Chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies are fudgy and sweet, rolled in powdered sugar and baked to perfection. The result is a tasty chocolate crinkle cookie that makes the perfect sweet treat.

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I love a good chocolate cookie. Especially a chocolate crinkle cookie and especially one that uses up my sourdough discard! These chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies are fudgy and sweet, rolled in powdered sugar and baked perfectly to get a delicious chocolate cookie. If you are looking for a way to use up some sourdough discard and you love chocolate, these chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies make the perfect sweet treat.

Chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies are fudgy and sweet, rolled in powdered sugar and baked to perfection. The result is a tasty chocolate crinkle cookie that makes the perfect sweet treat.

Jump to Recipe

Important Ingredients in Chocolate Sourdough Crinkle Cookies

Sourdough Discard: In order to avoid a stronger sourdough flavor, use sourdough discard that is fresh or no more than a day or two old. I always use 100% hydration sourdough discard. If your discard is very runny, you may need a little extra flour in this recipe.

Unsalted Butter: I bake a lot of cookies and always use unsalted butter. You can control the flavor much better when you use unsalted butter. Salt content varies between brands of salted butter and your baked goods may come out too salty using salted butter. If you choose to use salted butter, decrease the salt a little bit in the recipe. Use softened butter for best results.

Sugar: Brown sugar and granulated sugar are used in this recipe to give the perfect balance of sweetness with the cocoa powder.

Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: Using a dark/Dutch processed cocoa powder gives these sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies a rich chocolate flavor.

All Purpose Flour: These cookies are perfect with all purpose flour. Use flour with an 11.5% protein content, not bread flour.

Cornstarch: I love using a little bit of cornstarch in cookie dough because it make the dough and resulting baked cookie, extra tender and soft.

Mixing Up Sourdough Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies are fudgy and the dough itself is a little bit sticky. Use a hand mixer to whip up the room temperature butter. It should lighten a little in color as you mix. Add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs, sourdough discard and vanilla extract. Whip again until fluffy.

To a separate bowl add the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Fluff together with a fork and then add to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined.

Scooping and Rolling Sourdough Crinkle Cookies

Pour some powdered sugar in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into small balls, about 2 Tablespoons each. Roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar and place dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The powdered sugar is what causes the “snowball” effect on the cookies when the cookies are baked.

Convection Bake for Chocolate Sourdough Crinkle Cookies

One of the secrets to a cookie with a delicious crispy edge with a gooey or chewy middle is convection bake. If you have convection bake on your oven, use it! If you don’t have convection, you have a couple of options:

You can increase the temperature by 25 degrees (400 degrees Fahrenheit for this recipe) and preheat your oven for 15-20 minutes to get it really hot before baking the cookies.
Bake the cookies at the convection temperature (375 degrees Fahrenheit for this recipe) and add some extra time to the bake, usually 2-3 minutes.

Whatever you do, the key to baking these cookies is to avoid over-baking them. Take the cookies out when they are still a little gooey in the center. They will keep baking and set up to be nice and chewy as they cool. Enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover chocolate sourdough crinkle cookies?

If you have extra cookies, let them cool completely. Then store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the freezer. Pull them out of the freezer a few hours before you want to enjoy them so they can thaw at room temperature. Enjoy!

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes. This is a great cookie dough to freeze. Mix up the cookie dough. Scoop into balls and place the balls on a baking sheet. Freeze the dough balls on the cookie sheet. Once they have frozen completely, place cookie dough balls in an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 months. When ready to bake, bake from frozen or thaw in the refrigerator. Add an extra minute or two to the bake time for the chilled dough.

What other variations can I make of this cookie?

For a festive version, stick a Hershey’s Kiss in the center of the cookie right when you pull the cookies out of the oven. Add some crushed candy cane if you want a festive cookie or leave off the powdered sugar and frost these cookies with a delicious icing.

Can these cookies undergo a long fermentation for more sourdough benefits and flavor?

Yes. Stick the dough in the refrigerator after mixing and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for up to a couple days. This extended fermentation time will give more of the health benefits of sourdough and will make the cookies have a more sour flavor.