Sourdough - cookies
4 / 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sourdough - cookies
4 / 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Crispy edges, tender middles, and just the right amount of tang — without a sugar crash.
You don’t expect much from discard cookies. Let’s be honest: most are either too cakey, weirdly sour, or pretending to be healthy while tasting like nothing. But these cookies changed the game for me. They’re soft yet structured, full of chocolatey richness, and balanced with just a whisper of sourdough flavor that keeps things interesting.
They’re also lighter than your average cookie — no mountains of butter, no cups of sugar, no post-snack regret. You wouldn’t know it, though. All you’ll taste is that home-baked magic: warm vanilla, melty chocolate, and a cookie that somehow feels like both a treat and a smart choice.
🔥 When I Knew This Recipe Was a Keeper
I had a jar of sourdough discard in the fridge, a few tablespoons of soft butter left, and one egg. Not exactly a feast — but enough to try something I’d been toying with: a lighter cookie that still hit all the right notes.
The dough came together in a single bowl. I let it rest (that part matters — the discard hydrates the flour beautifully), then spooned a few blobs onto a tray. The first batch came out golden at the edges, soft in the middle. Chewy, flavorful, perfectly sweet without being cloying.
By cookie number two, I was sold. This was a recipe I’d make again. And again. And again.
💡 What Makes These Cookies Special
Sourdough discard: Instead of wasting it, we let it shine here. The discard doesn’t make the cookies overly sour — it adds complexity, lightness, and extra moisture.
Greek yogurt: Replaces half the butter you’d usually need, keeping the fat low but the texture rich and soft.
Sucralose (or sweetener of choice): We’re using about 50–60 g of granular sucralose — this replaces 100 g of sugar without compromising flavor or browning.
Balanced dry mix: A combo of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt creates the perfect structure — tender inside, lightly crisp on the outside.
Optional chocolate chips or cacao nibs: Just enough to make it feel indulgent, not excessive.
🍴 How I Serve These
With coffee or tea when I want something sweet but balanced
As a midday snack with Greek yogurt or fruit
In the freezer, ready to pop in the oven for warm cookies in 10 minutes
On a brunch board next to fruit, nuts, and nut butter
Just… on their own. Because cookies.
🧊 Storage & Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days
Freeze raw cookie dough balls on a tray, then store in a bag — bake straight from frozen at 175°C for 12–14 minutes
Reheat baked cookies in the microwave (10 seconds) for gooey centers again
(Makes ~12 medium cookies)
🧂 Ingredients:
50 g soft butter (room temp)
50 g thick Greek yogurt (not runny; can sub full-fat plain yogurt)
50–60 g sucralose (granular type — or your preferred sugar replacement)
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 g sourdough discard (unfed, 100% hydration)
150 g flour (white, or part whole wheat/oat flour if you like a heartier cookie)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
50–70 g dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional, but recommended)
👩🍳 Instructions
Cream the butter and sweetener In a medium mixing bowl, beat the soft butter with the sucralose until light and slightly fluffy. This takes about 1–2 minutes by hand or with a spatula.
Add the yogurt and egg Stir in the Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. The mixture might look a bit separated at first — that’s okay. Mix until mostly smooth.
Incorporate the discard Add the sourdough discard and stir well. This adds hydration and slight elasticity to the dough.
Mix the dry ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, add this to the wet mixture and fold gently until just combined.
Add the chocolate (optional but yes) Stir in the chocolate chips or cacao nibs. Don’t overmix — just enough to distribute.
Let the dough rest (important!) Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15–30 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the moisture from the discard and yogurt, which makes for a chewier, more uniform texture.
Preheat your oven While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Scoop and shape Using a spoon or cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12 cookies. You can gently press them down for wider cookies, or leave them domed for thicker ones.
Bake Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft. Don’t overbake — they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
Cool Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Or eat one warm with a spoon. No judgment.
🍰 Nutrition (per naan, based on 6 pieces) = Approx. 95 kcal, 2,,8g protein, 11,5g carbs, 3.8g fat
Crispy edges, tender middles, and just the right amount of tang — without a sugar crash.
