Perfect Soft Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookie Recipe
This sourdough discard sugar cookie recipe uses sourdough discard to create soft and chewy sugar cookies with a slight tang that complements the sweetness perfectly.
Print
Pin
Servings: 0
Equipment
- stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer
- Cookie sheet
- Large mixing bowl
- Favorite cookie cutters
- Kitchen scale (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup 120g active starter or sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup 2 sticks, 226g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup 200g white sugar (granulated sugar or cane sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups 360g all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
Instructions
Mix Wet Ingredients
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until fully incorporated. Stir in the sourdough discard and mix until well combined.
Add Dry Ingredients
- Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix with the stand mixer on medium speed until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, ensuring everything is fully incorporated. Divide the dough into two equal disc portions, wrap both with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 ½ hours for best results. At this point you can do a long fermentation process with the dough by placing it into the fridge for 12-48 hours prior to baking. Alternatively you can proceed to rolling it out and baking after chilling the dough for at least 1 ½ hours.
- Preheat Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place to the side
- Roll the Dough
- Remove one disc of sugar cookie dough from the fridge and place it between two pieces of parchment paper. This will prevent the dough from being overly floured. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Repeat the process with the second portion of dough.
Cut Out the Cookies
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. Arrange the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheet. If dough gets too soft, chill for about 30 minutes before cutting out more shapes. Chill the dough also after cutting out cookies prior to baking. This will help keep the cookies from spreading during the baking process. To speed up the chilling process, you can also place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Bake the Cookies
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. The edges should be lightly golden brown, but the cookies should remain mostly pale.
Cool the Cookies
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature before decorating. Try these delicious cookies with this icing recipe: Best Royal Icing Recipe Without Meringue Powder
- Store in an airtight container.
- Looking for a delicious sourdough gingerbread cookie recipe for this holiday season? Try this one! Soft and Chewy Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies