Bakery- Style Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Indulge in the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter combined with the subtle tang of sourdough in these Bakery-style Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I wanted a cookie that reminded me of the gourmet quality found in artisanal bakeries, and this cookie was born. These cookies boast a perfectly chewy center, crisp edges, and generous pockets of semi-sweet chocolate. The incorporation of browned butter elevates the classic chocolate chip cookie, imparting a deep, toffee-like richness. The next time you have a chocolate chip cookie craving, I promise you this cookie will hit the spot!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Incorporating sourdough starter discard into your cookie dough not only adds a unique depth of flavor but also introduces a fermentation process that enhances the dough’s complexity. Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator overnight facilitates this fermentation, as the natural bacteria and yeasts in the sourdough starter continue to develop the dough’s character.

This extended resting period enriches the cookies’ flavor profile, and makes them more gut-friendly. If you choose to ferment the dough overnight, remember to let it rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before scooping and baking to ensure optimal texture and ease of handling.

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Tools You’ll Need:

• Medium sized pot- for browning the butter.

• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl- for mixing your cookie dough.

• Electric mixer (stand or hand-held)- for combining dough.

• Spatula- for scraping down bowl.

• Parchment paper or silicone mats- to line cookie sheet to avoid burning.

• Baking sheets- to bake cookies.

• 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop- for shaping large cookies, I use this scoop linked here https://amzn.to/3Qw3nyt.

• Large circular cookie cutter (optional)- for perfectly shaped cookies. You can also use a small bowl.

• Wire cooling rack- for allowing cookies to rest properly.

Next, Gather Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter – Creates your brown butter to make that nutty toffee taste.

• Eggs– Adds richness and moisture to the cookie.
• Sourdough discard– Adds tangy flavor and moisture and is the magic that ferments your dough. Can be used fed, past peak, or straight from the fridge.
• White Granulated Sugar- Sweetens cookies. Helps give cookies that crackly top and crisp edge.
• Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and caramel notes to cookies.
• Vanilla extract – Adds depth and warmth to cookies.

• All-purpose flour – Provides structure and lift to the cookies. You can substitute bread flour but I like the softness all-purpose gives the cookies.
• Baking powder – Helps with lift and rise with too much doming in the center.
• Baking Soda – Creates the perfect lift without overpuffing the cookies.
• Sea salt – Enhances overall flavor.
• Semi-Sweet Chips– to give cookies pockets of rich chocolate throughout. You can also substitute for caramel chips or milk chocolate to change up the flavor of the cookie.
• Espresso Powder – The secret ingredient that really unlocks the flavors of the brown sugar and chocolate chips. I love this espresso powder from King Arthur linked here.
• Flaky Sea Salt (optional) – I love adding Maldon sea salt flakes on top of my cookies for that extra flair. If you haven’t tried this, I highly suggest it! You can find the link here.

Now let’s bake some cookies!

Instructions:

Step 1. Brown the Butter

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes. I like to do this the night before. 

Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the butter to a the stand mixer bowl to cool to and become solid again.

Step 2. Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, cream together for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. It’ll be a bit crumbly, that’s okay!

Add the eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and espresso powder (if using) to the bowl. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix everything at the bottom. This insures all your cookies come out evenly.

Step 3. Incorporate Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together with a whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. This is important to make sure your ingredients are evenly distributed.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure a tender cookie texture.

Step 4. Add Chocolate Chips

Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You can add them to the mixer if using, and pulse them through the dough for ease. Always use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl and fold in any batter that hasn’t been mixed as your last step when making cookies.

Step 5. Chill the Dough

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. For optimal fermentation, consider chilling the dough overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 1- 2 hours before baking to make scooping easier and ensure the right consistency of your cookies.

Note about refrigerating dough: If you want to scoop and refrigerate dough as balls, I recommend chilling 1-2 hours then scooping. Gram weight for these cookies is roughly 60-70 grams. Refrigerate overnight and allow dough to sit on counter 2 hours before baking as listed below.

