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
Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you more fresh recipes, valuable troubleshooting advice, useful tips, and other information we believe will be helpful to you!
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.
Delicious recipe, as always. Easy to follow recipe, as always! Thank you!
I made this and while the flavor is good I think they were a bit dry. Wondering if there is a why to remedy that.
These cookies tasted great but I expected more ginger flavor. Was the recipe supposed to say 1 and 1/4 Tablespoon of ground ginger instead of teaspoon?
We used a teaspoon but definitely add more if you like more of a ginger flavor!
I had a funny experience making these, which is that the cookies on the lower rack would not crack, no matter how long or when I moved them to the top. The other tray, on the top turned out picture perfect.🤷🏽♀️ Both delicious, but strange!
I followed the recipe completely from start to finish. I did leave the dough in the fridge for about 6 hours. The cookies were more cakie that flat and chewey. I think baking them after only dough in the fridge for an hour is probably the key. Don't leave the dough in the fridge for more than an hour!
Oh, my goodness! The word love is an understatement of this wonderful recipe. To jazz itnup, I added mini chopped crystallized ginger, and rolled them in coarse demerara sugar. My ginger addiction is satisfied.
I was curious on your thoughts on using grated ginger vs powder? I have some on hand I need to use up and don’t have any powdered so I thought I’d save a trip to the sale😜 hehe! Do you think it would work?? Esp if I long ferment to get the flavor melded in?
Hi Lavonn! That sounds yummy! Since ground ginger is more concentrated, I would start with 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger and add more if you want a stronger ginger flavor. Please let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for the suggestion on amounts of fresh ginger! I used a scant Tbsp and my in-house food connoisseur (aka husband ☺️) said they were awesome!!! Not overpowering ginger but a nice balance. He’d been wanting something like this to munch over the holidays! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Best Gingerbread cookie recipe! Very light and flavorful. A new favorite
Such a great recipe! My first time making gingerbread anything and these did not disappoint. They were gone in a day with my three boys.
My husband says it takes him back to Lancaster PA Amish Country delicious!