Description
Soft Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies offer a delightful twist on traditional gingerbread treats, using sourdough discard to create a tender, chewy texture with a subtle tang. These fluffy, spiced cookies balance the classic warmth of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, sweetened with molasses and sugar, perfect for cozy holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (240g)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 1/4 cup molasses (90g)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (5g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (125g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger (6g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3g)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (1g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (1g)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (325g)
For Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick.
- Mix wet ingredients: Using a hand or stand mixer, blend softened butter, granulated sugar, and molasses together until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add eggs and salt: Incorporate the salt, whole egg, and egg yolk into the butter mixture, beating until creamy and well combined, approximately one minute.
- Incorporate sourdough discard: Slowly add the sourdough discard, stirring gently to blend it thoroughly with the wet mixture.
- Add dry ingredients: Sift baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and all-purpose flour into the wet mixture. Stir carefully until a tacky but cohesive dough forms.
- Form cookie balls: Scoop approximately 2-inch portions (about 55g each) and roll them into balls. Flour your hands if the dough is sticky to help handling.
- Coat in sugar: Roll each dough ball generously in granulated sugar to create a sweet crust and place them on the baking sheet spaced 3 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Place the sheet on the center oven rack and bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies may look slightly underbaked when removed.
- Cool the cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This step ensures the soft and chewy texture is set.
Notes
- Sourdough discard is the portion of starter you remove during regular maintenance. It contributes chewiness and a slight tang to these cookies. For how to create your own sourdough starter and discard, refer to detailed sourdough starter guides.
- To store sourdough gingerbread cookies, place completely cooled cookies in an airtight container. They keep for up to three days at room temperature or up to one week refrigerated.
- Flouring hands when rolling the dough helps manage the soft texture and prevents sticking.
- Do not overbake: the cookies look slightly underdone when removed but will firm up upon cooling for that perfect soft chew.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