You don’t expect much from discard cookies. Let’s be honest: most are either too cakey, weirdly sour, or pretending to be healthy while tasting like nothing. But these cookies changed the game for me. They’re soft yet structured, full of chocolatey richness, and balanced with just a whisper of sourdough flavor that keeps things interesting.
They’re also lighter than your average cookie — no mountains of butter, no cups of sugar, no post-snack regret. You wouldn’t know it, though. All you’ll taste is that home-baked magic: warm vanilla, melty chocolate, and a cookie that somehow feels like both a treat and a smart choice.
🔥 When I Knew This Recipe Was a Keeper
I had a jar of sourdough discard in the fridge, a few tablespoons of soft butter left, and one egg. Not exactly a feast — but enough to try something I’d been toying with: a lighter cookie that still hit all the right notes.
The dough came together in a single bowl. I let it rest (that part matters — the discard hydrates the flour beautifully), then spooned a few blobs onto a tray. The first batch came out golden at the edges, soft in the middle. Chewy, flavorful, perfectly sweet without being cloying.
By cookie number two, I was sold. This was a recipe I’d make again. And again. And again.
💡 What Makes These Cookies Special
Sourdough discard: Instead of wasting it, we let it shine here. The discard doesn’t make the cookies overly sour — it adds complexity, lightness, and extra moisture.
Greek yogurt: Replaces half the butter you’d usually need, keeping the fat low but the texture rich and soft.
Sucralose (or sweetener of choice): We’re using about 50–60 g of granular sucralose — this replaces 100 g of sugar without compromising flavor or browning.
Balanced dry mix: A combo of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt creates the perfect structure — tender inside, lightly crisp on the outside.
Optional chocolate chips or cacao nibs: Just enough to make it feel indulgent, not excessive.
🍴 How I Serve These
With coffee or tea when I want something sweet but balanced
As a midday snack with Greek yogurt or fruit
In the freezer, ready to pop in the oven for warm cookies in 10 minutes
On a brunch board next to fruit, nuts, and nut butter
Just… on their own. Because cookies.
🧊 Storage & Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days
Freeze raw cookie dough balls on a tray, then store in a bag — bake straight from frozen at 175°C for 12–14 minutes
Reheat baked cookies in the microwave (10 seconds) for gooey centers again
(Makes ~12 medium cookies)
🧂 Ingredients:
50 g soft butter (room temp)
50 g thick Greek yogurt (not runny; can sub full-fat plain yogurt)
50–60 g sucralose (granular type — or your preferred sugar replacement)
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 g sourdough discard (unfed, 100% hydration)
150 g flour (white, or part whole wheat/oat flour if you like a heartier cookie)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
50–70 g dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional, but recommended)
👩🍳 Instructions
Cream the butter and sweetener In a medium mixing bowl, beat the soft butter with the sucralose until light and slightly fluffy. This takes about 1–2 minutes by hand or with a spatula.
Add the yogurt and egg Stir in the Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. The mixture might look a bit separated at first — that’s okay. Mix until mostly smooth.
Incorporate the discard Add the sourdough discard and stir well. This adds hydration and slight elasticity to the dough.
Mix the dry ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, add this to the wet mixture and fold gently until just combined.
Add the chocolate (optional but yes) Stir in the chocolate chips or cacao nibs. Don’t overmix — just enough to distribute.
Let the dough rest (important!) Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15–30 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the moisture from the discard and yogurt, which makes for a chewier, more uniform texture.
Preheat your oven While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Scoop and shape Using a spoon or cookie scoop, portion the dough into 12 cookies. You can gently press them down for wider cookies, or leave them domed for thicker ones.
Bake Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft. Don’t overbake — they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
Cool Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Or eat one warm with a spoon. No judgment.
