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips. The toasted nuts plus the brown butter? Chef’s kiss.
Make Them Extra Gooey
Stuff each cookie dough ball with a square of chocolate before baking. When you bite into them, you get this molten chocolate center that’s absolutely ridiculous (in the best way).
Espresso Boost
Add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder to your dry ingredients. It won’t make them taste like coffee, but it’ll make the chocolate flavor even more intense.
Sea Salt Caramel Twist
Swirl in some caramel sauce before baking and top with extra sea salt. I mean, come on. That’s just showing off at this point.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
My cookies are spreading too much!
Your dough probably wasn’t cold enough. Make sure you’re chilling it for the full 2 hours minimum, and if your kitchen is super warm, pop the shaped dough balls in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
My cookies are too cakey!
You might have added too much flour or overbaked them. Remember to measure flour correctly (spoon and level!), and take them out when the centers still look slightly underdone.
The brown butter seized up when I added the sugar!
This happens if the butter is too cool and has started to solidify. Make sure it’s still liquid (but not piping hot) when you add the sugar. If it does seize, just keep whisking—it’ll smooth out.
Can I skip the cinnamon?
Sure! It’s a subtle flavor addition, so if you’re not into it or don’t have any, just leave it out. The cookies will still be amazing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Magic
Here’s how to keep these cookies fresh and delicious (if they last that long, which… they probably won’t).
| Storage Method | How Long | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Room Temperature (in airtight container) | 3–5 days | If you’re planning to devour them quickly. They’ll stay soft and chewy. |
| Refrigerator (in airtight container) | Up to 1 week | Keeping them fresh longer. Let them come to room temp before eating, or warm them up for that fresh-baked feel. |
| Freezer (baked cookies) | Up to 3 months | When you need emergency cookies. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temp for about 30 minutes. |
| Freezer (cookie dough balls) | Up to 3 months | This is the ULTIMATE move. Scoop and freeze the dough balls, then bake from frozen (add 1–2 minutes to bake time). Fresh cookies whenever you want! |
Reheating Pro Tips
Want that just-baked experience again? Pop a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds. Seriously, it’s like magic—the chocolate gets melty and everything tastes fresh. Or warm them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes if you’re reheating a bunch.
Zero-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Got leftover chocolate chips? Make my sourdough discard pancakes and toss ’em in there for breakfast. Or if you’ve still got extra sourdough discard, try these 30-minute sourdough discard cinnamon rolls—they’re insanely good.
And hey, if you accidentally burned your brown butter (we’ve all been there), don’t toss it! You can still use it in savory stuff like pasta or drizzle it over vegetables.
Nutritional Information
I know some of you like to know what you’re dealing with, so here’s the breakdown per cookie (based on about 24 cookies):
| Nutrient | Per Cookie |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~185 |
| Total Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g |
| Cholesterol | 25mg |
| Sodium | 110mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 25g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g |
| Sugars | 16g |
| Protein | 2g |
Note: These are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. If you’re tracking macros, I recommend plugging your exact ingredients into a calculator.
Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Active starter is at its peak strength and you probably want to save that for actual bread. Discard works perfectly here and it’s literally what we’re trying to use up! Plus, the flavor is pretty much the same.
Do these cookies taste sour?
Nope! The sourdough discard adds a super subtle tang that just makes the cookies taste more complex and interesting. It’s not like biting into a slice of sourdough bread—the sweetness and chocolate totally balance it out. Most people can’t even identify it; they just know the cookies taste incredible.
How long does the dough need to chill?
Minimum 2 hours, but honestly, overnight is even better. The longer chill time lets the flour fully hydrate and the flavors develop. I’ve had dough sitting in the fridge for 3 days and the cookies came out amazing. Just make sure it’s covered well so it doesn’t dry out or pick up weird fridge smells.
Can I make these without brown butter?
I mean, you could just use melted regular butter, but you’d be missing out on so much flavor! Browning the butter literally takes 5 minutes and makes such a huge difference. If you really can’t do it, at least try using browned butter in half the recipe—you’ll still get some of that nutty goodness.
What if I don’t have an extra egg yolk?
Just use 2 whole eggs instead of 1 egg plus a yolk. The cookies might be slightly less rich and chewy, but they’ll still be delicious. That extra yolk just gives them a bit more tender texture and richness.
Why These Are My Favorite Cookies for Using Up Discard
Look, I’ve tried a lot of recipes for baking with sourdough discard. I’ve made sourdough discard pancakes (amazing for weekend brunch), quick sourdough discard French bread (perfect for dinner), and even 30-minute sourdough discard cinnamon rolls (dangerous because they’re so easy).
But these cookies? They’re special. They’re the kind of thing you can bring to a party and people will literally ask for the recipe. They’re fancy enough to impress but easy enough to make on a random Tuesday when you just need chocolate.
Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about taking something you’d normally throw away and turning it into the best cookies of your life. It feels like a little kitchen victory every single time.
Final Thoughts and Let’s Bake!
Alright friends, I think I’ve talked your ear off enough about these Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies. But seriously, if you’ve got sourdough discard sitting in your fridge right now, this is your sign to make these.
They’re chewy, they’re loaded with chocolate, they’ve got that incredible brown butter flavor, and they use up that starter you’d otherwise toss. It’s basically a win in every possible way.
And hey, even if you’re not a sourdough baker, you could always get a little starter from a friend (we’re generous like that) just to make these cookies. They’re that good.
So grab your butter, fire up that stove, and get ready for some seriously amazing cookies. Your kitchen is about to smell incredible, and your taste buds are about to be very, very happy.
Ready to make the best cookies of your life? Pin this recipe to your Pinterest board so you can find it whenever that sourdough discard starts piling up! And after you make them (notice I said when, not if), come back and leave a comment telling me how they turned out. I want to hear all about it—did you add extra chocolate chips? Did you eat half the dough? Did your family declare you a baking genius?
Drop a comment below, share your cookie pics, and let’s spread the sourdough discard cookie love!
Happy baking, friends! 🍪
Looking for more delicious recipes? Check out our comforting Caldo de Res recipe for a cozy dinner, or try this flavorful Tortilla Soup recipe that’ll warm you right up!
