Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (Easy! + Maple Syrup + Vegan)
These soft sourdough chocolate chip cookies will be your new favorite. The best part is they’re sweetened using only pure maple syrup or honey. They’re easy and quick to make, don’t require chill time, and you can use fed or discard sourdough starter. These delicious cookies can easily be made dairy-free and vegan too!
Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
So what is so great about these sourdough chocolate chip cookies? Let me tell you. They are very different than any chocolate chip sourdough cookie recipe I’ve ever seen. I was on the hunt for a sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe that used only pure maple syrup or honey as the sweetener. And I couldn’t find ANY! I was so disappointed. Even ballerina farms sourdough chocolate chip cookies use sugar to sweeten them. So I decided to make my own. And now you can benefit from it too 🙂
I am all for balance and eating sugar every once in a while. However, my husband and I have been eating my secretly healthy treats for years now and we really don’t even enjoy recipes that use processed white sugar. Not to mention that processed white sugar has zero health benefits and just spikes your blood sugar and makes you feel empty inside. You can check out my healthy baking course here where I teach you all about this. Or if you’re wanting to get to a place where you no longer want to crave processed sugar, then check out my smart sweet tooth program where I teach you the step by step of how to do this and find food freedom!
Anyways, tangent over. All I was trying to say is, honey and pure maple syrup are way better for you and have significantly better health benefits than processed white sugar. Since we are trying to make a healthier cookie because it is using fermented sourdough, why not go the extra mile and make them fully healthy by using an all-natural sweetener?
Best Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Who doesn’t love cookies?! Well, actually my husband isn’t a big fan😂 but don’t worry, we are working on it. What’s an even better question is who doesn’t love a good healthy sourdough cookie recipe? I know I do! These soft sourdough chocolate chip cookies are just that. They are simple to make, so chewy and soft, and leave you feeling satisfied since they are made with all-natural ingredients. You’re going to love them I’m sure of it.
20-Minute Quick Sourdough Cookies
If you’ve been here a while you know that I am ALL ABOUT easy recipes. I am not a fancy baker in the least… I’ve got kids, I don’t have the time 😉 This is good news for you though because that means you can make my recipes without having to be an expert baker. If you don’t believe me just try out my Easy Banana Cookies, Healthy Zucchini Brownies, Gluten-Free Peach Crisp, and so many more! Check the steps below to see how we only use one bowl for these sourdough chocolate chip cookies too!
Vegan Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Now, with the natural sweetener talk done, I can move on to what makes these sourdough chocolate chip cookies vegan-friendly. I actually have tons of vegan recipes on my blog. If you’ve made my creamy vegan chocolate tart, cookie dough ice cream sandwiches, or my vegan coffee cake recipes, you’ll know that I don’t mess around when it comes to seriously delicious vegan treats.
So what makes these sourdough cookies vegan? It’s simple. We use pure maple syrup for the sweetener and a flax egg to bind them together. If you want a video on how to make a flax egg check this one out that I made on Instagram. Even if you aren’t vegan and you just so happen to not have any eggs at home, this flax egg option is perfect. That’s actually how I came up with the recipe. I didn’t have any eggs at home so I just quickly whipped up one flax egg. It doesn’t change the flavor of the cookies at all. It honestly makes them more moist and delicious.
Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
This is my first ever sourdough recipe to live on my blog. I usually am in the gluten-free recipe camp, but today I’m switching it up because I just love sourdough! I’ve been doing sourdough now for over 6 months. This is actually my third time attempting the sourdough journey. The first two times I did sourdough, I didn’t get into it and ended up just giving up without even really making any progress. But, NOW! I LOVE SOURDOUGH!
Since I’ve been using my sourdough more and more, I upgraded to this lovely sourdough jar. I absolutely love it. I don’t have to deal with any paper towels or small mason jar openings and rubber bands. This jar lets the sourdough breathe a little and the size is so perfect because I often times make sourdough pancakes that require 2 cups of sourdough starter. Here is that sourdough pancake recipe if you’re curious. The recipe is from another beloved sourdough food blogger, Farm House On Boone. She has some awesome recipes.
I’ve also tweaked her pancake recipe a bit to make them even better in my opinion. So stay tuned for a pancake recipe coming soon 🙂 They’re vegan-friendly!
How To Make Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
Now back to these sourdough chocolate chip cookies. They are honestly the easiest cookies to make ever. You simply put all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl or stand mixer and beat until smooth. Then, add all dry ingredients except the chocolate chips and mix until a cookie dough forms. Add in those dark chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips (I love using these! Or Hu Kitchen baking gems or chocolate bar chopped up) and bake em’ up! No chilling is required. You can have the perfect sourdough chocolate chip cookies in less than 20 minutes from start to finish my friends!
