Published: · Modified: by Hannah Dela Cruz · This post may contain affiliate links
Don't throw away your sourdough discard! Use it to make delicious Sourdough Discard Cookie Recipes. There are so many ways to use sourdough starter than just baking bread. From chewy chocolate chip cookies to crispy biscotti you'll love the flavor and character it adds to cookies.
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The first recipe I ever developed was my Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, so sourdough cookie recipes will always have a special place in my heart.
Why you’ll love these recipes
You can use up a lot of sourdough starter: If you don’t bake bread very often, cookies are a delicious way to use up excess sourdough starter.
Sourdough discard adds a delicious tang: The natural acidity of sourdough complement the rich buttery notes and the sugary sweetness of cookies.It also adds a nuanced flavor that you simply can't get otherwise.
Adds moisture to dough: Water that’s locked in sourdough discard keeps cookies moist and tasting fresh for days longer.
Can I add sourdough discard to any cookie recipe?
Adding sourdough discard to cookie dough isn’t as simple as simply chucking a cup of it into your favorite recipe. Sourdough contains a lot of water, and this added moisture can adversely affect the texture and flavor of cookies, causing them to either harden or spread.
Balancing the ratio of ingredients is especially important for cookies. It’s best not to experiment and to use recipes that have been specifically formulated, tried and tested using sourdough discard.
My Top 10 Sourdough Cookie Recipes:
This list has been updated based on the most viewed and loved recipes on Make It Dough!
Soft and Fudgy Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cookies
Soft and fudgy, these Sourdough Chocolate Cookies are made with three types of chocolate. Sourdough discard adds a delicious tang that perfectly balances the rich flavor of chocolate.
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cookies
Sourdough Discard Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies were my absolute favorite growing up. I've always been an absolute chocolate fiend, so I could never get enough of these rich and fudgy treats. When I set out to recreate a sourdough version of these cookies, I knew I wanted them to have a really soft, and chewy middle. Adding discard to
These Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with a great flavor thanks to browned butter and sourdough discard.
Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies
These Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies are soft, chewy, with a delicious earthy flavor thanks to the addition of pumpkin puree! A quick one-bowl recipe that tastes even better a few days after they are baked.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies
Chewy Sourdough Molasses Cookies
Molasses and sourdough are a match made in cookie heaven! You’ll love the taste and texture of these Sourdough Molasses Cookies. Perfectly spiced, seriously chewy with a crunchy, crackly top, these cookies develop an even more delicious texture days after being baked
Chewy Sourdough Molasses Cookies
Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are truly chewy (not crisp or gooey) with a rich nutty, toffee-like flavor thanks to the addition of browned butter and dark brown sugar. Incorporating a little bit of sourdough discard to these chocolate chip cookies adds a delicious tang that makes these cookies truly unique.
Don’t throw away your excess starter, use it to make these Sourdough Biscotti. Crisp and wonderfully crunchy, these biscotti are delicious and taste delightful with a cup of coffee. These twice-baked cookies are easy to make and are the best excuse to eat dessert for breakfast!
Sourdough Biscotti
Sourdough Banana Cookies
Just like the edge of a loaf of banana bread, these Sourdough Banana Cookies are chewy, caramelized and slightly crisp. This no-frills eggless cookie uses overripe bananas and sourdough discard so you can feel good about using ingredients you may otherwise throw away.
Sourdough Banana Cookies
Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chewy, sweet, loaded with oatmeal and raisins with just a hint of cinnamon, I’m a bit biased but I think these Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are the perfect cookie. This one bowl recipe is simple to make and takes less than an hour from start to finish.
Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Sourdough Lemon Cookie Pies
Tangy, sweet and loaded with bold lemon flavor, you’ll love these Sourdough Lemon Cookies Pies. Two soft, chewy cookies with a fresh lemon filling sandwiched in the middle, you’ll love these bright zesty treats.
