Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies

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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 3

Total Time 3 55

Servings 4-inch gingerbread men

Calories 177kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

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.

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.