No taste testers have detected that these chocolate chip cookies contain a sourdough discard flax egg. They just ask if they can have another cookie (or two). Even if you aren’t vegan or if the high price of eggs continues to fall, you’ll want to bake with these egg replacers because a) they work amazingly well in cookies and b) you no doubt have run out of eggs just as you’ve begun to bake cookies.
One more sourdough discard recipe for your repertoire
When you keep a sourdough pet, you remove most of the starter at each feeding and stir in more flour and water. Hang onto that discard! That more easily digestible, fermented flour makes delicious biscuits, pancakes, focaccia, pizza, pita bread and more.
These chocolate chip cookies contain only a smidgeon of sourdough—three tablespoons (six if you double the recipe)—but that small amount helps keep your jar of discard manageable. If you’re unsure about the bake-ability of your discard, read these FAQs.
The sourdough discard flax meal “egg”
The egg replacer calls for only sourdough discard (you could also use active starter) and finely ground flaxseed (i.e., flaxseed meal). Either gold or brown flaxseed meal will work.
If you run out of flaxseed meal, with the right tool, you can grind up flaxseeds to make your own. Upon grinding mine, I discovered that my hand-cranked grain mill cannot grind such small seeds. Because flaxseed contains so much oil, in my electric grain mill, the flaxseed began to clump up as seeds do on their way to becoming seed butter. The third attempt worked well with a Nutribullet. I don’t have a Vitamix but I imagine this would also work well.
Don’t have a sourdough starter? I’m teaching a free sourdough starter class on Saturday, May 27th at 9am PT. Go here for more information and to register.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough Discard Flax Egg Replacer
Equipment
- 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unfed sourdough discard, 100 percent hydration* (see note) straight from the refrigerator
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed brown or golden, finely ground
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened dairy or vegan
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar golden or dark
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chip pieces
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
Instructions
- Make a sourdough discard flax egg by combining the sourdough discard and flaxseed meal in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter with a hand mixer on high speed until creamy, about a minute. Add the sugars and beat until creamy. Beat in the sourdough discard flax egg and vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips and if adding, the chopped nuts.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the cookies are golden and the edges have just very slightly browned, rotating the trays halfway through baking.
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Store in a container for a week or the freezer for up to six months.
Notes
Check out my award-winning cookbook!
- Taste Canada silver for single-subject cookbooks
- Second-place Gourmand cookbook award in the category of food waste
- Shortlisted for an award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals
Learn more about my book here.
These look amazing!