Cultured Guru Logo
Cultured Guru Logo
  • Start Here
  • RecipesWe love to create delicious recipes with gut health in mind. By using our recipes, you can easily create any dish knowing that it’s good for gut health! Our recipe blog also includes Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, and Paleo Recipes.
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Start Here
  • RecipesWe love to create delicious recipes with gut health in mind. By using our recipes, you can easily create any dish knowing that it’s good for gut health! Our recipe blog also includes Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, and Paleo Recipes.
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact
Sourdough Discard

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pumpkin and Pecans

The absolute best sourdough pumpkin cookies! These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are made with roasted pumpkin, pecans, and brown butter for the most fantastic texture and flavor.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Recipe Index | Ferment | Sourdough Discard

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pumpkin and Pecans

The absolute best sourdough pumpkin cookies! These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are made with roasted pumpkin, pecans, and brown butter for the most fantastic texture and flavor.

Sourdough Cookies

There are a lot of ways to make sourdough chocolate chip cookies. Most recipes I see though, result in a cookie that is less like a cookie and more like a scone.

Well, rest assured that this is a cookie recipe, not a scone recipe. These sourdough cookies come out with that perfect moist, chewy cookie texture. This is an adaption of my sourdough cookie master recipe. Some other versions of this cookie you may enjoy:

  • Sourdough Fermented Gingerbread Cookies
  • Soft and Chewy Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Making cookies with a sourdough starter is all about how you mix the ingredients. The order you mix your ingredients is the most important part.

You need to mix the sourdough starter with the wet ingredients and sugar first before you add any dry ingredients. Also, I want to note that the roasted pumpkin is a wet ingredient too, so that needs to be mixed in with the sourdough starter.

Just follow the directions on the recipe card below and you won’t have any problems.

As for storing the cookie dough, you can ferment the cookie dough in the fridge overnight before forming the cookie dough balls and baking.

When I make a batch of these cookies, I ferment them overnight in the fridge, then shape the dough into balls the next day. This recipe at 1x makes 20 cookies, so usually bake six then freeze the rest.

To bake the frozen cookie dough, you just put the frozen cookie dough ball on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake as normal.

Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies

Since we use sourdough starter and pumpkin in this recipe, there is no need for any eggs. My cookie recipe also calls for browned butter, which is just cooked butter.

The most important part to remember when using browned butter is to allow it to cool to room temperature before you use it. If you dip a finger in the butter it should not feel warm at all.

freshly baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies with melty chocolate pieces and pecans.

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Roasted Pumpkin

Okay, let’s talk about the roasted pumpkin. Please use freshly roasted pumpkin in this recipe if you can! It’s so good!

All you have to do is cut and clean a pumpkin, rub the inside with a little oil, place it open-side down on a sheet pan, and roast at 425° F for 20 minutes. Once it is completely cool, you can scoop the pumpkin out of the skin and use it in the recipe.

If you cannot use freshly roasted pumpkin, it’s okay to use canned pumpkin puree, but you need to strain off the excess liquid through a cheesecloth.

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are fantastic with dark chocolate and pecans, but you can change up the ingredients a bit to suit you. If you rather have another kind of nut, just evenly sub it out. You can also use milk chocolate baking chips if you prefer.

raw dough for sourdough pumpkin cookies rolled into balls

More Recipes to Try

  • Buttery Flaky Sourdough Biscuits From Scratch
  • Buttery Rosemary Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers
  • Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
a sourdough chocolate chip cookie with a bite taken out of it
Print
Sourdough Discard

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pumpkin and Pecans

The absolute best sourdough cookies recipe! These sourdough chocolate chip cookies are made with roasted pumpkin, pecans, and brown butter for the most fantastic texture and flavor.

  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Cook: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 340 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 226 g butter
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 100 g sugar
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 140 g roasted pumpkin
  • 2 tsp  maple extract
  • 120 g sourdough starter (active or discard)
  • 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter in a small saucepan until bubbly, and dark golden. Stir it continuously, careful not to burn it. Add the pumpkin pie spice and mix well.  Remove from heat and allow the butter to cool completely to room temperature.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Once the butter has cooled completely but is still liquid, to a large bowl add the sugar, brown sugar, maple extract, sourdough starter, roasted pumpkin, and browned butter.
  4. Combine with a whisk or hand mixer until even.
  5. Fold the combined dry ingredients into the wet ingredient butter mixture. Stir until well combined.
  6. Add your chopped chocolate bar and pecans.
  7. Place the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
  8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of your chilled cookie dough and shape into balls.
  9. Preheat the oven to 375° and place the cookie dough balls about two inches apart on the lined cookie sheet.
  10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
  11. Remove the cookies and let them sit on the cookie sheet until they are completely cool.

