Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Low Fat Recipe
Delicious, fluffy, and delightfully chewy, these low fat sourdough discard pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect blend of flavors, and ideal for the cozy fall season. These instructions include steps for both a conventional oven and an air fryer!
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
See post for more photos and details on the taste and texture of these lower-fat sourdough discard pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
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 longer 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.