Crunchy sourdough sugar cookies are thin and crispy cookies that are delectably buttery and deliciously easy with a hint of sourdough flavor in every bite. Whether you’re cutting festive shapes, decorating with royal icing, or keeping things simple with a sprinkle of sugar, this is a go-to recipe for crispy sourdough discard sugar cookies that actually hold their shape.
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These crispy, crunchy sugar cookies are the perfect sweet indulge for the entire family during the holidays, especially to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Kids will love decorating them with colorful frosting and lots of sprinkles (and heck, they’ll probably sneak a few of those; my 2 year old got caught tipping the entire bowl of sprinkles into his mouth), but be sure to save a few cookies without frosting because these make great dunkers for coffee or tea. A tray of delicious sourdough sugar cookies with chocolate dipped clementines and strawberries makes for an easy, impressive and kid-approved, adult-loving dessert tray to bring to parties around the holidays.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Sugar Cookies
Anyway, this is a classic sugar cookie recipe with a little added depth thanks to the addition of sourdough discard. Here are a few reasons you’ll love these sourdough cookies:
- Perfectly crisp, never cakey. These bake up crunchy on the edges with a delicate snap.
- A smart way to use sourdough starter discard. No waste, just better cookies.
- Excellent for cut-out cookies. They keep their shape beautifully.
- Balanced sweetness. These cookies aren’t too sweet. It’s a balanced cookie that lets the vanilla and the tang from the sourdough shine.
- Make-ahead friendly. Chill the dough now, bake when you’re ready. The dough keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge, which I love to do at the start of the weekend so we have something to do on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. You can also freeze these cookies at pretty much any stage: as dough, cut out before baking, and baked.
What You’ll Need for this Sourdough Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Unsalted butter: Use butter at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar. This creates the base for cookies that bake up crisp rather than getting dense or greasy.
- Granulated sugar: The perfect amount for cookies that are crisp and sweet without being overly so.
- Large eggs: Eggs provide structure and richness. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they incorporate evenly into the dough.
- Vanilla extract: A generous splash of vanilla gives these cookies their classic sugar cookie flavor. Use a good-quality extract—this is where much of the flavor comes from. You can also use a small amount of almond extract if you want to give these cookies slight nutty flavor, but that is completely optional.
- Sourdough discard: The star ingredient. Sourdough discard adds subtle tang and depth without making the cookies taste sour. Both active starter or unfed discard both work well here.
- All-purpose flour: This recipe was also tested using the scoop-and-level method. Too much flour can make the dough stiff and difficult to roll, so for best results, measure carefully.
- Cream of tartar: A classic sugar cookie ingredient that helps with tenderness and gives the cookies that nostalgic, bakery-style flavor. It also contributes to their signature crisp texture.
- Baking powder: Just enough to give the cookies a little lift without making them cakey.
- Salt: A small amount sharpens the sweetness and balances all the flavors.
Equipment:
- Rolling pin
- Mixing Bowls and hand mixer or a stand mixer
- Cookie sheet: I use these XL cookie sheets by Nordic Ware. They’re sturdy, things cook evenly, and they’re perfect for family batches and cookies. And, of course, they still fit in a standard oven.
- Parchment Paper: I love using parchment sheets. They’re usually thicker than the parchment paper I buy in the store so I can get multiple uses out of them.
- Your favorite cookie cutters
- Wire rack for cooling cookies
How to Make Sourdough Sugar Cookies
1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes on medium pseed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to fully incorporate the butter.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
3. Mix in the sourdough discard. Add the sourdough discard and mix until fully incorporated. The dough will look soft and creamy at this stage.
4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar.
5. Bring the dough together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl well to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
6. Chill the dough. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3–4 days, in the fridge.
7. Roll and cut. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes and place cookies on prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cookies will puff slightly, then settle. They’re done when the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
9. Cool and decorate. Cool completely before decorating with sugar cookie frosting or royal icing. Let the frosting on the cookies harden completely before stacking and storing.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Crispy Sugar Cookies
- Scoop and measure. I made this recipe using the scoop-and-measure method, which just means I used a spoon to scoop flour into my measuring cups. Measuring this way will ensure you don’t put too much flour into your dough and end up with dense cookies that are hard to roll out.
- Chilling is non-negotiable. Chilling firms up the butter, improves flavor, and prevents spreading. This step is essential for clean edges and crisp texture with minimal browning. If you only have 30 minutes to let your cookie dough mature in the fridge, I recommend setting your cut out cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
- Flour your work surface. But beware: Too little flour causes sticking; too much can dry out the dough. Dust as needed and brush off excess.
- Thickness matters. I tend to roll this dough out quite thin, but ¼-inch cookies will give you a crispier texture and better frosting ratio while ⅜-inch cookies will yield a softer center, but have a slightly longer bake time.
- Watch the edges, not the clock. The cookies should look pale on top with just a hint of color around the edges. Again, chilling impacts browning on the cookies during the bake, so I do recommend chilling your dough for at least 30 minutes. If they’re underbaked at all, they’ll soften overnight no matter what you do.
- Cool them completely on a rack. Any warmth trapped in the container equals steam, which means softer cookies.
- Pro tip? Add a moisture absorber if you’re going to store these for longer than a day or two. You can add a little dish of uncooked rice or a food-safe desiccant pack to your storage container. That keeps the environment dry and the cookies crisp by absorbing any extra moisture.
FAQs
Can I taste the sourdough?
Not strongly. The discard adds depth and balance, not sourness.
Do these spread?
Very little. This dough is perfect for cut-out cookies.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes! Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Can I skip the cream of tartar?
It helps with tenderness and classic sugar-cookie flavor, but you can omit it in a pinch.
Can I let the dough ferment?
If you have the time, you can absolutely let this sugar cookie dough ferment in the refrigerator for extra depth of flavor.
After mixing the dough, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for 12-48 hours instead of the minimum 2-hour chill. During this time, the sourdough discard will ferment the dough, adding a subtle tang and more complex flavor without affecting the cookie’s texture. This longer rest also allows the flour to fully hydrate, making the dough easier to roll and helping the cookies bake up with cleaner edges.
Making These Cookies in Advance
- Dough: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze the dough for up to 2 months, thawing overnight in the fridge before rolling.
- Cut cookies: Freeze unbaked shapes and bake straight from frozen (add 1–2 minutes to the baking time)! If you do this, start by freezing on a tray, then move to a freezer bag once completely frozen.
- Fully baked cookies: Freeze undecorated for up to 2 months
Storage
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days.
- Decorated cookies should be stored in a single layer once icing has fully set.
Crunchy Sourdough Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cream butter + sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Be sure to get any butter off the bottom of the bowl to incorporate.
- Then add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
- Mix in 1 cup of sourdough discard until fully incorporated.
- In a separate, medium bowl, sift together 4 ¼ cups flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Then add the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low until everything is combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to get everything incorporated.
- Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours or up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cookie dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out using cookie cutters and bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. The cookies will puff up in the oven, then settle down again and the edges will just barely start to turn golden brown when ready to be taken out.
- Cool completely before decorating with sugar cookie frosting or royal icing.
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