Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy cookies with chunks of decadent dark chocolate and a hint of sourdough tang, thanks to the magic of repurposing an ingredient that normally gets thrown away.
What Are Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies are a new take on the classic, chewy chocolate chip cookies made with rye sourdough discard. The addition of sourdough discard gives the cookies a chewier texture while creating a unique tangy flavor that complements the rich dark chocolate chunks.
You’ll love this twist on an old favorite, especially if you love chocolate chip cookies as much as I do.
Are Sourdough Discards Safe to Eat?
Sourdough discards are what you remove from a sourdough starter while feeding it. You usually end up with a sourdough discard because you don’t plan to bake with your starter, but it still needs to be fed. The sourdough discard is perfectly safe to use in recipes like this.
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies?
The ingredients in rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies are rye sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, kosher salt, unsalted butter, egg, vanilla extract, and dark chocolate.
I make the cookie dough with my electric hand mixer, but you can use a stand mixer. You’ll also need a sheet pan and a portion scoop for the cookie dough.
Can I Make These Cookies Without a Sourdough Discard?
The sourdough discard has a small amount of yeast, which gives the cookies some lift. You can still make these rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies without the sourdough discard. Instead of using the discard as the leavening agent, add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients.
How Do I Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies?
A lower fat-to-sugar ratio is necessary to achieve chewy chocolate chip cookies. Liquids in the cookie dough also contribute to chewiness in the baked product.
Begin by creaming the room-temperature butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and kosher salt in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer for 3 minutes on low speed. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the mixture and blend these in at low speed for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and add the rye sourdough discard.
Blend the discard in for another 2 minutes at low speed. The more air you incorporate into the mixture, the puffier (and less chewy) the cookie will be. This is why you want to ensure you’re mixing at a low speed.
What Other Types of Chocolate Can I Use in This Recipe?
Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl with the butter-sugar mixture and blend it for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl after the first minute of mixing in the flour.
Add the chocolate chunks to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and blend them in at low speed until they are mixed in.
Chopping your 60% cacao dark chocolate bars and adding them to your cookie dough is better than using chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are all uniform in size, which is great but boring. When you chop the bars yourself, you end up with slivers and hunks of chocolate dispersed throughout the dough. It’s like a surprise in every bite.
However, you can use chocolate chips for this recipe if that’s all you have in the kitchen. You can also swap the dark chocolate with extra-dark, semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate.
Can I Freeze Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?
For best results with your cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling your cookie dough gives the liquid a chance to hydrate the flour, which results in a cookie that tastes as good as it looks. Additionally, chilled cookie dough holds its shape better during baking because the butter has had a chance to firm up in the fridge. Not chilling won’t be a disaster, but you won’t get the best results. You can chill cookie dough before or after scooping it onto the pan.
Use a #30 portion scoop, which is 2 1/2 tablespoons, to scoop precise balls of cookie dough onto a sheetpan. Line your sheetpan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking.
You can always freeze cookie dough after mixing it. I recommend scooping the cookie dough balls onto a lightly greased or lined baking sheet and freezing the dough until solid. Afterward, transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer storage bag and store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing cookie dough balls allows you to bake them off individually or in smaller batches whenever a craving arises.
How Long Do I Have to Bake the Cookies?
Scoop and bake (or bake if you’ve already scooped) the cookie dough in a 375°F (190C) oven for 10-12 minutes after chilling the dough for 30 minutes. For a more unique twist on these cookies, sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over them just before baking.
The centers of the cookies will look glossy, and the edges a golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheetpan for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly.
How Do I Serve Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies?
I prefer to eat these cookies while they’re slightly warm. Serve rye sourdough discard cookies with a glass of cold milk (plant or animal) while they’re still warm.
You can also get creative with your cookies and sandwich a scoop of your favorite frozen custard between two of them. I also enjoy these sourdough discard cookies in an ice cream sundae.
Eating them on their own is a must, though. You’ll fall in love with their chewy texture and unique sourdough flavor.
How Do I Store Cookies to Keep Them Soft?
