These cookies are made by incorporating sourdough discard starter into the cookie dough, giving them a complex flavor and a soft and chewy texture. They are so yummy and good use of sourdough starter discard.
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard refers to the portion of sourdough starter that is removed before feeding and maintaining the starter. When maintaining a sourdough starter, it’s typical to remove a portion of the starter before adding fresh flour and water to it. This removed portion is known as the “discard” and is often discarded or thrown away.
However, some bakers choose to use the discard in recipes such as bread, crackers, pancakes, waffles, and cookies. Sourdough discard can add a unique tangy, sour flavor to baked goods and can also add a unique texture. Using the discard in recipes can be a great way to reduce waste and make the most of your sourdough starter.
Do sourdough discard cookies taste really sour?
I didn’t taste any sourness with these cookies. The sourdough starter on its own is sour but because the discard is only in a small proportion of the total ingredients in the cookie recipe, it doesn’t impart much sourness, if at all. Besides, there is baking soda in the recipe, which neutralizes the acidity at the same time. There are also sugar and chocolate chips added. But of course, this also depends on your starter, for example: how active the starter is, what you have fed the starter, etc. Generally speaking, the cookies may have a very subtle tangy, sour flavor.
Nobody noticed that these were sourdough discard cookies. In fact, these sourdough matcha chocolate chip cookies are my kids’ favorites now! They love how soft and chewy they are.
Why you’ll like this recipe
1. No fuss
You don’t need a mixer to cream the butter and sugar. Just a simple mix with a spatula will do
2. No chilling
You don’t need to chill the cookie dough before baking. The cookies won’t spread flat (unless you have a runny discard starter and your dough is really sticky). But they can also be kept frozen until you want to bake them
3. No sour
If you think it’s going to be sour, it’s not. As I’ve explained above, it also depends on your starter, but overall, it shouldn’t be sour. Nobody even knows that these were made with discarded starter
4. Texture and taste are spot-on
The cookies are slightly crisp on the edge and soft and chewy at the same time! Such a terrific texture!
Let’s talk ingredients (I recommend reading these to know what to and what not to substitute)
1. Sourdough discard
I use unfed discard that has been sitting in the fridge for about 3-4 days. My sourdough starter is fed with bread flour and rye. So the consistency is thicker. Everyone starter may be a bit different
2. Butter
I use softened unsalted butter. The recipe also works great with an equal amount of softened coconut oil. These are the two fats I’ve tried so far and they work. I haven’t tried any other. If you do, be sure to report back so others can benefit from it as well 🙂
3. Egg yolk
I use room-temperature egg yolk. I have also tested it by replacing the egg yolk with an equal amount of whole milk yogurt and it worked too
4. All-purpose flour
All-purpose flour has medium-gluten content, and therefore the cookies will be softer
5. Light brown sugar
Light brown sugar contributes to the chewiness of the cookies. I don’t recommend replacing it with white sugar for this recipe.
6. Baking soda
Baking soda contributes to the soft and chewy texture of the cookies. Cookies do spread a bit more when baking soda is present. It suits this recipe because the cookie dough doesn’t spread as much. DO NOT replace with baking powder. They are not the same thing. Because we have something acidic like a sourdough starter in the recipe, it works well with the baking soda to do what it supposed to do
7. Salt
A small pinch of salt brings out the flavor of the cookies. I usually use fine sea salt
8. White chocolate chips
You can use any of your favorite chocolate chips, mini or regular size or larger chunks for that gooey chocolatey goodness
9. Chopped almonds
I use roasted unsalted almonds, but you can use any nuts you want. You can even skip them if you prefer
10. Matcha powder
Use ceremonial matcha if possible. It’s expensive but it retains its nice green color. I used culinary-grade good-quality matcha powder but you can see that the green color is almost brown.It still gives a good matcha flavor, just not as bright in color
Can I make these matcha white chocolate chip cookies if I don’t have sourdough discard?
This recipe is designed specifically to use up a sourdough discard. If you want regular matcha cookies, you can try these matcha oatmeal chocolate chunks cookies instead.
How to make sourdough matcha white chocolate chip cookies
1. I use unfed sourdough discard that was about 3 days old. Because everyone sourdough starter is different, so the result may vary slightly. If your sourdough starter is more “liquid” in texture, the cookies may be “flatter”. I feed my sourdough with bread flour and some rye, so they are pretty thick and gooey in texture
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside. Use a sturdy spatula to mash the softened butter (not melty) with brown sugar until combined and creamy
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sourdough discard, and vanilla until combined and the starter has loosened