🍰 Nutrition (per naan, based on 6 pieces) = Approx. 95 kcal, 2,,8g protein, 11,5g carbs, 3.8g fat
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|
Yogurt | 50 ml |
Soft Butter | 50 g |
Sucralose (4:1) | 55 g |
Egg | 70 g |
Vanilla Extract | 1 tbsp |
SourDough Starter | 100 g |
Flour | 150 g |
Baking Powder | 0.5 tsp |
Baking Soda | 0.25 tsp |
Salt | 0.25 tsp |
Dark Chocolate Chipsextra | 60 g |
Dry: 305 gWet: 170 ml
🍪 Sourdough Cookies (Chewy, Golden & Naturally Leavened)
There’s something about a warm cookie that instantly feels like comfort. That moment when you bite into the soft center, still warm from the oven, the chocolate just beginning to melt, and that gentle sourdough tang hits the back of your tongue — it’s cozy, nostalgic, and somehow just right.
If you’re like me and try to avoid overly processed treats, store-bought cookies just don’t satisfy. They’re often too sweet, too artificial, or leave that weird greasy aftertaste. That’s exactly why I started baking these.
This recipe is my answer to the cookie craving — a naturally-leavened sourdough cookie that’s chewy on the inside, golden at the edges, and full of real flavor. No yeast. No chilling. No fake stuff. Just a way to use that extra sourdough discard and turn it into something deeply satisfying.
This has become my “always on hand” cookie. I’ll bake a batch to pair with coffee, gift to a friend, or freeze for future snack emergencies. They taste like the kind of cookie you shouldn’t be able to make on a weeknight — but somehow, you can.
💡 Want to customize it?
Try folding in dark chocolate chunks, chopped nuts, or dried fruit. Sprinkle flaky salt on top just before baking for a bakery-style finish. You can even play with flavor by browning the butter first, or mixing in a pinch of cinnamon for warmth.
📝 More About These Sourdough Cookies
These naturally-leavened cookies are a total game changer for anyone who wants soft, chewy, golden cookies — without the need for commercial yeast, processed sweeteners, or artificial flavoring. Instead, they lean into the quiet magic of sourdough discard: the stuff you usually toss, now transformed into something indulgent and unexpectedly complex.
The discard adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor you just don’t get from ordinary cookies. Greek yogurt brings moisture and tenderness, while a bit of oil (or butter) gives the dough that perfect balance between chewy and crisp. The result? A cookie that tastes homemade, nourishing, and just real.
Whether you’re pairing them with coffee, gifting them to a friend, or stashing a few in the freezer for late-night cravings — these cookies fit into every kind of day. And the best part? They’re easier on digestion, quick to throw together, and full of ingredients you probably already have.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using inactive discard: Make sure your sourdough discard is no more than a few days old and hasn’t been sitting out too long. If it smells overly sour or off, don’t use it — your cookies will taste funky.
Overmixing the dough: Stir just until combined. Overworking it can make the cookies tough instead of tender.
Too much flour: These cookies work best with a slightly soft dough. If it’s too dry, they’ll end up cakey or crumbly.
Skipping resting time (optional, but worth it): Letting the dough rest for 20–30 minutes can help the flavors develop and improve the texture.
Overbaking: These cookies are meant to be soft in the middle. Take them out when the edges are golden and the center still looks a bit underdone — they’ll finish cooking as they cool.
💡 Extra Tips for Cookie Magic
Want them richer? Brown your butter before adding it to the dough.
Need it dairy-free? Sub in coconut oil and plant-based yogurt — the texture stays dreamy.
Flavor boost? Stir in a pinch of cinnamon, espresso powder, or orange zest.
Add crunch: Toss in cacao nibs, chopped walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
Make it a dessert sandwich: Spread a little yogurt, nut butter, or even frozen banana mash between two cookies.
🥡 Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
These cookies store well in an airtight container for 3–4 days at room temp, or up to a week in the fridge.
Want to freeze? Portion the raw dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a bag or container. Bake straight from frozen — just add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Or, freeze baked cookies and reheat them gently in a toaster oven or microwave for that just-baked feel.
Once you’ve made these cookies a few times, you won’t need a recipe anymore — just your starter, a bowl, and a craving.
