I distinctly remember the first time I had a double chocolate chip cookie.  It was at a cookie store in a mall in Elmira, New York!  Whenever I visited my brother as a high-schooler, I would buy a dozen to take back with me!  Over the years, double chocolate chip cookies just didn't taste like the ones I first tasted until I ate a friend's mocha chip cookies.  Those cookies had the fudgy texture and taste that reminded me of those high school cookies.  I decided to experiment with the recipe to enhance the chocolate and make the texture a little softer with a little adaptation.  The results are these addictive double chocolate sourdough cookies that are so ooey, gooey with bits of melted chocolate scattered throughout when eaten warm! When eaten at room temperature, eat them slowly to taste the different kinds of chocolate and submerge yourself into the various flavors and textures of the cookie.  They are definitely a "pick-me-up" cookie!

I add sourdough to this recipe to provide a little volume as well as to dampen the sweetness of the cookie with the sourdough tang.  Unlike the other sourdough cookie recipes, this recipe only rests for 15 minutes, because I don't want the egg mixture to deflate.  I also add coarse salt to the tops of the cookie which provides another dimension to these double chocolate sourdough cookies.  A complex medley of sweet, salty and tang.

Tips for making double chocolate sourdough cookies.

Chocolate

Two kinds of chocolate are used.  Unsweetened bakers chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Make sure that unsweetened bakers chocolate is used otherwise the cookies will be too sweet and you don't get that other chocolate flavor. The bakers chocolate should be broken into small pieces to ensure that it melts at the same rate as the chocolate chips.  I have also found that there are different levels of sweetness in semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I opt for the least sweet chips. 

Melt the chocolate with the butter either on the stove-top with a double boiler, making sure that no water drips into the container, causing the chocolate to seize. Otherwise, microwave the butter and chocolate for about 2 minutes, checking and stirring the chocolate, every 45 seconds until the chocolate is all melted.

The melted chocolate with the combination of unsweetened bakers chocolate and chocolate chips provides the base taste of the cookies.  Additional chocolate chips are added to provide a difference in texture and bursts of flavor to these double chocolate sourdough cookies.

Sourdough

The sourdough discard added to the chocolate mixture provides more leavening for the cookies and an extra flavor dimension to the cookie.  The cookie has a more rounded taste rather than just "sweet".  The sourdough discard should be brought to room temperature to prevent the chocolate mixture from hardening.  Add the sourdough discard after the chocolate is melted.

Egg mixture

To provide loft and airiness to the cookies, the eggs and sugar needs to be beaten until creamy and pale.  I usually beat the egg mixture while melting the chocolate.

Making the dough.

After beating the egg mixture until pale and creamy, about 5 minutes, incorporate the chocolate mixture into the batter.  Add the flour and stir just until blended.  DO NOT DEFLATE THE EGG MIXTURE.  Stir in the remainder of the chocolate chips. Allow the cookie dough to rest for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate and butter to harden a little, making it easier to spoon onto the lined baking trays.  

I spoon the dough out using a cookie scoop and then sprinkle each cookie with a few grains of coarse salt.  If you don't have a cookie scoop, spoon it out using 2 tablespoons. The coarse salt enhances the flavor of the chocolate with each bite!

DO NOT OVERBAKE!  Enjoy these double chocolate sourdough cookies with milk!