Notes

  • How to roast a pumpkin: cut and clean a pumpkin, rub the inside with a little oil, place it open-side down on a sheet pan, and roast at 425° F for 20 minutes. Once it is completely cool, you can scoop the pumpkin out of the skin and use it in the recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a 5-star review below if you loved it! Tag @cultured.guru on Instagram

 

Nutrition information is auto-calculated and estimated as close as possible. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary.

author avatar
Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist
Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.
See Full Bio
fermentation food microbiology sourdough sauerkraut fermenting at home fermented foods fermented drinks
social network icon social network icon social network icon social network icon

welcome!

hey i’m kaitlynn, i’m a microbiologist and together with my husband jon we are cultured guru.

more about us

let’s connect!

newest recipe

Root Vegetable Sauerkraut with Radish, Beets, and Celeriac
Sauerkraut & Kimchi

Root Vegetable Sauerkraut with Radish, Beets, and Celeriac

never miss a thing

learn more about microbes from a microbiologist
Loading

on pinterest

Instant Pot Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Sourdough Smores Cookies
High Protein Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
Sourdough & Miso Chicolate Chip Cookies
Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Homemade Cottage Cheese

top rated recipes

How to Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons with Sea Salt
Fruits & Roots

How to Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons with Sea Salt

Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Sauerkraut Potatoes and Carrots
Protein

Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Sauerkraut Potatoes and Carrots

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way
Beverage Fermentation

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way

learn more

Understand microbes and master fermentation with our online courses!

learn

rate and review
We would love to hear what you think!
Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star


  1. Jisela
    10|16|2022

    I’m so glad that these are the first sourdough cookies I’ve ever tried to make. Kaitlynn’s instructions are very easy to follow and these cookies did turn out moist and chewy – my kind of cookie! None of the ingredients overpower each other. I swapped the pecans for walnuts (just my preference). Everyone I shared with totally loved it, too.

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|19|2022

      Thank you so much for leaving a review! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I’ll have to try these with walnuts too!

      Reply
  2. Veronica
    10|20|2022

    This is the first time I have used pumpkin in cookies! And it did not disappoint! The cookie had great flavour without being too sweet (I used coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar) and it was soft and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. I baked them at a lower temp of 175º fan oven closer to 18-20 mins just because I prefer the outside of my cookies to be crunchy. The browned butter really adds another layer of caramel notes to the cookie. Also the pumpkin I think helps to give the cookie great volume which makes it really aesthetically appealing. And it was so easy to make. I would highly recommend these cookies, they are delicious!

    Reply
  3. Abby Phillips
    10|30|2022

    I made these cookies today and wow they are so delicious! I’ve made other sourdough cookies before and these are the only ones that resemble cookie texture instead of a cakey one. 10/10 would make again

    Reply
  4. Leah
    08|22|2023

    Fall in a bite! Cooler weather means I’m warming my house by baking these cookies. This is such a delicious cookie! And I love telling people that’s it made with sourdough discard! Definitely a favorite!

    Reply
  5. Meadow Moody
    10|28|2023

    This recipe is so GOOD. Everyone loves these cookies . Recipes are easy, not too sweet. So good thank you!!!

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|30|2023

      Glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  6. Remi
    10|31|2023

    If you’re new to the sourdough community, add this recipe to the TOP of your priority list. Brown butter was new to me, and I thought that it had burned, but I ended up making perfect brown butter on the first try. There’s so much flavor, goodness and warmth in these cookies. You won’t be disappointed!

    Reply
  7. Traci
    11|05|2023

    I’m assuming cinnamon and nutmeg is pumpkin pie spice?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      11|06|2023

      yes!

      Reply
  8. Luci
    10|14|2024

    Can I substitute pumpkin puree for the pumpkin?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|15|2024

      yes, pumpkin puree should work great.

      Reply
  9. Phu-My Gep
    09|30|2025

    I made a double batch and it is in the fridge now for fermenting. Can I freeze some and bake it when I want?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|01|2025

      for sure! scoop into balls and freeze them!

      Reply

you may also like

Sourdough Discard View Recipe

Sourdough Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter

Holiday Recipe
Sourdough Discard View Recipe

Sourdough Fermented Gingerbread Cookies

Holiday Recipe
Sourdough Discard View Recipe

Six Sourdough Discard Cookies to Make This Christmas

join us on insta

@cultured.guru

Myth Busting: Yes, the SCOBY IS the pellicle! Plee Myth Busting: Yes, the SCOBY IS the pellicle! Pleeeease stop saying it’s not. 😌



Watch till the end, I show you how to grow one!



This is a little tidbit from what I teach in the Kombucha lesson in our Fermented Drinks Semester online course!

