Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are the absolute perfect cookie. Traditionally fermented, soft, sweet and delicious. I guarantee they will get eaten within a day, that is if they even get made into cookies, because the dough is just as scrumptious.

This recipe is a result of my effort to convert all of my traditional homemade recipes from flour to sourdough. I was determined to get sourdough cookies right so I have made these countless times. Based on the fact that they are usually gone before they’ve even cooled, I think it worked. Not to mention that my family may enjoy the dough more than the cookie itself – they take after their mama 🙂 But really, fresh cookies just may be the best dessert ever!

My Secret Ingredient

Now I have one ingredient that is a bit unconventional and totally optional. However, don’t knock it till you try it, because this secret ingredient makes for some deliciously crispy cookies. Get to the point Hilary. Okay, okay. My secret ingredient is LARD! Yup, pastured lard straight from the farm. I don’t know what it is about this healthy fat, but it is hands down my favorite cooking fat. So I had the crazy idea to try it in cookie batter and viola– the perfect cookie! (to learn more about my favorite cooking oils check out my Why Fat’s)

You do not have to use lard in these soft sourdough cookies. Butter works perfectly too. I absolutely love using a brick of Kerrygold butter in these cookies. The high butterfat content makes such a difference and I always recommend grassfed butter. But again, any butter will do.

When I began my sourdough journey so many cookie recipes were made using sourdough discard mixed with flour and baked immediately. I found that to be interesting they were even called “sourdough cookies” because they weren’t even fermented.

Sourdough is taking grains and fermenting them to rid the grains of their anti-nutrients. This allows for the full nutritional benefit when eating grains and helps aide in proper digestion. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of sourdough, check out my “Why Sourdough?“

I created these cookies so they could be traditionally fermented allowing you and your family to fully benefit from the amazing nutritional benefits sourdough offers us. The fermented flavor is unique and delicious and I know your family will become big fans after one bite!

Before we get started you will need a sourdough starter. If you do not have one yet, here is a Day by Day Guide to help you make your own Sourdough Starter.

Ingredients for Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Active Sourdough Starter
2. 2 Sticks Butter (I love a brick of Kerrygold) and/or Lard
3. Unbleached Flour (I always recommend organic)
4. Brown Sugar
5. Cane Sugar
6. Vanilla
7. Egg
8. Baking Soda
9. Baking Powder
10. Unrefined Salt
11. Chocolate Chips

How to Make Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

In a small sauce pan melt butter (or lard) on stove. While the butter is melting, measure out flour and active sourdough starter and add to a large bowl. Pour melted butter into the bowl. Mix together with spatula or by hand until everything is well incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap or Bee’s Wrap to ferment. Then bake. But first, you have two different fermenting options.

1. Ferment the dough for 8-12 hours to allow the grains to break down. After fermenting, the dough will look expanded and cracked. Mix in the rest of the ingredients with a mixer and bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. The cookies will be a little more flat this way because your butter will be room temperature. But this is a great option for making your cookies in the same day.
2. Or, my favorite option, a long, cold ferment. Ferment your dough on the counter for 2 hours. It will expand just slightly and maybe not even enough for you to notice. Add dough to a stand mixer with the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Add dough to a bowl or container. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 72 hours. Remove and bake dough at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. I love this option because the butter becomes more of a solid again in the fridge and the cookies hold their shape better. It also allows me to have cookie dough available for a fresh batch of cookies at any time. I might be tempted to sneak some dough as a sweet snack during the day… but everything is fine in moderation 🙂

Switch up your cookie game with these Varieties:

Follow the recipe by fermenting the butter, flour and sourdough starter. Choose what cookie you prefer below and add these additions to switch up your cookie game.

Spiced Gingerbread Cookie

Ferment browned butter with flour and sourdough starter.

Browned Butter: Melt one cup of butter on stove in a medium size pan over low heat. Bring butter to a slow boil. The butter will appear foamy and grow slightly, that’s why I suggest using a medium sized pan.

After about 5 minutes, whisk the butter. It will still be foamy, but as you keep mixing you will slowly start to see the color change from yellow to brown. There may even be some brown specks at the bottom.

The smell will also change and become nutty flavored. Once you’ve reached this browned butter status, remove from heat. Add this to the flour and sourdough starter to ferment 8 hours.

Continue to follow the recipe along with adding the following to the batter after ferment.

1. 2 Tbsp molasses
2. 1 tsp cinnamon
3. 1/2 tsp cardamom
4. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
5. 1/2 tsp nutmeg
6. 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Oatmeal Raisin:

1. 1 cup oats (These Organic Sprouted Rolled Oats are my favorite!)
2. 2 Tbsp Molasses
3. 1 cup raisins (I always recommend organic because grapes are highly sprayed. Why Organic? for more info)
4. 1 tsp cinnamon

Peanut Butter:

1. 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
2. 1 cup oats (optional but so good!)

Monster Cookie:

1. 2 cup oats
2. 3/4 cup peanut butter
3. 2 cups chocolate chips–or 1 cup chocolate chips, one cup M&M’s.

Skillet Cookie:

Add Sourdough Cookie Dough to a well greased Cast Iron Skillet. You will not use all the dough from this recipe and depending on the size of your skillet is how much cookie dough you will use. Just be sure your dough is about 1/2 inch thick. Add skillet to oven at 375 degrees F. Cook about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream right in the center of the cookie while it’s still warm and eat straight from the skillet–SO GOOD!

Pin for Later:

Let’s make some Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Links:

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Cast Iron Skillet

Bee’s Wrap

What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Share in the comments below