Kendra’s Salted Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Dogwood Farms
Dec 19, 2025
3 min read

Okay, before you read this recipe, I need you to be prepared. These cookies are incredible. Borderline addicting. You’ve been warned. 😉

If you love soft, chewy cookies, this chocolate chip cookie recipe is for you. We don’t do crispy cookies in this house — and these hit that perfect just-baked, melt-in-your-mouth sweet spot every single time.

What Makes This Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Special

There are three simple things that truly set this cookie recipe apart:

Browned butter
Baking soda only (no baking powder here!)
A sprinkle of salt right when they come out of the oven — do not skip this step!

The browned butter adds a deep, caramely, almost nutty flavor. Using only baking soda keeps the cookies chewy instead of cakey. And that final sprinkle of salt? That’s the wow factor — the thing that makes people pause after the first bite and say, “Okay… what is in these?”

All in all, this is hands-down the best cookie recipe I have.

Up-Level Your Cookie Game

Helpful Notes Before You Start

Browned Butter This recipe calls for browned butter, and it’s worth every extra minute. If you’ve never done it before, this video taught me how. A light-colored pan or spatula is key so you can see those little golden brown flecks as they develop.
Sourdough Starter Discard If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, it takes about a week to make one from scratch. This is my favorite resource — sign up for her Sourdough Starter Feeding Chart and have it emailed to you so you can print it and get started easily. I also love this book if you really want to get into sourdough.
Chilling the Dough Is Crucial This is a wet, sticky dough, and it needs chill time. An overnight (or all-day) rest in the fridge makes all the difference and helps create that thick, chewy texture we love.
Cookie Scoops Do you need cookie scoops? No. Did buying them change my life? Absolutely. No sticky hands, perfectly even cookies, and they’re great for muffins or even meatballs. These are the ones we use, and I grab the largest size for this recipe.

Kendra’s Salted Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla (let’s be honest… I usually add closer to 2 tbsp 😉)
2 eggs
½ cup sourdough discard
2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Brown the Butter In a small frying pan or saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. After about 5–8 minutes, you’ll see brown flecks form at the bottom and smell a warm, nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and set aside to cool completely. (You can pop it in the fridge to speed this up.) Refer to this video if you want a visual — it’s a great resource.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Mix Butter and Sugars Once the browned butter has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy.

4. Add Wet Ingredients Add the sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.

5. Add Dry Ingredients Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined.

6. Add Chocolate Chips Mix in the chocolate chips

7. Chill Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For best results (and maximum chewiness), chill overnight.

8. Prep to Bake Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into medium-to-large balls (a bit bigger than a golfball). Bake for 10–13 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.

9. Salt the Cookies As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle a little salt over the tops. Trust me — don't skip it!

10. Cool & Enjoy Let cool slightly… then enjoy your new addiction. And don’t say I didn’t warn you. 😉

Sending you warm wishes from our kitchen,

Okay, before you read this recipe, I need you to be prepared. These cookies are incredible. Borderline addicting. You’ve been warned. 😉

If you love soft, chewy cookies, this chocolate chip cookie recipe is for you. We don’t do crispy cookies in this house — and these hit that perfect just-baked, melt-in-your-mouth sweet spot every single time.

What Makes This Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Special

There are three simple things that truly set this cookie recipe apart:

Browned butter

Baking soda only (no baking powder here!)

A sprinkle of salt right when they come out of the oven — do not skip this step!

The browned butter adds a deep, caramely, almost nutty flavor. Using only baking soda keeps the cookies chewy instead of cakey. And that final sprinkle of salt? That’s the wow factor — the thing that makes people pause after the first bite and say, “Okay… what is in these?”

All in all, this is hands-down the best cookie recipe I have.

Up-Level Your Cookie Game

Helpful Notes Before You Start

Browned Butter This recipe calls for browned butter, and it’s worth every extra minute. If you’ve never done it before, this video taught me how. A light-colored pan or spatula is key so you can see those little golden brown flecks as they develop.

Chilling the Dough Is Crucial This is a wet, sticky dough, and it needs chill time. An overnight (or all-day) rest in the fridge makes all the difference and helps create that thick, chewy texture we love.

Cookie Scoops Do you need cookie scoops? No. Did buying them change my life? Absolutely. No sticky hands, perfectly even cookies, and they’re great for muffins or even meatballs. These are the ones we use, and I grab the largest size for this recipe.

Kendra’s Salted Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp vanilla (let’s be honest… I usually add closer to 2 tbsp 😉)

2 eggs

½ cup sourdough discard

2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

2. Combine Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Mix Butter and Sugars Once the browned butter has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy.

4. Add Wet Ingredients Add the sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.

5. Add Dry Ingredients Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined.

6. Add Chocolate Chips Mix in the chocolate chips

7. Chill Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For best results (and maximum chewiness), chill overnight.

8. Prep to Bake Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into medium-to-large balls (a bit bigger than a golfball). Bake for 10–13 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.

9. Salt the Cookies As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle a little salt over the tops. Trust me — don't skip it!

10. Cool & Enjoy Let cool slightly… then enjoy your new addiction. And don’t say I didn’t warn you. 😉

Sending you warm wishes from our kitchen,

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