Week 7: My Drama Filled Sourdough Choc Chip Cookies: A Tale of Triumph and Near-Disaster

YOU GUYS!!!

I’m not sure if you have lived until you have tried a Sourdough Chocolate Chip cookie! These bring me so much joy it’s not even funny. What has turned into a nightmare of a week with one thing happening after the next each day, these cookies are the sunshine in the shadows, the wind beneath my winds, the light at the end of the tunnel, and all the idioms you can think of!!

Where they perfect, heck no! But do they taste so good my granny would be so dang proud? YEP!

Am I being a tad dramatic? Also YEP!

But whats wrong with a little drama?  We could all use a little drama in our lives I think! This little recipe from Little Spoon Farms is NEXT level.  If you know someone with a little sourdough discard they don’t need and 2 pounds of chocolate chips you are set! (Okay, I’m being a bit dramatic about the number of chocolate chips, but seriously, it is a lot!) Each bite has numerous chocolate chips in it. If you are trying to cut sugar in your diet, step away now, these little puppies of utter goodness are not for you.

Where do I begin?

Let me set the scene: It’s a dark and stormy night (okay, fine, it was Sunday afternoon, and I was out of coffee, which is basically the same thing). I stood in my kitchen, staring down at my bubbling, ever-mischievous sourdough starter,  Dough-na-tella. This would be my first time using Dough-na-tella’s discard in a recipe. She gurgled ominously. I had one goal—one mission if you will—to create the most glorious sourdough chocolate chip cookies ever known to humankind. (queue the dramatic music)

What followed was a rollercoaster of emotions, a battle of science and willpower, and a valuable set of learning moments. Buckle up, folks.

Lesson 1: Anything baked with Love always turns out, most of the time

I had my daughter helping me throughout this whole process, and let me tell ya I think that is why these turned out! I will purposely leave these videos unedited so you can hear her little voice in them. My little Sioux chef was my #1 trick!

Lesson 2: Sourdough Adds Complexity (and Maybe a Little Chaos)

When people say sourdough adds depth to baked goods, they aren’t lying. But what they fail to mention is that it also adds an element of mystery—will the cookies be chewy? Crispy? Slightly tangy? Will they rise majestically or spread into sad little puddles of despair? The answer: all of the above, depending on how much starter you use and whether or not the baking gods are in a good mood. I’m here to tell you the baking gods smiled down upon me on that glorious sunday afternoon.

Lesson 3: Cold Butter and Crumbly Dough—Trust the Process

The recipe called for cold, cubed butter to be mixed in with a stand mixer until the dough became crumbly. But who needs a mixer when you have hands? I channelled my inner pioneer woman, working the butter into the sugar mixture manually until I achieved the same perfectly crumbly texture. Sure, my hands were cold, and I briefly questioned my life choices, but the results? Worth it. Lesson learned: sometimes, tradition beats technology.

Lesson 4: The 2-Hour Wait is Cruel and Unusual Punishment

The best sourdough chocolate chip cookies require patience. Refrigerating the dough anywhere from 2 hours to 24 hours helps develop the flavours and gives the cookies a deeper, richer taste. Unfortunately, it also requires self-restraint, which I, for one, do not possess. I spent the afternoon pacing the kitchen like a contestant on a reality baking show, resisting the urge to sneak spoonfuls of dough that were in the fridge. (I knew I would never be able to wait for the 24 hrs, but the recipe stated I was allowed to bake them after 2 hours! Is there even a choice?! I think not!)

The Moment of Truth

After what felt like an eternity, I baked those golden morsels of sourdough-infused joy. And let me tell you—when I bit into the first cookie, the heavens parted, and I heard angels singing (or maybe it was just my stomach growling). They were chewy, slightly tangy, rich with chocolate, and utterly addictive.

Final Verdict: Worth Every Bit of the Madness

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I tweak a few things? Probably. I would use the convection button on my oven to get a more even bake for the ones on the bottom rack. Would I still eat the slightly burnt ones? You bet.

So if you, too, wish to embark on the adventure of sourdough chocolate chip cookies, prepare yourself. It’s a journey filled with suspense, scientific precision, and a whole lot of taste-testing. But in the end, it’s all worth it—because nothing beats a homemade cookie, especially one made with a little bit of chaos and a lot of love.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make another batch… for research purposes, of course.

Have you ever tried baking with sourdough? Share your stories of triumph and kitchen chaos in the comments!