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These sourdough discard pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect blend of flavors. This fall-inspired treat combines the slight tang of sourdough discard, the warmth of pumpkin, and the indulgence of chocolate. They are lower in fat thanks to one ingredient swap, but still delicious and ideal for the cozy fall season.
There’s something about late September that stirs my irresistible cravings for all things pumpkin spice. Maybe I’ve been conditioned to crave it in the fall, since pumpkin spice is advertised just about everywhere in the United States. Or maybe it’s naturally embedded in us to crave what’s in season and being harvested :). Either way, I’ve been needing some pumpkin (and chocolate, always chocolate) in my life.
My Inspiration for Low Fat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’ve been baking a lot of sourdough goodies lately, including my newest air fryer sourdough pumpkin spice bread. I ended up with more sourdough discard than I usually keep, so I needed a recipe that didn’t require an active starter.
I love the flavor combination of pumpkin and chocolate, but traditional pumpkin chocolate chip cookies use a lot of butter. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for butter (I believe it makes everything better, haha), but I wanted something lighter this time.
After the recent arrival of my little one, I started tracking my macros again. I’m not super strict about it, but it does help me stay on track with my nutrition goals. That’s how my lower-fat sourdough discard pumpkin chocolate chip cookies came to be.
Taste and Texture of Low Fat Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
The pumpkin spice flavor stands out in these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. It compliments the chocolate very well. The sourdough discard also gives them a slight tang. They are less rich and buttery compared to traditional cookies, since the recipe calls for unsweetened applesauce in place of butter (they don’t taste like applesauce though).
As for the texture, they are soft and chewy thanks to the sourdough discard. Since they don’t spread as much during baking, they are thicker with a more dense, moist bite. Considering how much lower in fat these cookies are, they still came out delicious, fluffy, and delightfully chewy. They definitely satisfied my pumpkin and chocolate cravings.
You can get an idea of the texture in my photo below; I chose the cookie with the least amount of chocolate chips so you can see it better. If you want thinner cookies, press them down a bit before baking. That’s what I’ll be doing next time 😉
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Air Fryer and Conventional
I currently do most of my baking in the air fryer, as we’re in between houses right now, so we’re temporarily living in our RV. Most RVs have ovens that are fueled by propane, with the heat source located at the bottom. This makes them less-than-ideal for baking, so I’ve had to adapt a lot of my recipes for the air fryer. However, I’ve included instructions for both an air fryer and a conventional oven.
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Air Fryer Instructions:
Equipment:
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Parchment paper (or oil for greasing)
- Cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sourdough discard
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar (or monkfruit sweetener)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will need to bake these in batches of 4-6 cookies. I have a 4-quart air fryer, so mine fits 4-5 cookies at a time. Note, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer.
- Line the air fryer basket or rack with parchment paper, or lightly grease with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix.
- When you see most (not all) of it has been mixed in, add the chocolate chips, then finish mixing just until no dry ingredients are left.
- Portion out 12 cookies, and place 4-6 of them in the air fryer basket, about 1 inch apart (they will not spread much). Press the dough balls down a bit to flatten them.
- Bake the cookies on the air fry setting at 325°F (163°C) for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from the air fryer and repeat with the remaining cookie dough until all cookies are baked.
- Let the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies cool down on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Conventional Oven Instructions:
The ingredients remain the same, but you will need a cookie sheet or a baking tray for the oven.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix. When you see most (not all) of it has been mixed in, add the chocolate chips, then finish mixing just until no dry ingredients are left.
- Portion out 12 cookies, and place them on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart (they will not spread much). Press the dough balls down a bit to flatten them.
- Bake cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from the oven, and let them cool down on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Tips, Variations, and Storing Your Cookies
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Canned pumpkin puree has less water content than fresh pumpkin puree, however you can still use fresh puree. Just be sure to first strain the puree in a cheesecloth or tea towel before adding it to the mix.
Optional add-ins before baking: chopped walnuts, pecans, or dried cranberries.
Choice of chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a great choice because they provide a nice balanced flavor, but you can opt for dark chocolate chips, white chocolate, or milk chocolate. For a more indulgent treat, replace the chocolate chips for chocolate chunks, or even caramel chips.
To store: place the sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week. For up to 4 weeks storage, you can place them in the freezer, but be sure to first wrap the cookies individually in plastic or beeswax wrap, then transfer them to a freezer safe bag.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating sourdough discard into these delicious low-fat pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is a great way to use up some of your extra discard. The combination of pumpkin spices, gooey chocolate, and the slight tang from the discard creates a warm, comforting, and unique flavor. Additionally, swapping butter for applesauce in this recipe makes for a much lower fat cookie. I hope you enjoy every bite of these fall-inspired, naturally delicious treats!
Other Recipes you Might Like
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Low Fat Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer (or conventional oven)
- Mixing bowl with spoon or spatula
- Parchment paper (or oil for greasing)
- Baking sheet (if baking in a conventional oven)
- Cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sourdough discard
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar (or monkfruit sweetener)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions:
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will need to bake these in batches of 4-6 cookies. My 4-quart air fryer fits 4-5 cookies at a time. Note, you don't need to preheat the air fryer.
- Line the air fryer basket or rack with parchment paper, or lightly grease with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix.
- When you see most (not all) of it has been mixed in, add the chocolate chips, then finish mixing just until no dry ingredients are left.
- Portion out 12 cookies, and place 4-6 of them in the air fryer basket, about 1 inch apart (they will not spread much). Press the dough balls down a bit to flatten them.
- Bake the cookies on the air fry setting at 325°F (163°C) for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from the air fryer and repeat with the remaining cookie dough until all cookies are baked.
- Let the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies cool down on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Conventional Oven Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix. When you see most (not all) of it has been mixed in, add the chocolate chips, then finish mixing just until no dry ingredients are left.
- Portion out 12 cookies, and place them on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart (they will not spread much). Press the dough balls down a bit to flatten them.
- Bake cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool down on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
Macros for 1 cookie with semi-sweet chocolate chips:
Calories: 166
Fat: 3
Carbs: 19
Protein: 2
