This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
These sourdough chocolate walnut cookies are rich, chocolatey and full of crunchy walnuts, then finished with a simple chocolate icing that makes them extra special. They use 100 grams of sourdough discard, and because the dough benefits from a rest in the fridge, they’re a lovely make-ahead cookie to have ready when you need a little chocolate treat.
Table of Contents
A Special Sourdough Cookie Recipe!
This recipe is my sourdough take on a popular cookie from my childhood. Originally from New Zealand, these classic chocolate walnut cookies were also really popular in Australia. I remember them being quite large, but I’ve chosen to make mine quite small because they’re really rich, so I prefer a bite-sized cookie.
Ingredients
- Butter – I use salted butter, but unsalted works just as well. Make sure it’s softened so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Brown Sugar – Adds a lovely caramel flavor and helps keep the cookies soft.
- Sourdough Starter or Discard – Either active starter or sourdough discard will work perfectly here. Use whatever you have on hand. If your discard jar is getting full, you’ll find plenty more ideas in my favorite sourdough discard recipes.
- Cocoa Powder – Gives these cookies their rich chocolate flavor. I use a good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder.
- All Purpose Flour
- Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add the perfect crunch throughout the cookies. You’ll add walnut halves on top of each cookie to finish. If you would prefer to leave the walnuts out, you definitely can, or replace them with a nut you do like.
- Powdered Sugar – Creates a smooth, sweet icing.
- Water – This helps to bring the icing together.
How To Make Sourdough Chocolate Walnut Cookies
You know I love sourdough cookies, and these are such a fun change, though the basic steps are the same, and they’re so simple to make.
You’ll start by creaming the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy before mixing in the sourdough starter.
Next, fold through the cocoa powder, flour, and chopped walnuts until a soft cookie dough forms. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or up to 48 hours) to develop the flavor and make it easier to handle.
You can bake these cookies right after mixing the batter, but I highly recommend chilling the dough. It makes the dough easier to handle and helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Plus it gives your sourdough starter a chance to ferment the flour!
When you’re ready to bake, scoop portions of dough onto lined baking trays and flatten them slightly. Bake until the cookies are just set around the edges but still soft in the middle. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, so definitely don’t wait until they’re crunchy before taking them out of the oven!
Once completely cool, spoon over a little chocolate icing and finish each cookie with a walnut half. You want the chocolate glaze to be runny enough to spoon and drizzle just a little bit, without actually running off the cookie.
My new cookbook Easy Sourdough On Any Schedule is here! Preorder Now!
How To Store + Freeze
Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Once the icing has set, you can stack them between sheets of baking paper.
These cookies freeze well both with and without the icing for up to 3 months. Let them to thaw at room temperature before serving.
The cookie dough can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking. In fact, I think the extra chilling time gives the cookies an even better flavor.
Sourdough Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 250 g Butter, (salted, softened)
- 120 g Brown Sugar
- 100 g Sourdough Starter
- 30 g Cocoa Powder
- 260 g All-purpose Flour
- 85 g Walnuts, (chopped)
Chocolate Icing
- 150 g Powdered Sugar
- 20 g Cocoa Powder
- 40 g Water
- 20 Walnut Halves
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the softened butter and brown sugar and whisk until light and creamy. Now add the sourdough starter and continue to whisk.
- Once the sourdough starter has been incorporated, remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the cocoa powder, flour and chopped walnuts. Use a spatula to combine into a sticky dough.
- Place the dough into the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can leave it in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
- When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Scoop out balls of cookie dough and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the cookies out just a little bit, ensuring you leave plenty of room for spread.
- Bake for around 12 minutes or until the cookies are set. They will still feel soft, but remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the tray for around 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool fully.
- To make the icing, mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and water until it forms a thick glaze. Spoon a little bit of icing onto each cookie and top with half a walnut. Allow the icing to set before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Rate and comment below!
