Soft Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies
These delicious, chewy sourdough sugar cookies are a perfect blend of tangy sourdough flavor and classic buttery flavor. These cookies are soft on the inside with perfectly crisp edges on the outside. Every year before Christmas, my kids make these into cut-out cookies with frosting on them. They are also delicious without frosting and are good for any occasion or gathering.
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer or a large mixing bowl my absolute favorite stand mixer is a bosch mixer. I’ve used one almost everyday for years and it has served me so well
- 1 Cookie Paddles if you get the bosch mixer, I highly recommend you get the cookie paddles, which is what I use for mixing up these easy cookies. You will need the metal top for the cookie paddles. I also highly recommend getting the cake paddles as well. I use them all the time. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you could use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Rolling Pin for Cut-Out Cookies optional
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Cookie Cutters optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon lemon flavoring
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sourdough discard
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 Tbl. vanilla
- 2-3 Tbl. milk (can add more to make a thinner frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbl. Leftover coffee optional. This will give the frosting the best flavor.
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla, sourdough discard and lemon extract.
- Add the egg and beat until fluffy.
- Add the sour cream and beat in the dry ingredients.
- Place the cookie dough in plastic wrap or an airtight container and chill the dough in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight
For cutout cookies:
- Roll the dough ¼ inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes.
- Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Do not overbake.
For drop cookies:
- Using a small ice cream scoop, drop tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Do not overbake.
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
- Frost with cream cheese or buttercream frosting if desired (recipe below).
- Enjoy with a warm cup of hot chocolate, tea, or your favorite coffee. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
To gain all of the health benefits from making these with long-fermented sourdough, be sure to allow the cookies to bulk ferment at room temperature overnight. This will ensure that most of the phytic acid and gluten in the flour are consumed by the sourdough starter, making these much easier to digest, especially if you are gluten-intolerant.
Using room temperature butter gives the best results for soft, chewy cookies.
To make cut-out cookies, chill the dough for several hours before rolling it out with a rolling pin, and then cutting into shapes with your favorite cookie cutters.
