Now I know that Browned Butter Sourdough Cookies is a MOUTHFUL! But I really don’t think any element should be left out in the title, when describing these cookies, because they are all equally as important. The browned butter brings this rich nutty flavour, that perfectly pairs and is enhanced by the sourdough discard. We really shouldn’t even leave out the fact that there are chocolate chips in them, but it was getting a bit long.
These browned butter sourdough cookies were adapted from a browned butter cookie that I used to make, before I got into making everything from sourdough. Once I learned about browned butter… HOLY COW! What a game changer, the flavour depth it brings paired with the sourdough discard is unmatched. When I first played around with these cookies I used half granulated white sugar and half brown, but one day when I had no white sugar, I experimented with all brown, and eventually all coconut sugar. I found I like the cookies much more! They are nuttier, heartier and chewier! So while you can use both white and brown, I suggest using all brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Another thing I have learned with these cookies, is fridge fermenting is important! and so so worth it! I know it can be annoying because you can’t bake your cookies right away, but even if you can give them 2 hours it makes a huge difference in the taste and the texture!
What you’ll Need:
- A Mixing Bowl
- Danish Whisk or Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Teaspoons
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients Needed:
- Butter (browned- see below one how!)
- Brown or Coconut Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flat Sourdough Discard
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips
How to brown your butter?
Place butter in sauce pan, and turn on medium heat. It can be helpful to cut your butter into squares and disperse them around your pan, to ensure the butter cooks evenly. Begin stirring to move the butter around as it melts. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle around the edges. At this point you want to keep stirring. In about 5–8 minutes (depending on the amount of butter you used), the butter will turn golden brown. The foam will slightly dissolve and the milk solids on the bottom of the pan will toast. It will smell intensely buttery, nutty, and rich. Remove from heat, and allow to cool off.
How to make them?
After you have browned your butter, I like to transfer my butter into my mixing bowl so that it will come to room temperature quicker.
Once it has cooled off enough, you can mix in your sugars. You don’t need to use a stander mixer for these but you certainly can. I just use my dough whisk or danish whisk, and it works just fine! You want to mix your sugars until they are well mix and starting to get fluffy.
If you are using half brown sugar and half white granulated sugar, I do suggest adding a tablespoon of molasses, these really enhance the flavours and make them deliciously chewy and rich. If you are using all brown sugar, or all coconut sugar then you shouldn’t need the molasses.
Next you need to add your egg yolks and egg, and mix well!
Add your sourdough discard and vanilla, you want this to be super flat from the fridge. Adding an active sourdough starter to cookies, can make them pretty cakey, the texture is not right for a chocolate chip cookie- in my opinion haha. Mix until it just comes together, some discard streaks are okay. Over mixing cookies is something I learned the hard way for far too long. You always hear “Don’t over mix muffins!”, but I didn’t realized for years that you an easily over mix your cookies; which is another reason I like to mix them by hand vs. a stand mixer.
In a separate bowl, mix up you flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and add into your wet mixture. Mix until flour is not longer visible, and again careful not to over mix because we are still going to fold in our chocolate chips very gently after our dry and wet are together.
Now this is arguably the most important part- putting it in the fridge to ferment! Now you can do this for as little as 2 hours, but I do suggest longer! I like to go 12 even 24 sometimes.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). You may need to let it sit out for a bit to warm up before scooping and baking. Then scoop out about 2 tablespoon sized portions, roll into a ball and flatten with your fingers just slightly. Place evenly spaced on a lined or greased baking sheet. You can just scoop it out and onto the baking sheet, without the rolling and shaping, it just depends on how you like your cookies.
Bake for 13-14 minutes, careful not to overcook- it will result in crispy cookies!
Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
These cookies are no joke a CROWD PLEASER! They are my most requested recipe when my family is wanting something! My brother willingly accepts them as his birthday present every year. I hope you enjoy these Browned Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, as much as my family does!
If you haven’t gotten into sourdough baking yet, and don’t have any discard to make these, check out my FREE GUIDE on how to make and start your very own Sourdough Starter!
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Browned Butter
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Browned Butter
- 2 Cups Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Molasses Optional
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp Vanilla
- 1 Cup Flat Sourdough Discard
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1- 1 ½ Cups Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Brown your butter by heating on medium to high heat, stir often. Once butter is melted, it will begin to foam, stir for 5-10 minutes until the butter starts to turn golden brown. The foam will subside and milk solids on the bottom of the pan will toast, aroma will be nutty and rich.
- Pour browned butter into mixing bowl and allow to come to room temperature.
- Add sugar to butter, and mix well. (if you are using molasses, add it in with sugars)
- Add your eggs, and mix very well.
- Add discard & vanilla, and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix up your dry ingredients.
- Add your dry ingredients (Flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt), into you wet mixture and mix until flour is no longer visible. Be careful not to over mix.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- At this point I like to put my dough into the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably I leave mine for a full day.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Scoop out about 2 Tbsp of the cookie dough and roll into a ball, I like to flatten it out a bit between my fingers and then place on a lined or greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 14 minutes, let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
When do you add the egg, molasses and vanilla? I don’t see that described in a step.
you are so RIGHT! Just fixed, thank you so much! Eggs go in after sugars, vanilla goes in with discard. Molasses can be added in with sugar if you are using 🙂