I also share this recipe FOR FREE just ✨GOOGLE✨ “cultured guru SCOBY” and you’ll see my full recipe with the perfect sugar to tea ratios for growing, feeding and maintaining a kombucha SCOBY.

#kombucha
And the knife stays in the box. GOOGLE “sourdoug And the knife stays in the box. 

GOOGLE “sourdough king cake” my recipe is the first one! 👑☂️💚✨

If you’re like me and prefer from scratch, homemade everything, you’ll definitely want to try this king cake for Mardi Gras! I used organic naturally dyed sprinkles and all that jazz too. 

If you just search “sourdough king cake” on google you’ll see my recipe, it’s usually the first one. 

My main tips for making this:
✨use a very active starter or throw in some instant yeast with your starter
✨make sure the dough is actually proofed before shaping it. If it’s cold in your house it will take longer. 
✨please follow directions! You can cold ferment the dough in the fridge after it doubles in size and BEFORE filling and shaping.

🎵Song is Casanova by Rebirth Brass Band
Fermentation is a gift from the microbes of this e Fermentation is a gift from the microbes of this earth.

When we had a food business, I could never shake the feeling that fermentation is not meant to be sold to you from a fluorescently lit grocery shelf in an endless cycle of waste. Fermentation is meant to be cultivated in your home, with your hands, with intention and love in a sustainable, grateful practice of reciprocity and nourishment. 

This is the story of how we got here. 

After so many lessons learned, our small fermentation business is now value aligned, peaceful, fulfilling, and happy.  It often seems like the gut feelings (the microbes within us) guided us in the right direction. To teach. 

You can learn for free on our blog, or you can enroll in our online courses (we extended our new year sale!) Either way, with me as your teacher, you’ll learn to adopt a holistic perspective on the microbial ecosystems that influence our food, lives, and the planet.
My favorite topic I teach in our online course is My favorite topic I teach in our online course is called Fermentation Variables. The whole lesson is centered around the fact that there are six main variables that influence the outcome of fermentation.

Here they are, in no particular order:

Sugar
Salt
Oxygen
Acidity
Temperature
Time

Temperature and time depend on each other most closely. 

that means, for all of our foods and drinks that ferment at room temp, things slow way down in the winter cold. 

The fermentation timeline is simply longer when it’s colder (and faster when it’s hotter). The microbes, kind of like us, make things happen slowly in the cold winter. 

I think this is yet another sign from nature that we’re supposed to rest and be gentle and gracious with deadlines, work, and not rush things this time of year. 

Let it be slow, it’ll still be great, it just takes a little more patience and time. 

If you’re looking to start fermentation as an analog hobby in the new year, our courses are 40% off right now! You can use code NEWYEARS at checkout. (Yes, you learn online, but it’s delicious, long form content + the skills are life long). What you learn empowers you to get off the computer/phone and go ferment some delicious foods and drinks. 

Touching cabbage and dough is just as good as “touching grass” lol 

Let me know if you have questions about our courses or just fermentation in general in the comments!

#fermentation
Yes cooking kills the microbes, but idc. I mean, I Yes cooking kills the microbes, but idc. I mean, I care, but in a “thank you for your service microbes” kinda way. 🫡

Cider braised pork and sauerkraut is a perfect choice for New Year’s or any winter meal! I lovvveee pairing it with butternut squash polenta bc it’s full of vitamin C for cold and flu szn. 

Eating pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day is a tradition. And I really do think it brings good luck and prosperity.

Get the recipe on our blog, linked in my profile and in story highlights! 

I’m really looking forward to creating more recipes like this in the new year, to show you all the joys of incorporating ferments into meals and recipes 😌✨ stay tuned! 

#newyear #sauerkraut #fermentation
One Christmas I gifted everyone in my family the N One Christmas I gifted everyone in my family the New York style sourdough bagels and they were thrilled. (The bagels we’re actually way under proofed, but I still gifted them and everyone loved them lol)

You can get the full recipe on my blog! And these can be made with discard and instant yeast or with just active starter.

 All the details are in the 5-star rated recipe on my website. 

#bagels #sourdough
Flower Icon
LEARN ABOUT MICROBES FROM A MICROBIOLoGIST
Loading

recipes

  • Sourdough
  • Sauerkraut
  • Yogurt & Kefir
  • Pickles
  • Sweets & Snacks

more

  • Start Here
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact

social

  • TikTokVisit Cultured Guru TikTok Account
  • InstagramCultured Guru Instagram Account
  • PinterestVisit Cultured Guru’s Pinterest Account
  • FacebookVisit Cultured Guru’s Facebook page
  • Privacy & Terms
Footer Logo
Footer tagline
copyright

©2026

Cultured Guru

.

website by saevil row + MTT. all rights reserved.