Sourdough Cookies Recipe
Now, if you’re looking for a crispy sourdough chocolate chip cookies recipe, sadly this is not the one. One day, I will make that recipe for you. Soft and chewy is the definition of these sourdough cookies. This recipe is made for people looking for a nice and chewy cookie. Personally, my favorite kind. I used King Arthur’s all-purpose unbleached flour for this sourdough cookie recipe, but you can really use any brand of unbleached all-purpose flour. I just love King Arthur.
I cannot wait for you to give these soft sourdough chocolate chip cookies a try! Please snap a picture and share it with me! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day and encourages me to keep creating new recipes for you.
Happy Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Bakin’!
More Healthy Vegan Recipes
PIN FOR LATER
Soft Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (Easy! + Maple Syrup + Vegan)
Ingredients
Wet
- ¾ cup (12 Tbs.) softened vegan butter or grass-fed butter
- ½ cup fed or unfed sourdough starter See note 1
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 flax egg 1 Tbs. ground flax + 2 Tbs. water. Sit and let thicken 3-5 minutes. (or 1 regular egg)
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Dry
- 1¼ cup + 2 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour I use the King Arthur brand
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ⅛ tsp. pink Himalayan salt
- 1¼ cup dairy-free dark chocolate chunks and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or any chocolate of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl or stand mixer, add all wet cookie ingredients and mix with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until well combined.
- Add in all dry cookie ingredients except chocolate chips and mix again until a cookie dough forms (the dough will be thick and sticky). Then, fold in the dark chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips.
- Transfer cookie dough to baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop and bake at 375 F. for 12-14 minutes until lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet (makes 22 medium cookies as shown in pictures).
- Enjoy! Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. These cookies will stay soft for days after you make them!
Notes
- Fed starter vs. unfed starter: I’ve tested this recipe a few different ways. The original recipe uses fed starter which will yield a slightly fluffier, more structured cookie. If you’re using starter that’s unfed and right from the refrigerator, the cookies are still perfect. They do spread a little more when baked, but the taste is the same. You can use either fed or unfed (discard) starter for this recipe. That’s the wonderful thing about these sourdough chocolate chip cookies.
- Flax egg vs. regular egg: A regular egg works just the same as a flax egg in this recipe. An egg makes the cookies slightly more fluffy and the flax egg makes the cookies a touch more chewy. Both are equally delicious!
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39 Comments
Andrea
These are wonderful! Came out perfect first time.
Claire
That’s fantastic! So glad you love. I am making them on repeat over here too!
-Claire
Casey Felipe
Hi, is it possible to form this cookie dough for at least overnight or up to 24 hours? I normally use my own chocolate chip cookie recipe for my micro bakery business but I need to make them vegan and I’m afraid my regular recipe would not come out right. I thought about trying this one, but I would like to ferment the dough overnight. Thank you.
Claire
Hi Casey. Thanks for reaching out. Yes this dough should be fine refrigerated over night. Would love to see these in your microbakery so be sure to tag me on Instagram if you do 🙂
Ann Jacks
Claire, These cookies are beautiful and delicious. I used fed sourdough. They came out perfect! My gluten free and vegan daughter can both enjoy these. I give these a 5 star rating! Wish I could post a photo here.
Claire
Ann, I’m so glad you made these cookies and love them! I can’t stop making them either. So good! Thanks for your sweet comment. 🙂
Crisine Maria Kennedy
Can I put the dough in the fridge before baking them? Or will it become too puffy/cakey?
Claire
Hi! Yes you can put the dough in the fridge before baking. The dough will be pretty hard when you take it out of the fridge though so you may need to let it thaw on the counter for an hour or so before scooping out the cookie dough. I hope that helps! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
Aine
I just made these and used Stevia Sweetener (1 cup) instead of sugar. They turned out beautifully, fluffy and light. Definitely adding this recipe to my baking
Claire
Hi Aine! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment. I’m so glad you loved these cookies and that your stevia swap worked. AWESOME!
Lori
Hi there! We all love your healthy cookies! Getting use to not having the sugar sweet taste. Hats off to you as a young person starting out this way…I’m much older but heading in that direction as well. Making a double batch now! Keep sharing! We will keep watching and trying your recipes! PS…is your glass jar a heavy thick glass. I bought one from King Arthur and it broke on the first use with all of my starter😫. I was using a wooden spoon and stirring lightly. I was devastated as I was just into working with sour dough. I’m still new but love it! Thanks
Claire
Hi Lori! I am so glad you all love these cookies so much. That brings me so much joy! Here is the link to the glass jars I have. They are very thick and sturdy. That’s so sad yours broke with your starter in it 🙁 Hopefully you were able to save some or get more from a friend.
