Red, White & Blue Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Golden brown edges, soft, chewy centers, and bursts of red, white, and blue chocolate candies make these Red, White & Blue Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies a favorite for summer celebrations.
1cupred, white, and blue chocolate candies170 grams
Instructions
Brown the butter – Place the salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts, foams, and begins to brown. Watch carefully for a deep amber color and a rich, nutty aroma. Once browned, immediately pour the butter, including all the browned bits, into a large mixing bowl to stop the cooking. Let cool for 5–8 minutes until no longer hot but still fluid.
Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the butter and sugars – Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the cooled brown butter. Mix until fully incorporated. The mixture will look glossy and slightly grainy, which is exactly what you want.
Add the eggs and vanilla – Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly thickened.
Dissolve the baking soda – In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, hot water, and salt until dissolved. Stir the mixture into the wet ingredients to evenly distribute the leavening and salt.
Mix in the sourdough discard – Stir the sourdough discard into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated and no streaks remain.
Add the flour – Mix in the all-purpose flour just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be thick. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in the chocolate – Gently fold the chocolate chips and the red, white, and blue chocolate candies into the dough with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Stop mixing as soon as everything is incorporated.
Scoop and chill if desired – Scoop the dough using a 2-inch cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheets. For thicker cookies with soft, bakery-style centers, refrigerate the scooped dough for 30 minutes before baking. For thinner cookies with crispier edges, bake immediately.
Bake the cookies – Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still appear slightly underdone and soft.
Cool before serving – Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They finish setting as they cool, and the rich brown butter flavor deepens even more. Enjoy warm or completely cooled.
Notes
Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep them soft and chewy. Freezing – Freeze baked cookies or unbaked cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Bake the cookie dough straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time. Sourdough Tip – Both recently fed and unfed sourdough discard work well in this recipe. The discard adds subtle flavor without making the cookies taste sour. Serving Suggestion – Pair these cookies with Homemade Vanilla Extract for an extra-rich flavor, or serve alongside Brown Butter Peach Custard Ice Cream or Red, White and Blue Brownie Kabobs for an indulgent summer dessert.