Milk Chocolate Sourdough Cookies

We loved the flavour and chewiness of these cookies! Fermentation will continue as the dough rests and we preferred the deeper and fermented flavours after resting for 24 hours. Since we're adding 100% hydrated sourdough discard, we remove water content from the recipe by browning the butter and omitting egg whites. We used milk chocolate in this recipe but you can also substitute with semi-sweet or dark chocolate. 

Milk Chocolate Sourdough Cookies
~ Adapted from The Boy Who Bakes

1 cup (227g) butter, cubed
2 3/4 cup (390 g) Flourist Whole Grain Spelt Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (210 g) sugar
1 1/4 cup (215 g) brown sugar
3 egg yolks
240g sourdough starter discard (100% hydration)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups (450 g) milk chocolate, roughly chopped
Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)

Brown the butter by placing cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until butter melts. It will start to bubble and then foam, keep an eye on the butter as it can burn easily from this point. Continue until the milk solids have browned and the water has evapourated off, this can take up to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, approximately 30 minutes. You should have about 185 g butter remaining.

Mix together Flourist Whole Grain Spelt Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Place butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk for a few minutes. Add egg yolks one by one, ensuring each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add sourdough starter discard and vanilla and continue whisking until batter becomes smooth and thick.

Add in flour mixture and mix until dough just comes together. Switch to a paddle attachment and add chopped chocolate, combine together. Cover cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 4 or up to 24 hours (we played around with the resting period and liked the flavour that developed over a longer rest).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop and roll dough into balls and arrange on a prepared baking sheet leaving at least 2" space in between each cookie. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are golden brown, rotating pans halfway through. Allow to cool slightly before transferring them to finish cooling on a wire cooling rack.