Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 59 votes

Chewy, chocolatey, and a great use for your leftover sourdough starter, these Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are so delicious!

Prep Time35

Cook Time12

Total Time47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 141kcal

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set that aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. The butter will melt, get foamy, and start turning golden brown. Once it is golden brown, turn the saucepan off and remove from the heat. This process should take 5 minutes. Allow the butter to cool before adding to the bowl. It should be room temperature before it is mixed into the rest of the ingredients.
Add the room temperature brown butter to a large bowl. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Turn the hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed and mix for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
Add the sourdough starter, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl. Mix until fully combined.
Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire cooling rack before serving.

Do not walk away from the stove when you are browning the butter. The butter will quickly go from toasty, golden brown, to burnt. Stir the butter until it is golden brown, then turn it off.
Make sure the brown butter is cool when you add it to the large bowl. It should be cool enough to touch. If it is too hot, you run the risk of cooking the eggs when you add them in and melting the chocolate chips.
Refrigerate this dough for at least a half hour. This will allow the brown butter to harden up in the dough. It will also prevent too much spreading as the cookies bake.
When the cookies are done baking, sprinkle them with course sea salt for an even more elevated cookie!