I wanted to make sourdough cookies but wondered if they were even a thing, not realizing just how versatile sourdough can be. I searched around on social media but mostly came across cookies made with discard instead of active starter, so I decided to test it out myself.

I took my brown butter cookie recipe—a recipe I’ve spent years perfecting—and tweaked the ratios to make active sourdough starter work. And dare I say, it was the best cookie I’ve ever had. Brown butter + sourdough? Two elite components right there. Crispy edges, a soft and chewy center, melty bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, and flaky sea salt to finish. The subtle sourdough flavor just ties everything together. This is a cookie that blew my peers away and one I get asked about at least once a week.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

Butter: I use European-style butter, such as Plugra, for its higher butterfat content and richer flavor. However, regular American butter sticks, such as Land O Lakes, works perfectly well too. Since the butter is browned, either will give you delicious results.
Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create those crisp, golden edges.
Dark brown sugar: The higher molasses content adds depth of flavor and helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Egg yolks: Add richness and help create that chewy, tender center.
Active sourdough starter: Use an active, bubbly starter at 100% hydration — meaning equal parts flour and water by weight. The starter adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor while also contributing moisture to the dough. It also makes the cookie gut friendly.
Vanilla: I use vanilla bean paste for its deeper vanilla flavor and those little flecks of vanilla throughout the dough, but vanilla extract works just as well.
All-purpose flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour for structure while keeping the cookies tender and chewy.
Baking soda & baking powder: The combination helps with spread, browning, and a little lift without making the cookies cakey.
Salt: A small amount balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate and brown butter flavors.
Chocolate: I use a combination of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, roughly 70/30, for the perfect balance of rich, slightly bitter chocolate and sweetness. I prefer chopping chocolate bars into chunks rather than using chips, which gives you a mix of larger melty pockets and smaller pieces throughout the cookies.
Flaky sea salt: And, of course, flaky sea salt! I use Maldon flaky sea salt to finish the cookies right after they come out of the oven. Those little flakes add the perfect salty contrast to the rich brown butter, chocolate, and brown sugar. Because what’s a cookie without a little Maldon on top?

TIPS

When browning the butter, I aim for an amber color, although a lighter brown is perfectly fine; just be careful not to burn the milk solids, as they can go from beautifully toasted to burnt very quickly.
I like to let the brown butter cool directly in the mixing bowl I’ll be using to make the dough. It needs to be at room temperature before adding the sugar, and if you can comfortably dip your finger into the melted butter, it’s ready to use.
CHOP YOUR CHOCOLATE! Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that help them hold their shape, so they won’t melt quite as beautifully as chopped chocolate. Chopping your chocolate bars gives you those gorgeous pools of melted chocolate throughout the cookie. You can also use a combination of both, adding a little bit of mini chocolate chips if you don’t want your cookies to spread quite as much.
Because of its higher fat content, the dough can be a little difficult to shape right after mixing (softer texture). After the final mixing step, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes so the butter can solidify slightly, making the dough easier to scoop and shape properly.
I prefer shaping the dough balls before doing the cold ferment rather than refrigerating the dough as one whole batch. A lot of people rest their cookie dough for 4–24 hours before scooping, but once the butter completely solidifies, the dough becomes much harder to scoop, so I find shaping first makes the process much easier.
For those pools of chocolate on the surface, you can add a few extra semisweet chocolate chunks to the dough balls after scooping and shaping. I personally like to work with the chocolate that’s already incorporated into the dough, making sure at least one good-sized chunk is facing upward when I shape each cookie. This way, you naturally get those beautiful pools of melted chocolate on the surface without having to add extra chocolate. Just go with the flow based on your preference.
Do not skip resting the dough balls in the fridge — the ingredients need to get to know each other! Resting the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and gives the flavors time to develop. The longer it rests, the better the flavor becomes. I recommend at least 5 hours, but overnight is even better and is recommended. I’ve even done a 72-hour cold ferment once just because lol.
These cookies puff up and spread quite a bit, so I like to reshape them when they’re close to done. After about 10 minutes, I use a cookie cutter or small bowl to gently circle around the cookies and bring the edges back toward the center, then pop them back into the oven for another 3–5 minutes to finish baking. They may look like they still need more time, but don’t be tempted to leave them in longer! They’ll naturally deflate and set as they cool. Once they come out, I give them one final light reshape before topping them with flaky sea salt.
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a cooling rack. This gives them time to firm up while allowing excess steam to escape, helping the cookies set while keeping that soft, chewy center.

Et Voilà… Bon Appétit!

BROWN BUTTER SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

These brown butter sourdough chocolate chunk cookies have crisp, golden edges, soft and chewy center, and plenty of melty chocolate in every bite. Made with active sourdough starter, browned butter, and a mix of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, they’re finished with flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty bite.

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Ingredients

185 g European butter, or 170g regular butter
65 g granulated sugar
195 g dark brown sugar
2 egg yolks
100 g active starter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
225 g AP flour
113 g bittersweet chocolate
55 g semi-sweet chocolate

Method

Cut the butter into small cubes and cook in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until melted and foamy. Continue cooking until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool until lukewarm, not hot.
While the butter cools, chop the chocolate bars into chunks and set aside.
Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the lukewarm brown butter. Stir with a spatula or whisk until smooth and glossy. Do not cream or whip.
Mix in the egg yolks until fully incorporated. Add the active sourdough starter and vanilla and stir until smooth and uniform.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently until about 25% of the flour remains.
Gently fold in the chocolate chunks until evenly distributed and no streaks of flour remain.
Scoop the dough into 2.5 oz balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flour to hydrate and the dough to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Arrange the chilled dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. Bake for 13–15 minutes (see tips section).
Remove from the oven and immediately reshape the cookies using a small bowl or large cookie cutter to give its final shape. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.