A helpful trick for keeping cookies soft is to store them in an airtight container with an apple or quince. Ours never last long enough to go to the trouble of adding the apple to the container, but if you’re not as greedy as we are, I recommend it.
Store the cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Reheat the cookies in the microwave for 20 seconds to give them a freshly-baked taste.
Can I Freeze the Cookies After Baking Them?
To freeze baked rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies, allow them to cool, and pack the cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze them for 2 months.
Thaw the frozen cookies at room temperature and reheat them in the microwave to freshen up their flavor.
These Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delectably quirky way to switch up the classic chocolate chip cookie. Your family will love how the mildly tart flavor of sourdough pairs with the creamy dark chocolate. You’ll love how simple yet addicting the recipe is. Let me know what you think of these cookies in the comments below. Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your cookies board and share it with your world!
Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- #30 portion scoop
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (165 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup, packed (120 grams) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) rye sourdough discard at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Line a half-sheetpan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set the sheetpan aside while you mix the cookie dough.
Combine the Butter and Sugar
- Add the unsalted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl. Blend these ingredients with a hand mixer for 3 minutes on low speed.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the mixture and blend these in at low speed for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and add the rye sourdough discard.
- Blend the discard in for another 2 minutes at low speed. Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl with the butter-sugar mixture and blend it for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl after the first minute of mixing in the flour.
- Add the chocolate chunks to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and blend them in at low speed until they are mixed in.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Chill the Dough for 30 Minutes (Optional)
- Use a #30 portion scoop, which is 2 1/2 tablespoons, to scoop precise balls of cookie dough onto a sheetpan.
- For best results with your cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Bake the Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Scoop and bake (or bake if you've already scooped) the cookie dough in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.The centers of the cookies will look glossy, and the edges a golden brown.
- Remove the pan of cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the sheetpan for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve the rye sourdough discard cookies with a glass of cold milk while still warm.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- This recipe makes 1 dozen cookies. You can double recipe for a larger batch.
- You can omit the sourdough discard and add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients.
- You can swap the dark chocolate bars with extra-dark, semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate.
- Replace the chopped chocolate bar with 1 cup (170 grams) of chocolate chips.
- For a more unique twist on these cookies, sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over them just before baking.
Tips and Techniques:
- The more air you incorporate into the mixture, the puffier (and less chewy) the cookie will be so ensure you're mixing at a low speed.
- Chilling the cookie dough gives the liquid a chance to hydrate the flour and the butter time to firm up, which results in a cookie with a better mouthfeel and one that holds its shape during baking.
- You can chill cookie dough before or after scooping it onto the pan.
- A helpful trick for keeping cookies soft is to store them in an airtight container with an apple or quince.
- Freezing cookie dough balls allows you to bake them off individually or in smaller batches whenever a craving arises.
Storage Instructions:
- Store the cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the cookies in the microwave for 20 seconds to give them a freshly-baked taste.
Freezing Instructions:
- To freeze raw cookie dough:
- Scoop balls of cookie dough batter onto a lightly greased or lined baking sheet and freezing the dough until solid.
- Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a freezer storage bag and store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.
-
To freeze baked rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies:
- Allow the cookies to cool completely, then pack them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
- Freeze the cookies for 2 months.
- Thaw the frozen cookies at room temperature and reheat them in the microwave to freshen up their flavor.
I actually was a little disappointed when I saw the recipe only called for a rye starter and not rye flour, bc I have a bunch of rye flour that I’ve decided I may not be using for bread bc I just don’t prefer dense breads, so was looking for other uses for it. I actually did a little reading and ended up subbing 125% whole grain dark rye flour instead of all purpose. They came out a little puffier instead of chewy, so I may have over mixed at points, but the flavor was great! I’ll try it again with minimal mixing after the butter and sugar is creamed together. This may be my go to for using up that rye flour!
No, it’s not a “rye chocolate chip cookie,” but a rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie. Glad you were able to make use of the rye flour.
Wow! These rye sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies are soooo delicious. I made these cookies this past weekend and they are already gone (and there are only two of us in the house.) I’ll be making them again.
I have to make a double batch, Elaine!