Finally, the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Sourdough discard and browned butter give these cookies so much flavor and texture! They’re super chewy, with a perfect amount of crust on the outside, while still being gooey on the inside. They’re not too sweet but they’ll satisfy that perfect chocolate chip cookie craving!
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why would you want browned butter in cookies?
It may seem the opposite, but butter becomes slightly sweet and nutty when browned. It adds richer, deeper notes to your cookie batter. Once you try it, you won’t be able to get enough!
How to brown Butter for Cookies
It’s very simple to brown butter! The hardest part is knowing when to pull it from the heat in order to keep it from over cooking. We’re looking for golden brown bits that appear on the bottom of the pan as the milk solids start to cook. It is easier to cook on a medium low setting so this doesn’t happen too fast. These are the quick steps to follow to brown your butter.
- Place your butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir continuously with a spatula or spoon the whole duration.
- Once butter has melted, bubbles will form and you will see the white solids float to the top.
- There will be a foam at the top of the butter as it becomes super hot. The clear butter will quickly turn from light yellow to golden brown. As soon as you see this, watch carefully for the brown bits to appear at the bottom of the pan.
- These brown specs will suddenly seem to appear out of nowhere! It is important to pour the butter out of the pan as soon as it has finished browning, since it will continue cooking.
- For this recipe, let the butter return to room temp and become semi solid before using.
This video is of the final stage of browning:
Do you need Sourdough Discard for this recipe?
The sourdough discard adds different flavor notes. Discard is great for adding a tangy sour flavor which pairs perfectly with sweets! You can use active starter if you wish, the flavor profile may be just a little different though.
At the time of writing, this recipe has not been tested without sourdough discard. Normally in a recipe, you would replace sourdough discard with half flour and half liquid by weight. However, cookie recipes don’t usually have liquid in them. The choice is yours if you would like to try completely forgoing the discard all together or replacing with another liquid.
Make Them Ahead of Time
These are perfect for making in bulk and freezing. I like to keep a stash in the freezer for those impulse cravings. You know what I’m talking about! They cook from frozen in a little over 10 minutes, meaning pretty instant satisfaction!
Recommended Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatula
- Kitchen Scale
- Saucepan
I recommend a stand mixer, just for ease of use. It’s possible to also use a hand mixer or even cream by hand, it just takes a little longer. Since my old mixer broke, I was mixing by hand before I purchased the stand mixer from the new Beautiful line by Drew Barrymore found at Walmart. It’s so gorgeous!
Ultimate Browned Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Course: Dessert18
servings20
minutes12
minutesIngredients
- Wet Ingredients
3/4 Cup (170g) Butter – browned, cooled to room temp*
1 1/4 Cup (250g) Brown Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
2 Tbsp (30g) Sour Cream
1/2 Cup (125g) Sourdough Discard
2 tsp (9g) Vanilla Extract
- Dry Ingredients
2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 Cup (120g) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Pinch Coarse Ground Sea Salt (optional)
Directions
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat*. Pour the butter immediately into the mixing bowl of your stand mixer to prevent it from cooking further. Let the butter come back up to room temperature**.
- Add the brown sugar to the mixing bowl with the browned butter and cream until light and fluffy using the paddle attachment.
- Add the egg yolks and mix until incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, sourdough discard, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, and chocolate chips.
- Add the dry ingredients to the dough and mix until just incorporated.
- Scoop dough into 18 equal balls, around 45-50 grams each. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
- Frozen dough can be placed in a vacuum sealed bag or freezer ziplock and stored in the freezer for up to three months.
- Preheat oven to 350o
- Remove the desired amount of dough balls from the freezer and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown. They will not look done, but will continue to cook on the pan until they cool. Sprinkle a dash of coarse sea salt on the cookies as soon as the come out of the oven. Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- *Look at this section for a quick overview on how to brown butter.
- **This may take a while, I recommend making your browned butter well in advance. In a pinch you may put your mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes to speed things along. Ensure the butter is room temp.
