Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
These sourdough gingerbread cookies are easy to make and a festive Christmas treat. They’re perfectly spiced, with a soft, chewy center and crisp edges, and they bake up beautifully every time!
This gingerbread cookie dough works perfectly for cookies or gingerbread houses!
What could be a more classic Christmas cookie than sourdough chocolate chip cookies or sourdough snickerdoodles? For me, it's got to be gingerbread cookies!
These sourdough gingerbread cookies are easy to make using your sourdough discard, and they're an absolute joy to decorate!
If you want to really boost the flavor from the sourdough fermentation process, prepare the cookie dough a couple of days ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge!
Make sure you check out this delicious recipe for sourdough gingerbread waffles!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sugar: You'll use brown sugar and molasses to sweeten the cookies. Dark brown sugar is ideal for gingerbread cookies, as it helps create that signature deep color and rich flavor. For the best results, stick to regular molasses, avoiding blackstrap molasses, which tends to be too bitter.
- Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg combine to create the signature gingerbread flavor we all know and love.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of your cookies. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before mixing for smooth and even incorporation.
- Egg: An egg provides just the right amount of moisture to keep the cookies soft and chewy while holding everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a classic, comforting flavor to the cookies.
- Sourdough Discard: Use unfed sourdough discard at room temperature for the perfect tangy touch in these cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is your go-to for making gingerbread cookies, offering the ideal structure to help them hold their shape as they bake.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the sweetness and brings out all the wonderful flavors in these cookies!
- Optional: Use royal icing or frosting to decorate the cookies.
- Note: No baking soda or baking powder is used in the cookie dough. The cookies will keep their shape as they bake by omitting these leavening agents.
How to Make Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1
Use a stand or hand mixer on medium speed to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Step 2
Add the sourdough starter to the mixture and beat until smooth.
Step 3
Add the flour, spices, and salt to the bowl and beat with the mixer on low speed until the dough starts coming together.
Step 4
Use a spatula to scrape the bowl's sides and ensure the ingredients are incorporated.
The dough should not be sticky. If it is, sprinkle a little flour over it and mix until it feels smooth and doesn’t stick to your finger when pressed.
Step 5
Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
Place half the dough onto a piece of waxed paper and cover it with another piece.
Step 6
Use a rolling pin with ¼ inch guide to roll the dough between the sheets of waxed paper. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Stack the sheets of rolled-out dough onto a baking sheet and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
Step 7
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Working with one dough sheet at a time, remove the bottom piece of waxed paper, place the removed paper on your work surface, and then place the dough back onto the paper.
This will release the dough, making it easier to transfer after cutting out cookies.
Step 8
Remove the top piece of waxed paper. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
(Gather up scraps, roll them out between waxed paper, and chill them before cutting out more cookies.)
Step 9
Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, making sure not to overbake. Larger cookies will need a minute or two more, while smaller cookies will need a minute or two less.
Once you remove the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Step 10
It's time to decorate! I used our royal icing recipe to create a classic design for these gingerbread cookies.
Pro Baking Tips
Use room temperature ingredients: Let the butter, egg, and sourdough starter come to room temperature before mixing. This will help them blend more easily without over-mixing.
Don’t over-mix the dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until it’s combined. Over-mixing can result in flatter, crispier cookies.
Use a rolling pin with guides: A ¼" guide ensures an even thickness across your cookies.
Parchment paper: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and avoid over-browning on the bottom of the cookies. A silicone baking mat works well, too.
Chill the dough after cutting out cookies: After cutting out your cookies, place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up the dough. This will help the cookies hold their shape while baking.
Use light-colored baking sheets: Darker baking sheets can cause the bottoms of your cookies to brown too quickly.
Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet: Leave some space between your cookies to ensure they bake evenly. Depending on their size, bake no more than 8 to 10 cookies per sheet.
How to Store
To Store: Place leftover cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Once baked, let the cookies cool completely. Stack them with wax paper between each cookie and store them in a freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature before decorating.
Unbaked cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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 Gingerbread Cookies
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar (packed) (or light brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) molasses
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (50 g) sourdough starter discard
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Optional
- royal icing
- sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, molasses, 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, spices, and salt to the wet ingredients and use the electric mixer to incorporate them until just mixed. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl's sides, ensuring all ingredients have been combined. The dough should not be sticky. If it is, sprinkle a little flour over it and mix until it feels smooth and doesn’t stick to your finger when pressed.
- Roll the dough: Divide the dough into 2 pieces. 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" thick. (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.)
- Chill the cut-outs: Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up the dough. This will help the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, making sure not to over-bake. Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you will need to adjust the time. Larger cookies will need a minute or two more, while smaller cookies will need a minute or two less.
- Cool: After removing the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
NOTES
Nutrition
We don't use baking soda or baking powder because they cause the dough to spread or puff up as it bakes. This can distort the cookie shapes, making your crisp, clean edges look soft or uneven. If you want your cut-out gingerbread cookies to hold their shape beautifully, it's best to skip the leavening agents!
Gingerbread man cookies are made of flour, brown sugar, molasses, butter, vanilla, salt, and egg, with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for flavor. The dough is rolled out, cut into shapes, and baked until slightly firm, perfect for decorating!
Have you tried making this into ginger bread house pieces?
We haven't, but it should work!
I have tried work wonderfully ! Best gingerbread house
Hi I want to incorporate these cookies into my Christmas Cookie Box. When it says dough can be frozen for up to 3 months do I rollout the dough and shape with cookie cutters and then place it into freezer? Or do I just thaw dough as a whole and then roll it out/shape? How is baking time affected if baking straight from freezer?
Hi Audrey, I think you could do either one with this recipe. You can bake straight from the freezer.
Best gingerbread! They taste amazing with or without icing. My toddlers devoured these!
Great flavour and texture! Made them into mini 1 1/2” gingerbread boys/girls, made about 73. Baked this size for 8 min. I decided not to decorate them, they were perfect as is. Thank you so much:)
Thank you so much, Eloise! 🙂
These look incredible! I would love to make them however my son is allergic to egg, do you have any alternative recommendations? I've finally decided that greek yogurt works best for cakes, but I'm not so sure for cookies. Thank you and happy Christmas 🙂
Hi Sophie,I would try replacing the egg with a flax egg. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and 2.5 tablespoons of water together, then set aside to thicken. Add it with the molasses and vanilla in the directions.
These are delicious! Thank you for the recipe. They taste very much like those pumpkin delight cookies. Now I am on a mission for the pumpkin gooey stuff inside. I love your recipes.
Thank you, Shellie!
Perfect! We loved it.
Thank you, Amanda!