Sourdough Gingerbread
This is the best sourdough gingerbread recipe. It's easy and simple to make with leftover sourdough discard. It's soft and super moist, making it a perfect holiday dessert!
This sourdough gingerbread cake is everything you want—light, fluffy, and perfectly moist. It’s just the right amount of sweetness, with that warm, classic gingerbread flavor that’s oh-so-cozy.
After all the holiday sourdough baking, this is the perfect way to use up some sourdough starter. Plus, as it bakes, your kitchen will smell just like Christmas!
And why stop there? Use that discard to whip up more holiday desserts like sourdough sugar cookies with a soft, buttery crumb or sourdough chocolate chip cookies with an irresistibly chewy texture. Each one’s a holiday win!
Carmyn's Tips
Use boiling water: This activates the baking soda, giving the gingerbread a bit more rise and lightness.
Don’t overbake: Sourdough gingerbread is best when moist and tender. Bake until just set, and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Overbaking can make it dry, so keep an eye on it!
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients: You'll need all-purpose flour as the base, baking soda to help it rise, and a bit of salt to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors of the spices.
- Wet Ingredients: You'll need melted butter for moisture, sourdough discard, an egg to bind everything together, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses to provide that classic, deep, dark sweetness. For a deeper molasses flavor, you can use blackstrap molasses. Boiling water activates the baking soda and loosens the gluten strands, giving the gingerbread a bit more rise and a lighter crumb.
- Spices: For that old-fashioned gingerbread flavor, we're using a simple blend of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.
- Optional: Top the gingerbread with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop or two of whipped cream.
How to make Sourdough Gingerbread
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9 " x 9" metal baking pan generously with butter or parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 1: Combine butter and sugar.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan on the stovetop. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk until the sugar is dissolved about 1-2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the rest of the wet ingredients.
Add the molasses and stir to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the sourdough discard, and mix until fully combined.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together until thoroughly combined.
Step 5: Stir in the boiling water.
Boil the water in a saucepan on the stove. Carefully stir the boiling water into the batter until the ingredients are fully combined.
Step 6: Pour batter into the pan.
Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.
Step 7: Bake.
Bake in the center rack for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes and then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Serve.
Top with whipped cream or dust with powdered sugar and serve.
How to Store
Room temperature: For short-term storage, leave it at room temperature. Wrap the gingerbread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container, and it’ll stay fresh for a couple of days on the counter. If you’ve sliced it, you can put parchment paper between the slices to keep them from sticking together.
Fridge: If you want it to last longer, put it in the fridge. Wrapped well in plastic wrap, gingerbread can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks. To enjoy it soft again, let it warm up a bit before eating or microwave it briefly.
Freeze: For long-term storage, slice the gingerbread, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and put them in a freezer-safe bag or container. This way, you can grab a slice whenever you want, and it’ll stay good for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw at room temperature, or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.
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Sourdough Gingerbread
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) butter (1 stick, melted )
- ½ cup (125 g) sourdough discard
- ¾ cup (240 g) molasses (regular, not blackstrap )
- ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup (180 g) water (about ¾ cups, boiling)
Optional
- whipped cream or powdered sugar (for topping)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9 " x 9" metal baking pan (do not use a glass pan) generously with butter or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan on the stovetop. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and stir to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the sourdough discard, and mix until fully combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together until completely combined.
- Boil the water in a saucepan on the stove. Carefully stir the boiling water into the batter until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake in the center rack for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes and then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.
This gingerbread was the best I have ever eaten. It was super easy to make and my neighbors loved it. So moist and light. Just the right thickness. I just sprinkled a little powdered sugar on top for looks.
Thank you, Karen! I'm thrilled to hear you and your friends loved the gingerbread!
Can this batter be put in the fridge overnight and baked the next day?
Hi Elizabeth, yes you can. If you bake it straight from the fridge while the batter is still cold, you'll just need to add more baking time.
I love this recipe and everything I’ve made from your site turns out great. I am in the U.K. do love that you give scale measurements. Thank you 🙏
Thank you, Sally!
Perfectly wonderful. Moist and kept well. I made this for my women's Euchre group, with fresh whipped cream sweetened with a bit of organic powered sugar (cream is already sweet), and a touch of vanilla. Raves!
This recipe is the best ever. Sooooo delicious.
Thank you, Beth!
I’ve made it twice. The first time I got a bit heavy handed with the ginger and hand mixed the whole thing. The second time I used just a bit more than the amount of ginger called for and an electric mixer. The flavor and texture was fabulous. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Thank you, Jennifer!
Amazing! We got so much fantastic feedback when we sampled this out to friends and coworkers!
Thank you, Anna!
One or Two eggs? Recipe Ingredient list says one egg, instruction right below says mix in "eggS"--which is what sent me reading back through everything, picture shows TWO eggs, but in the narrative it says "AN egg to bind together"
Trying to make this in the evening, so, based on your reply to the other error on the recipe, I'll go with ONE egg on the Recipe Card.
Hi Wendy, yes, this recipe calls for just one egg!
Super easy to make and VERY delicious! I used blackstrap molasses and topped with whipped cream to serve. Thank you for the recipe!
The recipe doesn’t include baking powder but the instructions do. Do you use it? I added 1 tsp. It turned out great. Thanks!
Hi DeeAnn, thanks for catching that. The recipe card is correct, no baking powder, just 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda. We’re thrilled to hear you loved this recipe!