Prep time: 40 minutes Bake time: 12-15 minutes
Makes about 10 cookies
Before I say anything, I must announce that these are my favorite cookies on the blog.
They're not glamorous by any means. In fact, they look like round, brown blobs. Say that 5x fast.
But oftentimes, what lies beneath the exterior is far more wondrous. And in this case, that couldn't be more true.
These cookies are chocolatey, rich, very gooey, & incredibly satisfying. But my favorite part about them is that they're made with sourdough discard & require no fermentation. Believe me, if you're a chocolate fanatic, you'll fall in love with this recipe. The combination of sourdough & chocolate may sound odd at first, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
If you don't have a sourdough starter, I've got you covered! Keep scrolling ;) But, in the meantime, I have a non-sourdough version of these cookies you may be interested in trying, they're a reader favorite.
how to use sourdough in this recipe
Generally speaking, you can use sourdough discard in two ways.
Fresh: This is straight from your active starter once it's fully ripe (doubled in size). To use it for this recipe, simply measure out the amount you need & add it straight to the cookie mixture during the appropriate step. Take note that this method will add more tanginess to your recipe since it's ripe. So, consider what you're adding the discard to. For example, I didn't want a chocolate cookie to be sour, so I skipped the fresh discard & went with the second method.
Stored: This is straight from the fridge, assuming that you discarded it a while ago when you were feeding your starter. The same concept applies here, measure the amount you need & add it directly to the recipe. Using discard in this way will create a milder flavor since your starter has quite literally, 'chilled out.' It's activity slows down & won't produce such a sour bite. This is typically how I use my discard.
considerations
Peanut butter: Look for a pb with just peanuts as the ingredients (maybe salt too). Organic & dry-roasted if possible!
Sugar: Feel free to reduce the sugar, I would cut back on one though & keep a mixture of coconut sugar / maple syrup. I personally prefer the flavor of using both, but you do you! For example, consider going down to 1/3 c + 1 Tbsp of coconut sugar.
Final texture: These are very gooey! Don't be alarmed if they look underdone, that's what we're going for. The most important step is to let them cool completely, the longer the better, this will help make sure they hold shape.
equipment
medium bowl
spatula
large baking try
ingredients
1 c chunky pb
½ c coconut sugar
⅓ c chopped hazelnuts
¼ c sourdough discard
2 very ripe bananas
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp cacao powder
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
handful of chocolate chips
flaky sea salt, to top
steps
Preheat oven to 375 F and line a large pan with parchment paper.
Mash the bananas in a medium-sized bowl.
Add the coconut sugar, maple syrup, pb, vanilla, & mix.
Using a spatula, gently mix in the baking soda, salt, & cacao powder until no dry bits remain.
Add the sourdough discard to your bowl & lightly fold it in. *NOTE - You don't want to overmix this. Mix the starter until it looks dissolved, then stop.
Chop the hazelnuts & add them to your bowl. Add the chocolate chips & mix again. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes - they’re a bit easier to shape this way.
After 20 minutes, shape cookies - each cookie was about 2 Tbsp of dough. Top w/ flaky sea salt.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, the tops should look slightly crispy, with a few cracks down the cookie.
Most important step: Let them cool completely, at least an hour. Otherwise, they WILL fall apart. Trust me, it's worth the wait.
Kenn
Don't have a sourdough starter?
I created a FREE guide with everything I wish I knew when I grew my first starter. Here's a step-by-step guide with printable pages, recipes, timelines, troubleshooting, & more!
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