Gluten Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Sourdough Discard Recipe)

Gluten Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delicious twist on classic gluten free chocolate chip cookies. And to make them even more special, mine are made with gluten free sourdough discard.

Ever since I started my Gluten Free Sourdough Journey I wanted to add a sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie recipe to my website. And after countless tests, I finally have a recipe to share. The cookies have a rich flavor from the brown butter and a little tang from the sourdough discard. With crispy edges and gooey centers, these Gluten Free Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies may be my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever (and if you know me, you know how much I love my gluten free chocolate chip cookies)

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this recipe for gluten-free brown butter chocolate chip cookies with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1. Both gluten-free flour blends worked great in this recipe. The cookies made with King Arthur spread less and were more compact than the ones made with Bob's Red Mill.

Sourdough Discard: A sourdough discard refers to a portion of the gluten-free sourdough starter that is removed and discarded during the feeding process. For this sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie recipe, you can use a fed or unfeed gluten-free sourdough starter. I prefer using room temperature discard. The sourdough discard adds delicious flavor to the cookies and pairs very well with the brown butter. Make sure the sourdough discard comes from a starter that is at least 7 days old (or older and more established) but the discard itself should not be older than 6 days or it would be too sour.

Egg Yolks: This gluten-free sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie recipe is made with egg yolks only. Make sure to weigh them.

Milk Powder: Adding milk powder (whole milk or non-fat) will give the brown butter a richer and nuttier flavor. This is an optional ingredient but if you love brown butter, you should consider adding the milk powder. (It has to be dairy, non-dairy milk powder like coconut milk powder will not work).

Chocolate: I love using a mix of chocolate in this recipe. I used chopped dark chocolate (70% dark) and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Of course, you can also use milk chocolate or only dark chocolate if you like. I top each cookie with additional chocolate chips before baking. For the the big puddles, I use Guittard Baking Wafers.

Why add Sourdough Discard to Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Adding gluten-free sourdough discard to chocolate chip cookies is a creative way to utilize excess sourdough starter while also enhancing the flavor and texture of the cookies. Sourdough discard refers to the portion of sourdough starter that is removed and discarded during the feeding process.

Flavor: Sourdough discard adds a subtle tangy flavor to the cookies, which complements the sweetness of the chocolate chips and other ingredients. I recommend allowing the gluten free brown butter chocolate chip cookie dough to rest in the fridge for at least 24hrs (up to 48hrs).

Moisture: The moisture content in sourdough discard can help keep the brown butter chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy, resulting in a more tender texture.

Leavening: While sourdough discard doesn't act as a leavening agent in the same way as an active sourdough starter, it may still contribute some degree of leavening due to residual fermentation activity. This can lead to cookies with a slightly lighter texture.

How to make Brown Butter

Beurre noisette, also known as brown butter, is the result of cooking butter beyond its melting point. During this process, the milk solids separate from the butterfat and settle at the pan's bottom. This transformation imparts a rich, nutty flavor and a deep brown color to the butter. The caramelization of the milk solids further enhances its taste, lending it a delightfully nutty and caramel-like profile.

If you've never prepared brown butter before, I suggest taking your time and using a low temperature. Opt for a heavy-bottomed saucepan, preferably a light-colored non-stick one, and a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Browned butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks without any concerns.

Step 1: Place your unsalted butter, straight from the fridge or freezer, in a heavy-bottom saucepan. If you happen to have a pan or pot with white enamel, I recommend using that (makes it easier to see the milk solids caramelize).

Step 2: Let the butter melt and allow it to simmer at medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the additional milk powder. It will start to get thick and foamy and within seconds can witch to a rapid bubble. Make sure to stir it with a heat-proof spatula and get to the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: Continue cooking and stirring until the butter starts to smell nutty and turns a medium amber color. You will start seeing the brown specs on the bottom of the pan and will have a nutty aroma. Brown butter can burn very quickly at this point.

Step 4: Remove the browned butter from the heat and transfer it into the bowl of your stand mixer or a heat-proof bowl (make sure to get all the brown bits). Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. The butter should be cool but still liquid for this brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Gluten Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Making the gluten free sourdough discard cookie dough is pretty straightforward. The most complicated step may be browning the butter. This recipe was developed to use both, brown butter and sourdough discard. With this being said both ingredients are required for the recipe to work correctly.

Step 1: In a small bowl combine the gluten free multi purpose flour, baking soda and kosher salt. Whisk together and set aside until needed.

Step 2: To the cooled but still liquid brown butter add the light brown sugar, granulated white sugar, and vanilla extract.

Step 3: Cream the ingredients at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the butter mixture is fluffy and pale. Halfway through, pause to scrape the bowl and beater with a flexible rubber spatula.

Step 4: Add the room temperature egg yolks to the creamed butter-sugar mixture and mix for 30 seconds.

Step 5: Add the sourdough discard. Turn the speed up again to medium and mix the mixture for an additional 30 seconds. Pause your mixer to scrape down the sides. Without scraping down the sides, butter/sugar builds up on the sides of the bowl. When you add the flour, that film of butter will create random streaks of fat in your dough. And we have all seen those ugly cookies where a pocket of butter makes them look sloppy.

Step 6: Mix the dry ingredients at a low speed into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.

Step 7: Add the chopped dark chocolate and chocolate chips and at a low speed mix just to combine. You don’t want to overmix and break up all the chocolate. Place the dough for brown butter chocolate chip cookies in a Tupperware container or large bowl with a lid and let the dough chill in your refrigerator. Chilling is mandatory. 

Baking Instructions

If the cookie dough was refrigerated for 4hrs or longer you may need to allow the cookie dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so it's easier to scoop.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

Step 2: With a large cookie scoop portion out the dough for brown butter chocolate chip cookies. This recipe should give you 12 cookies depending on how much cookie dough you have snacked on already.

Step 3: Place 6 balls of cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring there is enough space for spreading. Top each cookie with additional chocolate and gently press the cookies down a bit. This will give them a little headstart with spreading.

Step 4: Bake the gluten free brown butter chocolate chip cookies at 350F for 8 minutes and rotate the cookie tray. Bake an additional 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden and beginning to set. The baking time depends on personal preference, your oven and of course how big you scoop the cookies.

Step 5: Remove from the oven, and if desired, use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to scoot them into a perfectly round shape. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes). Allow the sourdough chocolate chip cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking pan before moving to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Storage & Freezing

Store fully baked and cooled gluten free brown butter chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure to allow them to cool on a cooling rack until fully cooled. If you plan on having them around longer, I recommend freezing the baked cookies. To thaw them place them in the fridge or the kitchen counter for a few hours.

To freeze the unbaked dough, prepare the sourdough discard cookie recipe as written and portion it into individual cookie-sized portions. Top each cookie dough ball with additional chocolate chunks and gently press them down. Place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or a tray. Make sure they are not touching each other. Place the baking sheet or tray with the cookie dough portions into the freezer. Allow them to freeze for about 1-2 hours or until they are firm.

Once the cookie dough portions are solid, place dough balls into a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container. Label the bag or container with the date and the type of cookie dough. When you're ready to bake the frozen cookie dough, preheat the oven according to the original recipe instructions and bake the cookie dough from frozen. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time to ensure the cookies are baked all the way.

FAQ - Gluten Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies