These sourdough sugar cookies are delightful mounds of softness with a chewy texture, that doesn’t spread, thanks to the magic of a tangy starter! 😉
After you’re done with a Christmas Roast dinner, whip up a batch of these beauties before Santa comes…. Made with simple ingredients, sourdough sugar cookies are one of his favorites! This foolproof sourdough sugar cookie recipe delivers bakery-worthy treats with just a little effort…
These easy sourdough sugar cookies are sweet, SOFT without spreading, perfect for cutting into shapes, and have subtle sourdough notes! Made with 1/2 cup of sourdough discard… for a more tangy flavor! You can also use active starters, but they’ll have less sourdough flavor. They’re perfect for Christmas Cookies decorated with a simple sugar cookie icing or for Valentines day gifts!
Key Ingredients
- Unfed Sourdough Starter (1/2 cup): This is the magic… Using unfed starter adds that subtle tang without making the dough too wet, guaranteeing your cookies don’t spread.
- All-Purpose Flour (3 cups): Measured correctly! Use the “spoon and sweep” method, don’t pack it to avoid dense cookies 😉
- Softened Salted Butter (1 cup): Must be truly soft! This is key for creaming with the sugar and creating that dreamy, soft texture.
- Granulated Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Egg, Baking Soda, and Salt.
Tools to make Sourdough Sugar Cookies
For this recipe, you only need a few tools including:
- A mixing bowl for the cookie dough
- Plastic wrap to wrap and store cookie dough in the refrigerator.
- A rolling pin to roll out cookie dough.
- A cookie sheet for baking Cookies on.
- Parchment paper is nice for easy cleanup, but not necessary.
- A stand mixer with a cookie paddle attachment is nice, but you can also mix the dough by hand.
- A hand mixer for the frosting, but you can mix that by hand too!
Tips for Sourdough Sugar Cookies
Sourdough discard variations: If your discard is very active, you may need slightly less flour. Conversely, less active discard might require a touch more.
Chilling is key: Refrigerating the dough for at least 3 hours, for best results chill overnight or up to 3 days, this really helps prevent spreading and intensifies the flavors.
Rolling Out Dough: Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. If your dough cracks while rolling it, just let it set at room temperature for 10 minutes then roll it out again!
Variations: You can use different extracts for more cookie flavors! I also love using Coconut extract for a tropical-flavored sugar cookie (with a bit of lime juice in the buttercream frosting!) You can substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract, lemon extract, orange extract, and maple extract!
Do NOT overbake: Only cook these sugar cookies 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees F. You do not want them to brown on the edges or bottoms. Your cookies may look a bit undercooked when you take them out of the oven, but they set as they cool, and this keeps them SOFT 😉
Cooling: Let cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting and decorating.
Butter Cream Sugar Cookie Frosting: Buttercream frosting is the fastest way to enjoy these tasty cookies. It requires no drying time, and tastes the best!
Sugar Cookie Icing: If you are making the sugar cookie icing or royal icing for detailed or piped details make sure to use the corn syrup because it gives the cookies a glossy finish! Glucose syrup may be substituted.
Storing: Store leftover cookies in a sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
More Sourdough Cookies
- Sourdough Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Our family favorite chocolate chip recipe!
- Sourdough Lemon Cookies – Perfect for a little sunshine in your mouth during the winter!
- Sourdough Coconut-Lime Cookies – You’ve gotta’ try these!
Let me know what YOU think, Please review the recipe card!
Easy Sourdough Sugar Cookies with Sugar Cookie Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unfed sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar granulated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg large
- 31/4 cups flour all purpose
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Butter Cream Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream.
For Sugar Cookie Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- *Optional food coloring & sprinkles.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine, soft butter, sourdough starter, sugar, vanilla and egg. Beat until creamy and well combined (use a hand mixer or stander mixer).
- in a separate bowl combine four, salt and baking soda, mix till all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir till smooth and well combined. (Use a dough paddle for a stand mixer.)
- Scrape cookie dough into a ball. then wrap dough ball in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate wrapped sourdough sugar cookie dough for at least 3 hours (and up to 3 days).
- Generiously dust a clean work surface with flour. Place the chilled cookie dough onto the floured surface. Dust the top of your dough with flour and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Adding more flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick.
- Use cookie cutters, or biscuit cutters to cut out shapes and use a spatula to transfer your shapes to a prepared baking sheet. Place cookies 1 inch apart.
- Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 8-9 minutes.
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating.
- For Butter Cream Sugar Cookie Frosting:
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, soft butter and milk or cream in a small mixing bowl. You can add food coloring at this point if using.
- Use a hand mixer or spoon to stir till together till smooth!
- Spread 1-2 tablespoons of butter cream frosting evenly over each cooled cookie.
For Sugar Cookie Icing:
- Combine powdered sugar milk, corn syrup and vanilla in a small mixing bowl and stir till smooth.
- If using food colorings, divide icing into separate bowls and add food coloring to each bowl.
- Transfer icing to piping bags with tips in place.
- Pipe icing onto cookies and decorate with sprinkles if desired.
- Allow icing to dry for several hours before stacking or enjoying!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
