Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies (2024)

Jan 30, 2020 | Modified: Oct 11, 2023 by Amy | 23 Comments | This website earns income from ads, affiliates, and sponsorships.

Cut out sourdough sugar cookies are soft, tender and hold their shape perfectly when baked. These sugar cookies are easy to decorate for holidays or special occasions!

Sourdough sugar cookies are so easy to make with your sourdough starter discard. The dough can be mixed and baked on the same day you'd like to decorate them.

If you're looking to get the most out of the sourdough fermentation process, make the cookie dough a couple of days in advance and keep chilled in the fridge!

Ingredients needed

The ingredients for these cut out sourdough sugar cookies are so simple!

sugar: White granulated sugar works best for sugar cookies to keep their color as light as possible.
butter: Unsalted butter is always best for baking so you can control how salty the finished product is. Make sure to let the butter come to room temperature before mixing.
egg: An egg adds just the right amount of moisture to the sourdough sugar cookies and helps to keep them soft and chewy.
vanilla extract: Vanilla extract gives you the traditional flavor of sugar cookies. Orange extract is another option that works really well with this recipe!
sourdough discard: Use room temperature, unfed sourdough starter.
all-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is best for making sugar cookies. It gives the cookies the perfect structure so they keep their shape as they bake.
salt: The addition of salt to sweet recipes like these cookies helps to enhance the flavor!

Make sure to check out our royal icing recipe. It's easy to make and perfect for decorating sugar cookies for the holidays!

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Use an electric or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Step 2: Add the sourdough starter and beat until smooth.

Step 3: Add the flour and salt to the bowl, beat with the electric mixer until the dough just starts to come together.

Step 4: Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 pieces.

Next you will roll out the dough while it is still soft!

Step 5: Place one half of the dough onto a piece of waxed paper and cover it with another piece.

Step 6: Use a rolling pin with ¼" guide to roll the dough between the sheets of waxed paper. Repeat with second half of dough. Stack the sheets of rolled out dough onto a baking sheet and let chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 48 hours.

Tips for success

Use room temperature ingredients. Allow the butter, egg and sourdough starter to come to room temperature before mixing. This will make them easier to incorporate without over-mixing.
Don't over-mix the dough. Once you add the flour to the bowl, only mix until it just comes together. Over-mixing will produce a flatter more crispy cookie.
Usearolling pin with guides. Use a ¼" guideto get a flat, even thickness across the cookie.
Parchment paper. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and over-browning on the bottom of the cookies. You can also use a silicone baking mat.
Chill the dough after cutting out cookies. Once you've cut your cookies out and arranged them on the baking sheet, pop the sheet back into the fridge for 15 minutes to help firm the dough. This will help keep their shape while baking.
Use light colored baking sheets. Darker colored baking sheets will cause the bottom of the cookies to turn a dark brown.
Don't overcrowd the baking sheet. Give the cookies some room to bake evenly. Only bake 8 to 10 cookies per baking sheet depending on their size.

Don't have a kitchen scale to measure flour?

Use the scoop and level technique to measure your flour if you do not have a kitchen scale. To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is heaped on top. Take a butterknife and level off the top. This should give you the most accurate measurement for flour.

Because flour is measured by weight in these recipes, if the flour is scooped straight out of the bag with the measuring cup, there will be more flour than is called for in the recipe.

How to store

To Store:Keep the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To Freeze:Bake the cookies and allow them to cool completely. Stack the cookies with waxed paper in between each one and place into a freezer-safe container. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before decorating.

This is a list of equipment that I use for baking sugar cookies. (affiliate links)

Easy sourdough discard dessert recipes

Don't throw out your sourdough discard. Use it to make one of these easy and delicious dessert recipes!

sourdough sugar cookie bars
sourdough thumbprint cookies
sourdough brownies
sourdough chocolate chip cookies
sourdough peanut butter cookies

Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipe

Cut out sourdough sugar cookies are soft, tender and hold their shape perfectly when baked. These sugar cookies are easy to decorate for holidays or special occasions!

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Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 24 cookies

Author: Amy

INGREDIENTS

8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
¾ cups (150 g) granulated white sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
¼ cup (50 g) sourdough starter discard (room temperature)
2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Pour in the sourdough starter discard and beat until the wet ingredients are incorporated.
Add dry ingredients: Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and use the electric mixer to incorporate them until just mixed. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, making sure all of the ingredients have been combined. Divide the dough into 2 pieces.
Roll the dough: Shape the first piece of dough into a disc and place it between two pieces of waxed paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough between the two pieces of waxed paper until it is ¼" in thickness. (Repeat with the second piece.)
Chill the dough: Stack the sheets onto a baking sheet and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 48 hours.
Cut out cookie dough: Once you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Remove one sheet of dough from the fridge. Peel the bottom piece of waxed paper from the dough to release it. Place the sheet of dough back onto the waxed paper and remove the top piece of waxed paper. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter and arrange them on the baking sheet. (Gather up scraps, roll between waxed paper and chill before cutting out.)
Bake: Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes making sure not to over-bake. (The edges should be very light golden brown with hardly any color at all.)
Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet after you remove them from the oven for a minimum of 15 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.

NOTES

To Store:Keep the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To Freeze:Bake the cookies and allow them to cool completely. Stack the cookies with waxed paper in between each one and place into a freezer-safe container. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before decorating.

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