Thank you for taking the time to write this sweet comment! Let me know what recipe you try next 🙂
Ashton Holt
Hi! Do you think it would work to swap coconut oil for the butter?
Claire
Hi Ashton! Yes, coconut oil should work just as well 🙂 Let me know how they turn out for you!
Shannon
Made these cookies and they are amazing. I only added 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and they are still great.
Definitely saving this one.
Claire
Shannon, thank you so much for making these and leaving your feedback. I’m so glad you love these cookies and will be making them again! YAY! 🙂
Chana Belsky
Hey I made these and they were super soft but cake-like. Trying to figure out where I went wrong…For the buttter is it 3/4 cup plus 12Tbs? I did use coconut oil and spelt flour… and I let ferment overnight. Thank you!
Claire
Hi! So glad you left this comment because I recently switched recipe cards for my website and the parenthesis for the butter disappeared. It should read 3/4 cup (12Tbs.) butter. Not plus. I hope that helps!! Sorry about that. I’ll fix it ASAP.
Shaz
Do you let them ferment in the fridge for 24hours before baking?
Claire
Great question! I don’t normally, but you definitely can 🙂
Ashley
These are my go to sourdough cookies, so good!
Claire
Awh this makes me SO HAPPY to hear. Thanks so much for making them and letting me know how much you love them 🥹
Angela Chavez
Hello,
What if I swapped out the flax egg with 1/4 cup apple sauce. Would it still work?
Claire
Hi Angela, the flax egg or regular egg play a part in binding the cookies together. I’m afraid if you just use applesauce they might fall apart. I have never tested it so I don’t no for certain but they would probably still taste yummy! You can alternately use a chia egg if you have chia seeds on hand though. 1 Tbs. chia seeds + 1 Tbs. water. Let me know what you choose to do and how they turn out 🙂
Maggie
Have you ever tried making the cookies with whole wheat flour? My husband can’t have white flour or sugar so I’m always looking for recipes with whole grain flour and honey/maple syrup sweeteners
Claire
Hi Maggie! Love this question. I have not tried making these with whole wheat flour but I’m sure it would turn out great. Please let me know if you try it so I can hear how they turned out! 🙂
L
Hi! I was wondering if you’ve tried these without the chocolate chips. I’m looking for a simple sourdough honey cookie recipe, which does not exist on the Internet. I specifically want a honey cookie because it’s traditional for Rosh Hashanah. Do you think it would work without the chocolate chips? I tried the one sourdough honey cookie recipe on the Internet last year, and besides for not liking the tahini aspect of it, it came out too cakey and mushy. I want soft, but not stick-to-your-palate mushy. Should I attempt this? Let me know your thoughts. Thank you!
Claire
Hi! Yes these cookies would still be really good even without the chocolate chips I think. You could even put a yummy frosting on top too if you wanted to!
Carrie Johns
Hi there excited to try this recipe without the sugar but also trying to cut down the fat. Do you think Greek yogurt would work for at least 1/2 the fat?
Claire
I think that actually would work! Please let me know if you try it and how they turn out. I would love to add this as a note if it works. 🙂
Chris
Can I portion out and freeze for later use? In the past when I make chocolate chip cookies that is what I have done, then baked frozen but that was not using my sourdough. I am trying to get away from using sugar and I am excited to have found your recipe but hoping they will be just as good after freezing.
Tganks
Claire
Yes they definitely can be frozen and baked later! Let me know how they turn out for you 🙂 Excited for you to try!!
NELLsmom
I didn’t make them vegan because I didn’t have flax meal. I also used real butter. They were soooo good. I tried to let them sit and ferment for a few hours after I mixed the starter, egg, butter and flour. I might try an overnight ferment without adding the egg until the next day. I might try 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 butter….maybe. Thanks! Definitely a winner. I think I have to make more tomorrow because my family devoured them.
Claire
Thank you so much for this amazing feedback! I’m so glad you made these cookies and loved them 🙂 Let me know if you make anymore of my recipes. I always love hearing!
Shirley
hi! my dough seems a bit fluffy. is that normal? or where did i go wrong? I havent attempted to bake them yet!
Claire
Hi Shirley! How did they turn out??
Nathanmiley
cookies
Jo
Can these cookies be made with almond flour?
Claire
Hi Jo, using almond flour would change these cookies a lot. I don’t think they will hold together very well if you use all almond flour. You could possibly do a unbleached all-purpose flour + almond flour combo if you really wanted to. Let me know 🙂