The Best Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chewy, Gooey & Delicious!

Are you craving a cookie that transcends the ordinary? Look no further than our Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. These delectable treats boast a chewy, gooey texture reminiscent of the beloved Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, but with an extra dimension of flavor thanks to the magic of browned butter and the tangy addition of sourdough discard.

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The Magic of Browned Butter

At the heart of our recipe lies the secret ingredient: browned butter. Browned butter adds a depth of flavor and richness that takes these cookies from good to unforgettable. The process of browning butter involves melting it over low heat until the milk solids caramelize, giving the butter a nutty aroma and a golden hue. This transformation imbues the cookies with a subtle nuttiness and enhances the caramel notes in the chocolate, resulting in a truly indulgent treat.

Tips for Browning Butter

1. Use a light-colored saucepan to monitor the color of the butter more easily.
2. Stir the butter constantly to ensure even browning and prevent burning.
3. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as it turns a golden brown color and emits a nutty aroma.
4. Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl to cool slightly before incorporating it into your cookie dough.

Here’s how to brown butter to perfection:

1. Start by selecting a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet to ensure even heat distribution.
2. Place the desired amount of unsalted butter into the saucepan, allowing approximately 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter per serving.
3. Heat the saucepan over medium-low heat, allowing the butter to melt gradually.
4. Once the butter has melted completely, continue to cook it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula.
5. As the butter heats, it will begin to foam. This foaming is caused by the water content evaporating from the butter.
6. Continue to stir the butter as it cooks, keeping a close eye on the color and aroma. The butter will transition from a pale yellow to a golden hue as it browns.
7. Be vigilant to prevent the butter from burning. You’ll notice a nutty aroma and small brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan when the butter is properly browned.
8. Once the desired level of browning is achieved, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat to prevent further cooking.
9. Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl or container, taking care to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for maximum flavor.
10. Allow the browned butter to cool slightly before using it in your recipe, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future use.

Harnessing the Power of Sourdough Discard

In addition to browned butter, our recipe incorporates sourdough discard for added flavor and texture. Sourdough discard refers to the portion of sourdough starter that is removed and discarded during the feeding process. While it may seem like waste, sourdough discard is a hidden gem in baking, imparting a tangy flavor and tenderizing effect to baked goods.

Haven’t gotten started in your sourdough journey yet? Check out our Step-By-Step Guide To Making A Sourdough Starter From Scratch!

Using 100% hydration sourdough discard ensures that your cookies have the perfect balance of moisture and acidity. However, the consistency of sourdough discard can vary depending on factors such as hydration level and temperature. If your discard is too runny, simply adjust the amount of flour in the recipe accordingly. Conversely, if your discard is thick, you may need to add a splash of milk or water to achieve the desired consistency.

Enhancing Flavor and Texture with Molasses

One of the unsung heroes of our Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is molasses. Adding molasses to chocolate chip cookies might seem unconventional, but trust us when we say it’s a game-changer. Molasses is a byproduct of sugar refining, and its deep, rich flavor profile adds complexity and depth to baked goods.

Molasses brings a unique blend of sweetness and bitterness to the cookie dough, complementing the caramel notes from the browned butter and the tanginess of the sourdough discard. Its robust flavor profile adds a hint of warmth and sophistication, elevating the overall taste experience of the cookies. Additionally, molasses contributes to the cookies’ distinct aroma, filling your kitchen with irresistible scents of caramelized sugar and spices.

In addition to its flavor benefits, molasses plays a crucial role in achieving the desired texture of our cookies. Its high moisture content helps keep the cookies soft and chewy, ensuring they stay fresh for days after baking. Molasses also acts as a natural sweetener and tenderizer, resulting in cookies that are perfectly moist and decadently indulgent. The slight stickiness imparted by molasses adds to the irresistible gooeyness of the chocolate chips, creating a delightful contrast of textures in every bite.

Tips for Using Molasses:

1. Choose unsulphured molasses for the best flavor and quality.
2. When measuring molasses, lightly grease the measuring cup or spoon with oil to prevent sticking.
3. Incorporate molasses into the dough gradually, mixing well after each addition to ensure even distribution.
4. Adjust the amount of molasses based on your personal preference for sweetness and intensity of flavor.
5. Store molasses in a cool, dark place to maintain its freshness and prevent crystallization.

