Yes, you can use your discard to make great Sourdough Brownie Cookies! The cookies are easy to do, and, unlike "regular" brownie cookies, these have a slight tang that counters the overwhelming sweetness of the cookies. That said, the cookies are plenty sweet. They're soft, have a slight chew, and are loaded with white and dark chocolate chips. Yes, you could use all one or the other, but I like dark chocolate, and my husband likes white. I decided to compromise and use both. The walnuts in the cookies are optional, but I like the slight bitterness in them, which, like the sourdough, cuts the sweetness. The nuts also provide nice crunch. The easy aspect of these cookies is the boxed brownie mix. Yes, I know, "that's cheating," but it does trim a lot of time off the cookie production process. Plus, you get a better cookie that's comparatively inexpensive. I used a box brownie mix from Aldi (18.3 ounces and less than a dollar), but any large box of brownie mix most likely will do. The cookies are great for kids, and the sourdough tang makes them more interesting for adults, too. Especially with ice cream alongside.
Easy Sourdough Brownie Cookies -- Makes about 24
1 cup sourdough starter/discard
1/2 cup of canola oil
2 eggs
1 large box of brownie mix (9 x 13-inch pan size)
1 cup of flour
2 cups of chocolate chips or a mixture of white and dark chocolate chips
1 cup of broken walnuts (optional, but really good)
In a large bowl, combine the starter/discard, oil, and eggs and stir/whisk them well. Stir in the brownie mix and flour, then fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Let the batter sit a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with baking parchment and drop 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon mounds of dough about 2 inches apart. Don't overcrowd the baking sheets, no matter how tempting, and flatten the cookie mounds just a little with damp fingers. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until barely firm on the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before removing them to cool completely. Nonetheless, it's perfectly acceptable to taste test one of those still warm cookies, preferably with a cold glass of milk to wash it down. Coffee or tea works well alongside, too.
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