Sourdough Sugar Cookies (2024)

Published: Dec 4, 2023 · Modified: Feb 18, 2024 by Hannah Dela Cruz · This post may contain affiliate links

With a rich buttery flavor and the perfect chewy texture, this Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookie will be your new go-to recipe. Sourdough discard adds a delicious tang that complements the sugary sweetness of these tender cookies. Enjoy fresh-baked cookies in less than 30 minutes from start to finish, without the need for chilling!

Sponsored by Go Bold With Butter: I'm truly grateful for your support of the brands that help make Make It Dough possible. I want to assure you that all the recommendations and opinions expressed are my own.

Simple but satisfying with a chewy center and sugar-crusted and crispy exterior, nothing beats a delicious sugar cookie. With no mix-ins or toppings, sugar cookies are all about their rich buttery flavor. That’s why I’m so excited to partner with Go Bold with Butter to share my secrets for making the perfect sugar cookies with you!

Butter is one of the purest foods you can enjoy and one of my absolute favorite ingredients. It’s what makes sourdough pie crusts flaky, sourdough brioche fluffy and what imparts the delicious flavor and texture to these sourdough sugar cookies!

Why I love this recipe

• Rich buttery flavor and sugar-crusted exterior.
• Makes chewy sugar cookies that won’t spread!
• Easy, one-bowl recipe.
• No chilling required - takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
• Sourdough discard imparts a tangy flavor that balances the sugary sweetness.
• Cookies stay soft and taste fresh for days

What could go wrong

While it may sound plain and simple, making a delicious soft and chewy sugar cookie is more challenging than it seems. A lot of sugar cookies turn out flat and melt into puddles as they bake. Adding sourdough discard complicates things further as it introduces added moisture to the dough leading them to spread.

The Secret to Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

The secret to delicious sugar cookies that won’t spread is getting the butter temperature just right.

Butter is a unique ingredient, in addition to imparting a rich delicious flavor to baked goods, it also influences the texture and structure of cookies. That's because butter can hold on to air when it's whipped, which adds lightness and helps cookies maintain their chewy texture. However, when butter becomes too warm, it struggles to retain air, and sugar cookies end up melting and spreading.

Ideal Butter Consistency for Baking

Melted butter is great for Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, giving them a fudgier quality, but for the perfect sugar cookies make sure your butter is soft but cool.

• Butter should feel cool but shouldn’t snap when bent
• Measure between 60 to 65 F
• Should give slightly when pressed but shouldn’t feel greasy

Making sure your butter is at the right temperature means you don’t need to chill this cookie dough before baking, so you can have sugar cookies in 30 minutes from start to finish.

What you need

Butter: The secret to making chewy sugar cookies! Make sure your butter is soft but cool. It should measure between 60 to 65 F.
All-purpose flour: Do not substitute whole wheat flour in this recipe or your cookies may end up crumbly and dry.
Sourdough discard: Both active starter or sourdough discard will work for this recipe. Add 36 grams of water and 36 grams of flour to your dough if you don’t have a sourdough starter.
Egg yolks: Adds richness and binds the ingredients together. Leaving the egg whites out prevents too much moisture from being added to the dough.
Cane sugar: I prefer using organic cane sugar since it’s less processed and is produced using more sustainable methods. It can be substituted 1:1 for white sugar.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information.

Baking with sourdough discard

Sourdough discard imparts a tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of these sugar cookies. Since you are not using it to make bread, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work. You can use your discard directly from the fridge.

Older discard will have a tangier, acidic flavor than freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll get a slightly different result but your cookies will still be delicious.

Love sourdough discard cookie recipes? Check out my favorite Sourdough Cookies Recipes!

Variations

• Add orange zest or lemon zest
• Substitute rosewater and add a pinch of cardamom
• Roll the dough in cinnamon sugar to make snickerdoodles
• Decorate your cookies with colorful sanding sugar
• Fold sprinkles into the dough for confetti cookies
• Drizzle glaze on top of the cookies

Step-by-step instructions

STEP 1: Mix the butter and sugar together until no lumps remain

STEP 2: Add in the egg yolks, discard and dry ingredients

See Also

22 Recipes that use Sourdough Discard15+ BEST Sourdough Discard Recipes - Boston Girl Bakes

STEP 3: Portion out the cookie dough and roll in cane sugar

STEP 4: Bake at 350 for 12 to 14 minutes or the edges begin to brown

Make Ahead Instructions

You can make these cookies a few days in advance or store them for months in the freezer! Although chilling isn't required, they taste even better when you allow the flavors to develop in the fridge or bake from frozen.

How to store the dough in the refrigerator:

1. Make the dough according to the instructions.
2. Store mixing bowl, covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
3. Portion out the dough and bake at 350 for 14 minutes.

How to store the dough in the freezer:

1. Make the dough according to instructions.
2. Portion out the dough.
3. Arrange the cookie dough balls in a single layer on a baking sheet (no need to space them out).
4. Freeze the dough for at least 2 hours. Transfer the frozen cookie dough to a freezer bag.

How to bake frozen cookie dough:

1. Roll the cookie dough in sugar.
2. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart.
3. Bake at 350 F for 16 to 18 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

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