The Importance of Cooling Browned Butter and Chilling Dough

While it may be tempting to rush through the baking process and dive straight into enjoying your freshly baked cookies, taking the time to cool the browned butter and chill the dough beforehand is crucial for achieving the perfect texture and flavor. Here’s why:

1. Preserving Texture: Cooling the browned butter allows it to solidify slightly before incorporating it into the dough. This is important because it helps maintain the structure of the cookies during baking. If warm or hot butter is added to the dough, it can cause the cookies to spread too much in the oven, resulting in thin, crispy cookies rather than the desired chewy texture.
2. Flavor Development: Allowing the browned butter to cool not only ensures the right texture but also gives the flavors time to meld together. As the butter cools, its nutty aroma becomes more pronounced, enhancing the overall flavor profile of the cookies. Additionally, chilling the dough allows the ingredients to marry and develop complex flavors, resulting in a more rich and satisfying taste experience.
3. Preventing Excessive Spreading: Chilling the dough before baking helps firm up the fat (butter) and relax the gluten, which reduces the likelihood of the cookies spreading too much in the oven. This is particularly important for achieving the desired thickness and chewiness in the final product. By allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight), you’ll ensure that your cookies bake up perfectly every time.
4. Controlling Bake Time: Chilling the dough also gives you better control over the bake time, allowing the cookies to cook more evenly from edge to center. This helps prevent underbaked centers and overbrowned edges, resulting in cookies that are golden brown and deliciously chewy throughout.
5. Enhancing Flavor Intensity: Cold dough takes longer to melt in the oven, which means the flavors have more time to develop and intensify during baking. This leads to cookies with a more concentrated flavor profile, as opposed to cookies made from room temperature dough, where the flavors may dissipate more quickly in the heat of the oven.

Bulk Prepping and Freezing Raw Dough

For those who love the convenience of having freshly baked cookies on demand, bulk prepping and freezing raw dough is a game-changing technique. With our Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, you can easily prepare a large batch of dough, form it into balls, and flash freeze them for later use. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prepare the Dough: Follow the recipe instructions to make a large batch of Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie dough. Be sure to incorporate all the delicious ingredients, including the browned butter, sourdough discard, molasses, and chocolate chips, for maximum flavor and texture.
2. Form into Balls: Once the dough is ready, use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion it into evenly sized balls. For uniformity, you can weigh each dough ball to ensure they are all the same size. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them to prevent sticking.
3. Flash Freeze: Transfer the baking sheet with the dough balls to the freezer and let them freeze for about 1-2 hours, or until they are firm to the touch. Flash freezing the dough balls individually prevents them from sticking together and allows for easy storage and portioning.
4. Store in Reusable Silicone Bags: Once the dough balls are frozen solid, transfer them to reusable silicone bags or airtight containers for long-term storage. Label the bags with the date and type of cookie dough for easy identification, then store in the freezer.
5. Cooking Instructions from Frozen: When you’re ready to bake cookies, there’s no need to thaw the dough. Simply preheat your oven to the specified temperature in the recipe and arrange the frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them for spreading.
6. Adjust Baking Time: Since the dough is frozen, you may need to adjust the baking time slightly to ensure the cookies are fully cooked. Start by adding an extra minute or two to the baking time, keeping an eye on the cookies as they bake. They’re ready when the edges are golden brown and the centers are set.
7. Enjoy Freshly Baked Cookies: Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Then, indulge in warm, gooey cookies straight from the oven, just like magic!

By bulk prepping and freezing raw dough, you’ll always have a stash of homemade cookies ready to bake whenever cravings strike. With this convenient method, you can enjoy the irresistible taste of Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies anytime, with minimal effort required. Happy baking!

Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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The Best Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy, gooey, and oh so delicious chocolate chip cookies made with browned butter, molasses, and sourdough discard!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Chill Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 0

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowls & spoons
• Pot
• Cookie scoop

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup Organic Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Browned Butter see directions above
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cane Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Sourdough Discard
• 1 tbsp Molasses
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips whatever kind you prefer

Instructions

• Start by combining all the dry ingredients in a bowl, ensuring they are thoroughly mixed, and then set the mixture aside. 1 3/4 cup Organic Flour, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Sea Salt,
• Using either a stand mixer or a large bowl, blend together the cooled butter and sugars until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which should take approximately 2 minutes.1 cup Unsalted Browned Butter, 1 cup Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup Cane Sugar,
• Add the egg into the mixture, continuing to blend for an additional minute on high speed.1 Egg
• Introduce the sourdough discard, molasses, and vanilla to the mixture, ensuring they are well combined.1/2 cup Sourdough Discard, 1 tbsp Molasses, 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• Gradually incorporate half of the dry ingredients into the mixture, blending until just combined. Then, add the remaining flour mixture, being careful not to overmix as this may result in tough cookies.
• If the dough appears too loose or dry when formed, adjust the consistency by adding either more flour or butter until it holds its shape properly.
• Mix in your preferred choice of chocolate chips to the dough.1 cup Chocolate Chips
• Cover the dough with a towel or beeswax wrap, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up.
• Once the dough has chilled, use a cookie scoop to form dough balls, placing them evenly spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes in a preheated oven, remembering to flatten them halfway through with a fork to achieve that irresistible gooey texture.
• Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack before indulging in their deliciousness, pairing them perfectly with a glass of fresh milk for a delightful treat!