Chewy, rich in flavor, and easy to make, these sourdough chocolate cookies are ready in less than 30 minutes, no chilling time or fancy equipment required. This is an egg-free cookie recipe that uses sourdough discard as a binder.
These are my lazy chocolate cookies: less than 30 minutes, and I’m already eating them! No mixer, no cookie scoop (like my brown butter sourdough cookies), just two bowls and the dream of quick but flavorful cookies.
You can use the discard from a regular sourdough starter or make them even richer with chocolate sourdough discard.
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The Best Chocolate Cookies (And the Easiest to Make)
What makes these cookies the best? It’s all about texture and flavor.
The sourdough discard adds depth, making the chocolate taste even more intense, while the baking soda gives these cookies crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. Brown sugar adds a hint of caramel, and the cornstarch keeps them from spreading too much, giving you thick, bakery-style cookies.
They’re quick to make, don’t require chilling, and have that perfect balance of crunch, chew, and deep chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
Sourdough discard. You can use sourdough discard or active sourdough in this recipe, as long as it’s 100% hydration (equal parts flour and water by weight).
Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened, 100% cocoa powder for this recipe to work. Do not substitute with hot cocoa mix.
Baking soda. Using baking soda makes these cookies darker and crispier on the outside while keeping them chewy and soft on the inside.
Cornstarch. Don’t add more than what’s called for. Cornstarch helps prevent these cookies from spreading too much, but too much can keep the cookies from spreading at all.
Butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using salted, omit the additional salt. Don’t forget to melt it (45 seconds in the microwave is enough) and let it cool for at least 5 minutes before starting the recipe.
Brown sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Chocolate chips. Use your favorite dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or substitute with chocolate chunks.
How to make them
These cookies require no chilling time, so start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch.
Step 2. In a large bowl, add the sourdough starter, cooled melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Tip: If your brown sugar has clumps, sift it or microwave it for about 25 seconds, then fluff it with a spoon. This makes mixing easier.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until fully incorporated and no dry flour spots remain. Add about ¾ of the chocolate chips, incorporating them into the dough with your hands. The dough won’t be as sticky as regular cookie dough.
Step 4. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces. I eyeball it, then use my hands to roll each piece into a ball. Place them on the lined baking sheet, leaving at least one inch between each. Flatten each ball to about half its size. Top the unbaked cookies with the remaining chocolate chips, pressing them gently into the dough.
Step 5. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes on the middle rack. The cookies will come out soft and may look slightly underbaked in the center. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Expert Tips
- Don’t worry about a tangy flavor from the sourdough discard: baking soda ensures these cookies have only the most amazing chocolate taste.
- For the best results, weigh your ingredients or, at the very least, measure the flour and cocoa powder carefully. Fluff them up before spooning them into the measuring cup, then level them off. Do not scoop directly from the container.
- Leave at least 1 inch between each cookie to prevent them from baking together into one giant cookie.
- Do not bake these cookies for more than 13 minutes. Overbaked chocolate cookies can sometimes develop a chalky taste. I recommend baking for 12 minutes, then letting them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. They will come out of the oven soft but will set as they rest.
- For extra dark chocolate cookies, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Looking for more sourdough chocolate recipes? These sourdough discard muffins are a reader favorite! If you’re craving a sourdough loaf, I have a chocolate sourdough bread recipe that will make your kitchen smell like a bakery.
Have you tried these Sourdough Chocolate Cookies? Please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card below, I'd love to know how it went!
📖 Recipe
Easy Sourdough Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 113 g butter unsalted
- 165 g brown sugar packed
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g sourdough discard
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 150 g dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Since this recipe doesn’t require chilling, having the oven ready ensures the cookies bake as soon as the dough is mixed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled melted butter, sourdough discard, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined. If your brown sugar has clumps, it’s best to sift it before adding, as this makes mixing easier.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing, once you no longer see dry flour, stop stirring. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies instead of the soft, chewy texture we’re aiming for. Next, fold in about ¾ of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for topping. The dough will be thicker than traditional cookie dough, so using your hands to incorporate the chocolate chips may help.
- Divide the dough into nine equal pieces and roll each portion into a ball. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring at least one inch of space between each cookie. Flatten each dough ball to about half its height. Press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies before baking.
- Bake the cookies on the middle rack for 11 to 13 minutes. They may still look soft when they come out of the oven, but that’s exactly how they should be. Let them sit on the baking sheet for five minutes, allowing them to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period is essential, as the cookies will firm up while maintaining their chewy centers.
Video
Notes
- For the best results, weigh your ingredients.
- Measure the flour and cocoa powder carefully. Fluff them up before spooning them into the measuring cup, then level them off.
- Do not bake these cookies for more than 14 minutes. Overbaked chocolate cookies can sometimes develop a chalky taste. I recommend baking for 12 minutes, then letting them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. They will come out of the oven soft but will set as they rest.
- For extra dark chocolate cookies, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Danelle
Decadent! I used a chocolate sourdough starter for these cookies. This dough made 16 cookies that were about 3" diameter. They had a nice spread to them and were so nice and soft. Definitely a win! THANKS!
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Danelle,
That sounds amazing, thank you for sharing! I’m so happy to hear your chocolate sourdough starter worked well for these! Cheers!
Angela
Can you ferment these before baking?
Tatiana Kamakura
Hi Angela,
I've never tried fermenting these cookies. You can chill them in the fridge for 48 to 72 hours. You may need to let them sit at room temperature for an hour before scooping them into balls. Don't forget to flatten the balls before baking. Hope it works, cheers!
Yugonda
A great recipe to use my chocolate sourdough discard. I love choc-chip cookies (doesn't everyone!?!) Thank you
BTW, your recipes are always a big hit with my husband 🙂
Tatiana Kamakura
So glad you both enjoy my recipes! The chocolate ones are also a big hit with my husband. Cheers!