These Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a classic at Christmas time. Easy to make they use up ½ cup of sourdough discard or starter, either can be used.
Use your cookie cutters to cut these cookies into a variety of shapes and use my super simple cookie icing to decorate them. They are soft and chewy with the perfect amount of spice for a cold winter night.
Jump to:
One of my favorite ways to use up extra sourdough discard is to add it to cookie dough! Here are a few of my favorites: Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Shortbread Cookies, Sourdough Snickerdoodles, Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Sourdough Sugar Cookies, Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies, Sourdough Discard Molasses Cookies and thick Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make these soft Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies.
Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter is easier to cream together with the sugar. I use unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon. There is about ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick of salted butter.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture to the cookies. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. I prefer to use dark brown sugar to help give the Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies a nice dark brown color.
Sourdough Discard: Don't worry your cookies won't be sour. This is plenty of sugar to eliminate the sourdough flavor. Bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before adding it to the recipe. It will be easier to incorporate. Active starter or sourdough discard can be used for this recipe.
Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.
Molasses: Molasses helps give these cookies their classic gingerbread flavor. For these cookies, I used medium molasses. If you don't have molasses you can substitute honey but the flavor of the cookies will be slightly different.
Flour: No special flours are needed for these cookies. All-purpose flour is perfect. For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.
Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sourdough Discard: You can use either sourdough discard or active sourdough starter.
- Spices: These cookies are filled with lots of different spices; cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. You could also substitute 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for the spices. The flavor will be slightly different but it will work in a pinch.
- No Cookie Cutters?: After mixing the cookie dough, roll it into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours. When you are ready to bake cookies, unwrap the dough, slice it into ¼ inch slices, and bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 325°F (165°C) for 12 to 14 minutes.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer on medium speed using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
Step 2: Add the sourdough discard, molasses, and egg. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
Tip: The dough is very thick and stiff. I recommend using a stand mixer to mix this sourdough gingerbread cookie dough.
Step 3: Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, allspice, and cloves. Mix on low speed until just combined.
Step 4: Divide the dough into two pieces and wrap each piece in wax paper. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece out until it is ¼ inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Don't crowd the baking sheet. These cookies will spread slightly as they bake. Gather up the scraps and roll them out again to cut out more cookies.
Tip: Be careful to not over mix. Over-mixing will create tough cookies.
Tip: The chill time allows the butter in the dough to firm up and allows the flour to fully hydrate. Which prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
Tip: Any thinner and the cookies will be crispy instead of soft. Also be sure to Roll the dough out evenly so that all of the cookies are the same thickness and cook evenly.
Step 7: Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. The tops of the cookies should look dry and set.
Step 8: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 9: Decorate using your favorite icing and decorations.
Tip: Use a light-colored cookie sheet. Dark cookie sheets absorb too much heat and can cause your cookies to overbake. Check out this post from Handle the Heat to see a comparison of cookies baked on different types of cookie sheets.
Tip: Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them. If you try to ice them when they are still warm the icing will melt.
Decorating Ideas
You could enjoys these cookies plain or try one of the decoration ideas below.
- Drizzle the cookies with a bit of dark chocolate and sprinkle them with candied orange rind or candied ginger for an extra pop of flavor.
- Spread them with buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
- Add your favorite sprinkles.
- Outline the cookies with royal icing.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions
Make-Ahead: Mix up the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Chilling cookie dough keeps it from spreading too much as it bakes by hydrating the flour and solidifying the butter.
Storing: Baked Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three weeks.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
Thaw frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. Sourdough starter is usually fluffier than sourdough discard so it will measure differently. The most accurate way to the sourdough starter is with a kitchen scale.
Molasses comes in three main types: regular (light), medium, and blackstrap. While all are made from the same ingredients, the difference lies in how many times the syrup is boiled. Blackstrap molasses is boiled three times, resulting in a very dark and bitter flavor. I prefer medium molasses because it offers a deep, rich flavor without the bitterness.
Gingerbread cookie dough should be rolled out to ¼ inch thick. This is the ideal thickness to get soft cookies that hold their shape without puffing too much. Any thinner and the cookies will be crispy instead of soft.
Chilling the dough before baking it helps to solidify the butter and prevents the cookies from spreading while they bake and maintains their shape.
Because the dough is so dark you can't rely on the classic advice to bake until golden brown. When fully baked, the tops of the gingerbread cookies will appear dry and set.
Expert Tips
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than the cup measurements. In baking accuracy matters. If you don't have one this is my favorite kitchen scale, because the display pulls out making it easy to see even if you are using a large bowl.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. This ensures the ingredients mix evenly and will give you the best final texture.
- Don't over-mix the dough once the sourdough discard and flour have been added. Over-mixing will create too much gluten and cause the cookies to be tough.
- You must chill the dough for at least 2-3 hours before baking. Chilling also allows the flour to absorb more liquid further solidifying the dough. If the dough is baked without chilling it first, the cookies will spread while baking loosing their shape.
- Roll the dough out evenly so that all of the cookies are the same thickness and cook evenly.
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper to help prevent the cookies from sticking and make removal easier.
- Don't crowd the baking sheet. These cookies will spread slightly as they bake.
- For a crispier cookie, bake them for slightly longer (about 2-3 minutes more).
- Baking times for all recipes are only suggestions. The actual baking time will vary depending on your oven. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They may fall apart if you try to move them too soon.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them. If you try to ice them when they are still warm the icing will melt.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Thanks for Reading!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below! You can also snap a picture and post it on Facebook or Instagram be sure to tag me @RaspberriesandKohlrabi.
Subscribe to get more recipes and tips by email.
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup sourdough discard room-temperature
- ⅓ cup unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 egg room-temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer on medium speed using the paddle attachment, cream together the ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup dark brown sugar.
- Add the ½ cup sourdough discard, ⅓ cup unsulphured or dark molasses, and 1 egg. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
- Add the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, and ½ teaspoon ground cloves. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough into two pieces and wrap each piece in wax paper. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece out until it is ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Don't crowd the baking sheet. These cookies will spread slightly as they bake. Gather up the scraps and roll them out again to cut out more cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. The tops of the cookies should look dry and set.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Decorate using your favorite icing and decorations.
Notes
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. This ensures the ingredients mix evenly and will give you the best final texture.
- Don't over-mix the dough once the sourdough discard and flour has been added. Over-mixing will create too much gluten and cause the cookies to be tough.
- You must chill the dough for at least 2-3 hours before baking. Chilling also allows the flour to absorb more liquid further solidifying the dough. If the dough is baked without chilling it first, the cookies will spread while baking loosing their shape.
- Roll the dough out evenly so that all of the cookies are the same thickness and cook evenly.
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper to help prevent the cookies from sticking and make removal easier.
- Don't crowd the baking sheet. These cookies will spread slightly as they bake.
- For a crispier cookie, bake them for slightly longer (about 2-3 minutes more).
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They may fall apart if you try to move them too soon.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them. If you try to ice them when they are still warm the icing will melt.
Comments
No Comments