These Double Choc Macadamia Sourdough Cookies are a great way to use up leftover sourdough starter and a great way to reduce waste in the kitchen. I like to add some discard for extra fudgy deliciousness. Of course, you can still make these rich, chocolatey cookies without the discard and they will still be a tasty treat.
Health benefits
The sourdough discard adds beneficial wild yeasts and lactic acid, which can make the cookies easier to digest. Macadamias contribute heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and minerals such as magnesium and manganese, while dark chocolate delivers antioxidants and a gentle boost of mood-lifting compounds.
Ingredients
This recipe combines simple pantry staples, including spelt flour, butter, egg, cacao powder, dark chocolate and macadamias, with the addition of sourdough discard for a beautiful texture and flavour. Coconut sugar and a touch of rice-malt syrup or honey keep these cookies naturally sweet without refined sugar.
How to make these Double Choc Macadamia Sourdough Cookies
Start by mixing all the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in a bowl until a soft dough forms. Roll the dough into balls, flatten slightly on a lined tray, and bake until set around the edges but still soft in the centre. The result is a batch of gorgeously rich cookies with chunks of melted dark chocolate and buttery roasted nuts in every bite.
Serving suggestions and how to store
These cookies are delicious straight from the oven, slightly warm with melted chocolate pockets, or cooled and crisped up for a firmer texture. Store them in an airtight container in the pantry for up to a week. You can also freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen for a freshly baked cookie any time.
Vary these Choc Macadamia Sourdough Cookies to suit your dietary needs
For dairy-free or vegan, replace the butter with coconut oil and the egg with a chia egg. For nut-free, use sunflower seeds instead of macadamias, and for gluten-free, swap the spelt for a gluten-free flour mix. No sourdough discard? Simply substitute 25 g extra flour and 25 ml water.
For more sourdough discard recipes, click HERE.
Ingredients
- 200 g white spelt flour (approx. 2 cups)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 75 g coconut sugar or rapadura (approx. ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 45 g cacao powder – or good quality cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
- 60 g 70% dark chocolate – roughly chopped
- 60 g macadamia nuts – roughly chopped (½ cup)
- 125 g butter – softened
- 1 egg/s
- 50 g sourdough discard – leftover (¼ cup)
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 175°C/347°F (fan-forced). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Add all ingredients into the bowl of the electric mixer (or a large mixing bowl if you are mixing by hand).
- Mix on low speed for approximately 1 minute or until the mixture comes together to form cookie dough.
- Scoop approximately a tablespoon of cookie dough into your hand and roll into a ball. Place on the lined baking tray and continue until all the dough is used up.
- Press the balls down using the palm of your hand to flatten them.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry for up to a week.
Variations
No Sourdough Discard
If you do not have any sourdough discard, you can replace it with 25g of extra spelt flour and 25 ml water.Other Nuts
Walnuts can be used in place of macadamias and are just as deliciousDairy-free & Vegan
For a vegan or dairy free version of these cookies, omit the butter and the egg and instead, add 100g of melted coconut oil and one chia egg. To make a chia egg, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 2 tablespoons of water and allow to sit until it becomes a gel, approximately 5 minutes. When mixing, if your cookie dough seems too dry, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of water.These deliciously fudgy cookies are my favourite, let me know in the comments below if you loved them too!
Recipe by Kristin Cosgrove
Hi, I’m Kristin Cosgrove. I’m a mum, student of psychology and passionate whole foods cook. I love to share my love for simple, seasonal recipes and my modern approach to cooking for my family. I live on the Surf Coast with my husband and three children.
You can find me on Instagram at @kristinjcosgrove
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Raelean Peak says
Last time I made this the dough was so wet that I couldn’t shape it with out adding flour. I am now at the stretching point of my second batch and I feel it maybe too wet again. Should I add some flour during this stage or just go with it? I have made a double batch so don’t want to waste it.
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Raelean, yes you could try adding a bit more flour. Sourdough cultures can vary in how wet they are and flours also vary in their dryness so with baking there’s always a little bit if variation of amount needed. Let us know how it goes 🙂
Jessica Denholm says
Thanks, Kristin! These weren’t officially on my plan for the week, but I had all the pantry staples and did a 25g spelt + 25g water mix instead of discard that sat on my bench in the summer heat for a few hours. They are so tasty.
Well Nourished Team says
So happy to hear you enjoyed these Jessica!
Kate says
My go to weekly lunchbox treat, my girls love them. I don’t have sourdough starter and just use the extra 25g of flour and they turn out perfectly every time. Thanks Georgia!
Well Nourished Team says
So glad you love them Kate 👏