Sourdough Ginger Molasses Cookies
These are the best sourdough ginger molasses cookies ever! They are soft and chewy with a delicious sugar crunch on the outside. They are the perfect cookie to bake for the Christmas holidays!
Are you looking for the best cookie recipe to bake for Christmas?
Not only is this recipe for ginger molasses sourdough cookies one of the easiest to make, but it's one of my favorite sourdough recipes as well.
The texture and flavor of these cookies are out of this world. You'll love how chewy they are as well as the crunch on the outside from the coating of sugar.
These sourdough molasses cookies are easy to make with sourdough starter discard. Just mix the ingredients, let the cookie dough chill for an hour, and bake.
Your kitchen will smell amazing as these cookies bake up to perfection every time!
More sourdough cookie recipes to try: sourdough snickerdoodles / sourdough chocolate chip cookies / sourdough thumbprint cookies / sourdough cut out sugar cookies / sourdough peanut butter cookies / sourdough oatmeal cookies
Sourdough Ginger Molasses Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- unfed sourdough starter
- unsalted butter - melted
- dark brown sugar
- white cane sugar
- molasses
- egg
Dry ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- salt
Tips and Substitutions
- We developed this recipe as a way to use sourdough discard but it can be made with active sourdough starter as well.
- Either plant-based or regular butter can be used.
- If you are looking to make these cookies vegan, omit the egg, but note that the cookies will not be as chewy.
- Add up to 1 additional teaspoon of baking soda for thinner cookies.
How to make sourdough ginger molasses cookies
This cookie dough can be made by hand, using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer.
Step 1: Make the dough
Add the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger, to a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine. Set the bowl aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients, sourdough starter, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, and egg, together until they are smooth and creamy.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together.
NOTE: Make sure the dough is smooth and not sticky. If it's sticky, mix in an additional 2-3 tablespoons of flour.
Step 2: Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge to chill for a minimum of one hour. The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days before baking.
Step 3: Portion the cookie dough and coat with sugar
When you are ready to bake, move the oven rack to the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
Add ¼ cup of granulated sugar to a plate or small bowl.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Each one should be about 2 tablespoons.
Scoop a portion into your hands and roll it around to create a smooth ball.
Roll the ball around in the sugar to evenly coat the outside of the dough ball.
Arrange 12 cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should flatten out and the tops will start to crack.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
How to store
Keep the baked sourdough ginger molasses cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week. For extended storage, move them to a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can prepare the cookie dough up to 5 days ahead of baking and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
If there's any unused dough after 5 days, freeze it for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked cookie dough, divide the dough into portions without sugar coating. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for one hour before transferring them to a freezer-safe container.
More easy sourdough dessert recipes
- sourdough brownies
- sourdough chocolate chip scones
- sourdough sugar cookie bars
- sourdough blueberry muffins
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Sourdough Ginger Molasses Cookies
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup (50 g) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard
Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup sugar (you may need more)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the dry ingredients, — flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger — in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together thoroughly and set the bowl aside.
- In another bowl, blend the wet ingredients — sourdough starter, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, and egg — until the mixture achieves a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to carefully blend all the ingredients together. (Make sure the dough is smooth and not sticky. If it's sticky, mix in 2-3 tablespoons of flour.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough, allowing it to chill for at least one hour (up to 5 days).
- When you're ready to bake, place the oven rack in the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Place ¼ cup of granulated sugar on a plate or in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop to measure out the cookie dough, with each portion being approximately 2 tablespoons. Take a portion in your hands and roll it to form a smooth ball. Roll the ball around in the sugar to evenly coat the outside of the dough ball.
- Place 12 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until they spread and the tops begin to crack. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving them.
Is there a way to make these rolled cookies for gingerbread men?
If you want to roll the dough out, I would add a few tablespoons of flour to help stiffen the dough. These are soft cookies so I'm not sure how well they will hold up to cut outs. Please let me know if you try!
Delicious! Will be making them again for over the holidays.
These cookies sound delicious but I'm wondering if there is a way to make them into a bread?
These were really yummy. The kids ate them as fast as I could bake them.
I love fresh ginger so I modified the recipe slightly. I reduced the ground ginger to 1 tsp then added 1½ tsp fresh ginger to the wet ingredients in step 2.
Like another comment, I also creamed the butter and sugar before adding the other wet ingredients.
Thanks for sharing Kat! 🙂
These cookies are delicious! It is my family's favorite cookie now!
Thank you
These cookies were seriously good, not to mention seriously simple to make! I loved the taste- perfectly spiced; not too sweet or overpowering! Will definitely be making again!
These cookies are super easy to make, but the flavor of the baking soda really stood out to me and distracted from the flavor. i might try using 1 tsp instead of 2, though I'm sure they won't be as fluffy.
These, like all of your recipes, are a keeper! So simple and delicious. Added some to a quart sized Mason jar for a perfect neighbor gift for Thanksgiving.
Thank you Lisa! 🙂
Omg these cookies are so light and fluffy! My fave variety of cookie, and this is now my fave recipe for making them. Perfect spice, not too sweet. The only change I made was to cream the butter and sugars, did not melt the butter, and then really whipped it up with the egg and discard. I don’t know if that accounts for the fluffiness of the finished product or not. I might add some minced candied ginger at Christmas time for extra zing.
Is there a health benefit to using sourdough in these? I'm trying to eat healthier, but with the holidays coming, not going to be easy!
If you let the dough ferment for a day or two in the fridge, the sourdough starter will help make the wheat easier to digest, which is what I would consider the only health benefit.