Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Soft, chewy cookie bars made with sourdough discard and a mix of chocolates for rich flavor and gooey centers. These bake up thick and tender, slice cleanly, and stay soft for days.
These sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie bars are everything you love about a great cookie – soft centers, chewy edges, and lots of melty chocolate, but baked into an easy, sliceable bar. No scooping, no chilling, no second batch of pans. Just press the dough into a pan, bake, and cut.
The sourdough discard doesn’t make these bars taste sour. Instead, it adds moisture and depth, helping them stay tender and chewy for days. If you love baking cookies with sourdough starter but want something a little lower-effort (or easier to share), this recipe is a perfect fit.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Soft and chewy for days – Sourdough discard helps keep these bars tender long after baking, so they’re just as good on day three as they are fresh from the oven.
- All the cookie flavor, less work – You get thick, gooey chocolate chip cookie vibes without rolling dough or baking multiple trays.
- A flexible way to use discard – This recipe is forgiving and adaptable and perfect for using up extra starter and any bits of chocolate you have on hand.
If you love the soft, chewy texture of these cookie bars, there are a few other sourdough dessert recipes worth trying next. Sourdough brownies are a natural choice when you’re craving something extra rich and fudgy, while sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies offer that same deep chocolate flavor in a more classic, shareable cookie. For something a little different but just as indulgent, sourdough chocolate cake turns discard into an easy, sliceable dessert that’s perfect for celebrations or everyday baking. Each of these recipes shows how sourdough discard adds moisture and depth to chocolate desserts without making them complicated.
How to make these cookie bars with discard
Here is a brief overview of how to make this recipe so you can get an idea of the recipe. For the full set of written directions and ingredient amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step One: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides so the bars are easy to lift out after baking.
Choose your chocolate. Measure it out and, if needed, chop chocolate bars into bite-sized pieces. For best results, use a mix of chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped chocolate, and reserve a small handful to press into the top of the bars before baking.
Step Two: Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, mixing until fully combined. Stir in the sourdough discard until the mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate, reserving a small handful to press into the top.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Press any remaining chocolate into the top of the bars.
Step Three: Bake
Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks just set and no longer glossy. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs.
If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the remaining bake time. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt, if using.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing.
Helpful Baking Notes
- Bake time matters – Most ovens land between 25–30 minutes, but start checking early if your oven runs hot.
- Gooey vs. set centers – Pull the bars around 175–180°F for softer, gooier centers, or closer to 185–190°F for firmer bars. Slightly underbaked is ideal if you love a soft texture.
- Sugar choice makes a difference – A higher ratio of brown sugar—especially dark brown sugar—keeps these bars moist and adds a deeper caramel flavor.
- Pan choice – A light-colored aluminum pan works best. Dark or glass pans can overbrown the edges before the center finishes baking.
- About the sourdough discard – Recent discard gives the most consistent results. Very old or thin discard can make the dough looser; if needed, add a tablespoon or two of extra flour.
Storage Information
Store bars covered at room temperature up to 5 days. Thanks to the sourdough discard, they stay soft and chewy for several days.
Bars may also be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.ch
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy.
- Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until fully combined, then stir in sourdough discard until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate.
- Press dough evenly into the prepared pan. Press extra chocolate into the top.
- Bake for 25–34 minutes, checking early if your oven runs hot. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the remaining bake time.
- Bars are done when edges are golden, and the center looks just set and no longer glossy. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs.
- Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.
- Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing.