4. Add the yolk mixture into the butter and stir to combine. 
5. Add the dry ingredient mixture and use a spatula to combine just until you don’t see any more dry flour bits. 
6. Add the chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Fold to combine. Don’t overwork the dough. It is kinda sticky
7. I use a non-stick cooking spray to spray the cookie scoop to manage the slightly sticky dough. You can also refrigerate them in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. It’s easier to work with when it’s cold. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to scoop about 2 Tbsp (about 57 grams) of cookie dough for a large cookie, and 1 Tbsp (about 24 grams) for small cookies, and roll it into a ball. Place them on a baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for a conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for a convection oven. I recommend baking one tray at a time for the best result. Bake in the middle rack for 11-12 minutes (it took mine 12 minutes) for large cookies, and 8-9 minutes for smaller cookies (took mine 8 minutes), or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the middle is still really soft and looks underbaked. The cookies continue to bake even after they are out of the oven. So, DO NOT overbake the cookies
9. How to make a perfect round cookie hack: If you want a really round cookie, use a round cup or cookie cutter, slightly larger than your cookie so you won’t “cut” into the cookie, and “scoot” the cookie by making a circle motion (refer to the short video). This has to be done when the cookies just come out straight from the oven.
10. Press a few more chocolate chips on top of the cookies while they are still warm. This is optional, it’s more for a look. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They are very soft and you may be tempted to bake them longer, but they will firm up as they cool down
11. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely
How to store
1. Baked cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for about a week. You can also freeze them for longer storage. Simply flash freeze them by arranging them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and put them in a freezer for about 30 minutes. They will harden but not freeze completely yet. Transfer to a container or freezer bag, push all the air out, and seal. They can be kept frozen for about a month
2. Unbaked cookie dough can be kept frozen. Once you have rolled the cookies into round balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They can be close to each other just not touching each other. Flash freeze for about 30 minutes and then transfer to a container or freezer bag and they won’t stick to each other anymore. When you want to bake them, they can go straight from the freezer to the oven. You may need to add a minute or two or bake until the edge is just slightly brown and the center is still soft.
Did you make this sourdough matcha white chocolate almond cookies recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Don’t have a sourdough starter?
You can easily make a small-batch sourdough starter that you can maintain easily in small amount.
Easy Sourdough Matcha White Chocolate Almond Cookies (Soft and Chewy)
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 95 g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp matcha powder
Wet ingredients:
- 60 g unsalted butter softened
- 80 g light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
- 60 g sourdough starter discard
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Other ingredients:
- 60 g white chocolate chips
- 35 gr roasted almonds or nuts of your choice, roughly chopped
Instructions
Prepare the cookie dough:
- Take the starter out from the fridge to let it comes to room temperature before you mix it in with the rest of the ingredients
- I use unfed sourdough discard that was about 3 days old. Because everyone sourdough starter is different, so the result may vary slightly. If your sourdough starter is more "liquid" in texture, the cookies may be "flatter". I feed my sourdough with bread flour and some rye, so they are pretty thick
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Use a sturdy spatula to mash the softened butter (not melty) with brown sugar until combined and creamy
- In another bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sourdough discard, and vanilla until combined and the starter has loosened
- Add the yolk mixture into the butter and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredient mixture and use a spatula to combine just until you don't see any more dry flour bits. Add the chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Fold to combine. Don't overwork the dough. It is kinda sticky
Portion the dough:
- I use a non-stick cooking spray to spray the cookie scoop to manage the slightly sticky dough
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to scoop about 2 Tbsp (about 57 grams) of cookie dough for a large cookie, and 1 Tbsp (about 24 grams) for small cookies, and roll it into a ball. Place them on a baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
Chill the cookie dough: (optional)
- If the cookie dough is really sticky, you can cover it and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes. It will be easier to work with.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for a conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for a convection oven
- I recommend baking one tray at a time for the best result. Bake in the middle rack for 11-12 minutes (it took mine 12 minutes) for large cookies, and 8-9 minutes for smaller cookies (took mine 8 minutes), or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the middle is still really soft and looks underbaked. The cookies continue to bake even after they are out of the oven. So, DO NOT overbake the cookies
If your cookies don't flatten much:
- Depending on your starter, sometimes the cookies may not flatten out much. When you take the cookies out of the oven, immediately bang the baking pan or cookie sheet on the counter several times, this helps to flatten out the cookies
If your cookies flatten too much:
- If you notice that the cookies have flatten too much halfway during baking, take the baking pan out of the oven and immediately use a spoon to push the edge of the cookies towards the center. Return the pan back into the oven and bake. Repeat this again immediately when the cookies are done baking
Scoot the cookies (for round-looking cookies) – optional:
- If you want a really round cookie, use a round cup or cookie cutter, slightly larger than your cookie so you won't "cut" into the cookie, and "scoot" the cookie by making a circle motion (refer to the short video). This has to be done when the cookies just come out straight from the oven.
Add more chocolate chips when they are still warm – optional:
- Press a few more chocolate chips on top of the cookies while they are still warm. This is optional, it's more for a look. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They are very soft and you may be tempted to bake them longer, but they will firm up as they cool down. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely
Store:
- Store baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for about a week
