These Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a must-bake this holiday season! Perfect for cut-out shapes and decorating, they’ll fill your kitchen with the cozy scents of cinnamon and ginger. Plus, you’ll be putting that sourdough discard to good use.
The holidays are upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a batch of warm, spicy gingerbread cookies?
These sourdough gingerbread cookies combine the classic flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses with a touch of tang from sourdough discard. They’re perfect for cutting into little sourdough gingerbread men and decorating with royal icing.
I’ll be honest - I’m not the best at decorating cookies. It took me much longer than I’d like to admit just to add a simple smiley face and three buttons to the gingerbread cookies for this blog post.
But there’s something so fun and festive about gathering with friends and family during the holidays to make and decorate gingerbread cookies, especially when they’re homemade with sourdough.
So, gather your loved ones, and let’s get baking! These sourdough gingerbread cookies are sure to add warmth and cheer to your holiday celebrations this season.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Sourdough Discard- Using sourdough starter discard in gingerbread cookies is a fantastic way to use up what you have in the fridge. The discard mainly adds moisture to the dough since the spices overpower its flavor.
- Molasses- Molasses give gingerbread cookies their signature flavor. For this recipe, choose unsulphured molasses, such as Grandma's Original Molasses.
- Brown Sugar- Adds moisture and a rich flavor to the cookies. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Ground Spices- These cookies are packed with spices, mainly ginger and cinnamon, along with a bit of allspice, cloves, and nutmeg for extra warmth and flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour- Gingerbread cookies need a higher ratio of flour to keep their shape while baking, so it’s essential to measure it accurately. I recommend weighing the flour with a food scale or lightly spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off for the best results.
- Butter- This recipe uses just the right amount of butter to keep the cookies moist while preventing them from spreading too much in the oven.
- Egg Yolk- I call for only the egg yolk in this recipe because the sourdough discard already contains water. This helps keep the cookie dough from becoming too wet.
- Vanilla Extract- A little vanilla adds warmth and rounds out the flavor of the cookies.
- Kosher Salt- I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. You may want to use a little less if you’re using a different type (like table salt or Morton’s).
Tips for Success
- Measure ingredients accurately. Gingerbread cookies can dry out easily because of the higher flour content, so make sure to measure the flour carefully to avoid overly dry cookies.
- Chill the dough. Chill the dough for at least 3 hours to help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Chilling also makes the dough easier to roll and cut.
- Roll evenly. Roll the dough to an even thickness of about ¼ inch to ensure all the cookies bake evenly.
- Keep cookie shapes consistent. Use cookie cutters of similar sizes so the cookies finish baking at the same time.
- Monitor baking time. Start checking the cookies at the lower end of the baking time. They should just begin to brown around the edges. Avoid overbaking to prevent dryness.
- Adjust royal icing consistency. Use thicker icing for outlining and thinner icing for filling in shapes.
Here is how to make gingerbread cookies with sourdough discard.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg yolk, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat together until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick cookie dough forms and no dry flour remains.
Step 4: Chill the dough. Divide the dough in half and place each half onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Shape each half into a rectangle about one inch thick. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days for convenience.
Step 5: Preheat oven. When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6: Roll out and cut cookie dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough at a time to about ¼ inch thick. Be careful not to use too much flour, as this can dry out the cookies. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Gather and re-roll any scraps to make more cookies.
Step 7: Bake cookies. Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. If the dough feels warm, refrigerate the cut cookies for about 20 minutes before baking to help prevent spreading. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are just slightly brown.
Step 8: Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s essential to let them cool completely before icing to avoid melting the decoration.
How to Make Royal Icing for Decorating
Decorating gingerbread cookies with royal icing is a fun way to add a festive touch to these classic Christmas cookies. Here’s an easy step-by-step guide for making a basic royal icing. You can customize the icing with different flavor extracts and food coloring if desired.
- Whisk egg whites. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg white until frothy.
- Add powdered sugar. Gradually add powdered sugar, about ¼ to ½ cup at a time, to prevent lumps. Once fully incorporated, add vanilla extract.
- Adjust consistency. Adjust the icing consistency as needed, using more powdered sugar to thicken or water to thin.
- Decorate. Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate them as desired with the royal icing.
How to Store
Sourdough gingerbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, they may start to dry out.
For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
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Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.
No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.
Let's Connect!
Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (150 grams) brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup (200 grams) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large (18 grams) egg yolk
- ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Royal Icing Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 1 ¼ cups (150 grams) powdered sugar plus more to adjust consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Water to adjust consistency if needed
Instructions
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and spices. Set aside.4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg yolk, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat together until everything is well combined.10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 grams) brown sugar, ⅔ cup (200 grams) unsulphured molasses, 1 large (18 grams) egg yolk, ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick cookie dough forms and no dry flour remains.
- Divide the dough in half and place each half onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Shape each half into a rectangle about one inch thick. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days for convenience.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough at a time to about ¼ inch thick. Be careful not to use too much flour, as this can dry out the cookies. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Gather and re-roll any scraps to make more cookies.
- Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. If the dough feels warm, refrigerate the cut cookies for about 20 minutes before baking to help prevent spreading. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are just slightly brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s essential to let them cool completely before icing to avoid melting the decoration.
For the Royal Icing (Optional)
- While the cookies cool, prepare the royal icing. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg white until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, about ¼ to ½ cup at a time, to prevent lumps. Once incorporated, add vanilla extract and adjust the icing consistency as needed, using more powdered sugar to thicken or water to thin.1 large egg white, 1 ¼ cups (150 grams) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Water to adjust consistency
- Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate them as desired with the royal icing.
Notes
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, they may start to dry out. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
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