Soft in the centre, crackly on top and unapologetically indulgent, these Sourdough Red Velvet Cookies are my idea of the perfect Valentine's Day bake. They take everything we love about classic red velvet cake - cocoa warmth, red hues, and that subtle tang - and turn it into rich, chewy red velvet sourdough cookies that feel special without being fussy. Whether you're baking for someone you love or just leaning into the time of year when pink food feels entirely justified, this recipe is a brilliant way to put sourdough discard to delicious use.
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Water in Discard and Cookies (Why This Recipe Works)
Traditional cookie recipes don't usually include added liquids like water or milk. That's what gives them their dense, rich structure. Introducing sourdough discard - which is 50% water at 100% hydration - changes that balance straight away.
In this recipe, we're adding 80g of sourdough discard, which means roughly 40g of extra water enters the dough. Left unaccounted for, that would give us a loose, cakey cookie rather than the chewy texture we want.
So how do we deal with it?
First, we brown the butter. Browning doesn't just deepen flavour with that nutty, caramelised note - it also allows some moisture to evaporate, counteracting the extra liquid from the discard.
Second, we use egg yolk only, skipping the egg white altogether. Egg whites add water and structure; yolks add richness and tenderness. For sourdough cookies, especially ones aiming for a chewy centre, yolks are the better choice.
The result is a dough that handles beautifully, bakes evenly, and delivers that signature red velvet crumb - soft, rich, and never soggy.
Ingredient Notes
Here are all the simple ingredients you'll need for these Red Velvet Sourdough Cookies:
- Unsalted butter - Browning it is non-negotiable here. It adds depth and helps manage moisture.
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar - This combination balances sweetness and chew; brown sugar also enhances moisture retention.
- Egg yolk - Keeps the cookies rich and tender without adding excess liquid.
- Sourdough discard - Use discard that's relatively fresh. Overly acidic discard will overpower the chocolate flavour. Active starter can also be used.
- Plain (all-purpose) flour - Enough structure without making the cookies dense.
- Cocoa powder - Just enough to give that classic red velvet chocolate flavour without turning these into full chocolate cookies.
- Baking soda & salt - Essential for lift and balance.
- Red food colouring - Gel colouring works best. Natural food colouring (like raspberry or beet powder) will mute the colour slightly.
- White chocolate chips or chunks - Sweet, creamy contrast to the cocoa base. Got more chips? Try our Sourdough Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies or Sourdough White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies next!
Non-essential extras like vanilla extract or cream cheese frosting (or even cream cheese filling) are optional, but lovely if you want to lean even harder into red velvet cake vibes.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Brown the butter in a small pan until foamy, starts to form brown speckles on the base and smells nutty. Set aside to cool until warm, not hot.
2. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Pour over the browned butter and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the egg yolk and red food colouring. Mix again until smooth and evenly coloured.
Love colourful cookies? Try our Matcha Sourdough Cookies next time!
4. Stir in the sourdough starter discard gently using a whisk or spatula.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
7. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
8. Cover the dough and chill for at least 4 hours.
9. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
10. Divide the dough into equal cookie dough balls and space them well apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
11. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are set but centres remain soft.
12. Drop the tray firmly onto the worktop as soon as it comes out of the oven to encourage cracking. Cool briefly on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack.
Top Tips For Best Results
- Don't skip browning the butter. It's essential for flavour and texture in sourdough discard cookies.
- Chill the dough properly. Cold dough spreads less and bakes into thicker, chewier cookies.
- Avoid overmixing once the flour goes in. Too much gluten development leads to cakey cookies.
- Adding too much flour will also reduce your chances of chewy cookies.
- Use gel food colouring. Liquid colouring won't give you the depth of colour you want.
- Drop the tray straight away. That quick shock creates the signature cracked tops.
- Weigh your ingredients. A kitchen scale gives far more consistent results than a measuring cup.
Storage
Once baked, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze:
- Freeze shaped, unbaked cookie dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a container.
- Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Baked cookies also freeze well - just thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Sourdough Cookie Recipes
If you enjoyed these sourdough red velvet cookies, there's a whole world of sourdough sugar cookies, sourdough chocolate chip cookies, and festive bakes waiting for you - all perfect for using up discard and baking with intention.
Whether it's Valentine's Day, Christmas, or just a quiet afternoon with a cup of coffee, sourdough cookies have a way of turning everyday ingredients into something worth savouring.
Sourdough Red Velvet Cookies
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Large Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 70 g light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk large
- red gel food colouring
- 80 g sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 115 g all-purpose flour plain flour
- 10 g cocoa powder unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 120 g white chocolate chips
Instructions
- To make browned butter, place the butter in a small pan and heat it over medium heat. The butter should melt, then foam, and finally brown. Leave the butter to cool down slightly.
- Add both brown and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Pour the browned butter over the sugar, and using a handheld electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until the sugar starts dissolving (it will still be grainy, and it's ok).
- Add an egg yolk and red food colouring and whisk again for approx 2 minutes. Add enough red gel food colouring to achieve a deep red dough - the cocoa will mute the colour slightly.
- Add the sourdough discard and mix with a balloon whisk until combined (you don't wan to use an electric mixer here as it will promote gluten development). Adjust the amount of red food colouring if needed.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine. Note that cocoa powder is difficult to combine, as it contains oils.
- Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix to distribute them evenly throughout the sourdough cookie dough.
- Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the cookie dough into 8 even pieces and shape each into a ball.
- Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between them
- Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes. The cookies should have browned crispy edges, but the centre should still be a little soft and puffy. As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, drop the tray from 20cm height onto a kitchen worktop - this creates that signature cracked tops.
- Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes to firm up. Then transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack.
Nutrition
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