These soft sourdough gingerbread cookies are tender with warm spice and balanced molasses flavor. The sourdough starter (or discard) adds a light tang. This cookie has the classic gingerbread flavor but with the added benefit of sourdough.
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I bake these sourdough gingerbread cookies every year at the start of the holiday season. The dough mixes fast and chills well. The dough rolls out very smoothly every time. I keep the first tray I bake on the counter while I finish other holiday recipes. Because the first batch never make it into the Santa cookie jar. I have tried so many times, but the first batch is just not going to last long at all.
I also make a batch for when we head out for our family tradition of Christmas-light sightseeing. I pack several cookies for each person and pour warm Gingerbread Hot Chocolate into to-go cups. It’s a little ritual that has become part of our holiday traditions. We love making our holiday recipes every year.
If you love holiday recipes, you may like this Sourdough Fruit Cake Recipe| Discard or Starter. My daughter and I mix it up on Stir‑Up Sunday. I use this Homemade Apple Cider Recipe In A Dutch Oven in that fruitcake, and the same cider works in our Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce.
For the fall and early Christmas season, I love making this Sourdough Apple Pie with Cinnamon and our Sourdough Pie Crust. For baking and gift-giving, I make this Homemade Vanilla Extract. It uses two ingredients and has a warm, bakery vanilla flavor you can’t buy. Make the extract ahead of time and let it merry and develop its deep vanilla flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations & Add-Ins
Recipe Tips
Chill the dough: Let the dough chill until it feels firm. Cool dough makes the shapes easier to handle and keeps the edges clean.
Flour lightly: Dust the surface with a light layer of flour. A small amount keeps the dough moving without drying it out.
Roll evenly: Keep the dough at a quarter‑inch thickness. Even dough helps every cookie bake at the same time.
Check the edges: Look for edges that look set and centers that turn matte. This small cue helps you keep the centers soft. the cookie will be glossy while cooking and when it turns matte thats when its time to take out the cookie from the oven. My oven time is 11 mins for the sweet spot for these cookies.
Turn the sheet: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the bake. This helps each cookie brown evenly.
Let them cool: Give the cookies time to cool before decorating. A cool cookie holds icing well and keeps the lines neat.
Rest the dough: Place the dough back in the fridge if it softens. A quick rest helps the shapes stay even.
Use parchment paper: Line the baking sheet with parchment. It keeps the cookies from sticking and gives the bottoms even color.
How To Make Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
- Beat the butter with the brown and granulated sugar until the mixture turns lighter in color and looks a little fluffy. That change in texture means the butter has enough air worked into it to give the cookies a soft interior. Mix in the egg until it blends in smoothly, then add the sourdough starter, molasses, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. This spreads the leavening and seasonings evenly so the cookies bake with the same flavor and texture throughout.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir just until everything comes together. The dough will feel sticky at this stage — that’s normal and it will firm up in the fridge.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This rest time lets the flour absorb moisture and firms the butter so the cookies hold their shape better when baked.
- For drop cookies, scoop out even portions and roll the tops in coarse sugar.
- For cut-outs, lightly flour your counter and roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick before cutting your shapes.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 9–11 minutes. Look for edges that look set and centers that still look soft. Gingerbread finishes setting as it cools, so pull them before they firm up too much.
- Let the cookies rest on the pan for five minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once they’re completely cool, add royal icing or keep them simple.
Freezing & Storage
How To Gift Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
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Another favorite from my kitchen to yours, where the seasons guide the table and every meal is an act of love — may this recipe become a favorite in your kitchen too.
With gratitude & love,
Emily
More Christmas Recipes from The Cottage
Soft Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies | Discard or Starter
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchemtn Paper
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (440g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (5g)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (3g)
- 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger (6g)
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon (6g)
- ½ teaspoon Allspice (1g)
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves (1g)
- 6 tablespoons Softened Butter (85g)
- ¾ cup Packed Light Or Dark Brown Sugar (150g)
- ⅔ cup Unsulfured Molasses (200g)
- 1 Large Egg (50g)
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract (13g)
- ½ cup Sourdough Starter Or Discard (120g)
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture turns paler and lightly aerated. Mix in the egg until it blends smoothly, then stir in the sourdough starter, molasses, and vanilla until the mixture looks uniform.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until the spices are evenly distributed.
- Combine the mixtures: Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until a cohesive dough forms. The dough will be tacky at this stage, which is expected before chilling.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling firms the butter and gives the flour time to hydrate, which helps the cookies keep their shape.
- Portion or roll: For drop cookies, scoop even portions and roll the tops in coarse sugar. For cut-out cookies, lightly flour your counter and roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick before cutting your shapes.
- Bake the cookies: Transfer the shaped dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 9–11 minutes. The edges should look set while the centers remain soft.
- Cool and finish: Let the cookies rest on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, add royal icing if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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If you gave it a try and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you came back to leave a 5 “⭐️” rating. Use the buttons below to share, comment, or connect—I truly enjoy seeing and celebrating your beautiful bakes.
Emily Rider
Cottage lifestyle blogger and home miller with 25+ years of sourdough and fresh-milled flour experience.
Sharing cozy homemade recipes that help you bake with confidence, celebrate each season, and savor the beauty of everyday cottage living.