Note about freezing dough: If you choose to freeze the cookie dough, I recommend refrigerating the dough after mixing until it firms up (about 1-2 hours). Scoop your cookies and refrigerate overnight to achieve optimal fermentation. If you wish, you can skip this refrigeration step, but your dough won’t ferment as long. After dough has refrigerated, transfer to airtight containers or zip locks with air removed and freeze. When ready to bake cookies, allow dough to sit out and that 2 hours and bake cookies as directed below.

Step 6. Bake the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats. I use these silicone mats all the time https://amzn.to/4hRU204.

Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. I scoop six to one cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear slightly underbaked.

Immediately upon removing from the oven, slap the baking sheets on the countertop to achieve a crinkly appearance on the cookies. You may need to return cookies to the oven for an additional five minutes at this point if baking larger cookies, mine usually require another 4-6 minutes.

While the cookies are still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter larger than your cookie to perfect the edges and give your cookie a perfect shape and even thickness by placing the cookie cutter over the cookie and making a circle that will nudge any irregular edges into a perfect circle, if desired. I use the largest cookie cutter from this set linked here https://amzn.to/4k7NYlu. You can also do this with a small bowl.

For extra flavor and crunch, sprinkle each cookie generously with flaky sea salt!

Step 7. Cool and Enjoy

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve cooled cookies!

These Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delightful twist on a classic favorite, offering a gourmet experience with every bite. Whether enjoyed with a glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or on their own, they’re sure to become a beloved treat in your household!

Makes 13-14 large cookies (2 oz)

How to Store:

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days, or in airtight container in freezer for up to 4 months.

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Bakery- Style Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Indulge in the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter combined with the subtle tang of sourdough in these Bakery-style Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I wanted a cookie that reminded me of the gourmet quality found in artisanal bakeries, and this cookie was born. These cookies boast a perfectly chewy center, crisp edges, and generous pockets of semi-sweet chocolate. The incorporation of browned butter elevates the classic chocolate chip cookie, imparting a deep, toffee-like richness. The next time you have a chocolate chip cookie craving, I promise you this cookie will hit the spot!

5 from 4 votes

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Equipment

• Medium sized pot – for browning butter
• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl – for combining ingredients
• Electric mixer (stand or hand-held)
• Spatula – to combine dough
• Parchment paper or silicone mats – to line baking sheets
• Baking sheets – to bake cookies
• 2 oz cookie scoop – to scoop cookies
• Cooling rack – to cool cookies
• Large circular cookie cutter or small bowl – to make perfectly round cookies

Ingredients

  

Bakery- Style Sourdough Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter discard
• 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Add-ins:

• 1 3/4 cups (275g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

 

Brown the Butter:

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes. I like to do this the night before.
  1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
• Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the butter to a the stand mixer bowl to cool to and become solid again.

Prepare the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. It’ll be a bit crumbly, that’s okay!
  1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar, 1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
• Add the eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and espresso powder (if using) to the bowl. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix everything at the bottom. This insures all your cookies come out evenly.
  1/2 cup (120g) sourdough starter discard, 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Incorporate Dry Ingredients:

• In a separate bowl, sift together with a whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. This is important to make sure your ingredients are evenly distributed.
  3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure a tender cookie texture.

Add Chocolate Chips:

• Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You can add them to the mixer if using, and pulse them through the dough for ease.
  1 3/4 cups (275g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chill the Dough:

• Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. For optimal fermentation, consider chilling the dough overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 1- 2 hours before baking to make scooping easier and ensure the right consistency of your cookies.

Bake Cookies:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats.
• Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. I scoop six to one cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear slightly underbaked.
• Immediately upon removing from the oven, slap the baking sheets on the countertop to achieve a crinkly appearance on the cookies. You may need to return cookies to the oven for an additional five minutes at this point if baking larger cookies, mine usually require another 4-6 minutes.
• While the cookies are still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter larger than your cookie to perfect the edges and give your cookie a perfect shape and even thickness by placing the cookie cutter over the cookie and making a circle that will nudge any irregular edges into a perfect circle, if desired.
• Sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt.

Cool and Enjoy:

• Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack.
  Flaky sea salt