Sourdough Lemon Cookie Pies
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Sourdough Cookie FAQs
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is any portion of your starter that is removed during the feeding process or any part that is not used to make bread. You can use it in other bakes and dishes or store it in the refrigerator for future use.
What are sourdough discard recipes?
Sourdough discard recipes can be savory dishes and desserts that do not use sourdough for its leavening abilities. These can be breads that combine commercial yeast and sourdough discard, or that use chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda.
Why did my cookies spread?
Sourdough adds additional moisture to cookies which can cause them to spread. The sourdough cookie recipes on this blog are formulated to compensate for this. It’s important to maintain the proportions of ingredients in any recipe and weighing your ingredients maximizes your chances of success.
Will my sourdough cookies taste sour?
Sourdough discard adds a delicious tang that balances the sugary sweetness of cookies. The intensity of this flavor depends on the unique acidity of your sourdough discard. If you’ve been keeping your discard in the fridge for a long time, then it will impart a more pronounced flavor in your bakes.
You may also like:
Soft and Chewy Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Sourdough Cookies
Ube White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Sourdough Cookies
« Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sourdough Discard Cranberry Muffins »
Reader Interactions
Did you make this recipe? Do you have questions? Let me know below!
Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community. However, it's important to note that the quality of whole wheat flour can vary between brands.
If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.
If the dough isn't mixed or kneaded to full development (e.g., full windowpane), adding in sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation will help continue its progress toward a firmer, more cohesive dough that's able to trap gas and hold its shape all the way to bake time.
Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda can be used in sourdough bread to create a less sour loaf. Added after bulk fermentation, but before shaping, it can help to create a lighter, more fluffy loaf of sourdough.
Sourdough bread should be cooked in a Dutch Oven for 45 minutes at 230C or 450F (with the lid off for the last 10 to 15 minutes). You can lower the temperature for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the bake.
Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.
It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.
Adding whole grain flour: Whole grain flour, particularly whole rye flour (pumpernickel), tends to promote more sour flavor in bread for two reasons. First, the type of sugars available in whole rye (or whole wheat) flour encourage a shift toward acetic acid production.
What Size Jar is Best For a Sourdough Starter? No single-sized jar is best for every baker because it depends on how much sourdough starter they regularly need for baking. However, for most people, a 3/4 liter (28.7 fluid ounces) jar is perfect as it can store both a small sourdough starter or a large one.
In every sourdough bread recipe, you'll find at least one set of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation. They are called sets because you typically perform four stretches and four folds during this process, one in each direction of the dough – so, North, South, East, and West.
Overworked sourdough can become tough and lose its ability to rise properly. If your dough feels tight and is difficult to shape, it might be overworked. Remember, sourdough requires a gentle touch and should not be kneaded as vigorously as other types of bread dough.
Why do we even stretch and fold our dough? ✨ Stretching and folding creates strength and organizes the gluten network in your dough. Having a strong gluten network allows your dough to trap carbon dioxide so your bread can rise!
(The rice flour acts as a barrier to gluten formation and keeps your dough from sticking to the bowl.) To proof them, let them sit, covered, at room temperature for up to 3–4 hours, or let them proof for a little while at room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for 12–15 hours.
Sourdough crumb should be even, meaning there won't be any areas that are super tight or with giant tunnels. The crumb should be light and fluffy - not wet and gummy. The holes inside the sourdough may seem shiny. This is a sign that the gluten is very well developed.
Generally a more mature and well established starter will produce a more flavorful, sour loaf. Hydration of the Dough - this affects how long your dough will take to ferment. A slightly lower hydration will take longer to ferment than a higher hydration loaf, leading to a bigger depth of flavor and sourness.
There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang. Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product.
In my experience, the shortest final proof (at room temperature) that I prefer to do is one hour. The longest final proof (at room temperature) is about 3 hours. When going past 2-3 hours in a final proof, the crumb tends to get very gassy and opens up large gas bubbles with a longer countertop proof.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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