Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
Just in time for holiday baking, these Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a nostalgic, holiday favorite. Follow along to create delectable gingerbread men and unforgettable Christmas season flavors that blend sourdough depth with ginger spice warmth.
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (114 grams)
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 grams
- 1/2 cup molasses 140 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard (142 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 grams
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 420 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 grams
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon all spice
Royal icing (optional)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons room temperature water
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and blackstrap molasses on medium speed until creamy.
- Add in the egg, sourdough starter and vanilla on medium speed until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
- Cut the dough in half and form two discs.
- Wrap them in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for at least one hour, or up to three days for long fermentation.
- When you're ready to bake the cookies, set one disc of chilled dough out to come closer to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll your disc out to 1/4” thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into desired shapes and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the other disc.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will look slightly underdone and edges will be golden but not dark. For crispier cookies, bake a little longer.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating, approximately 30 minutes.
- Prepare royal icing per instructions below.
- Decorate as desired!
Royal Icing
- Add powdered sugar, water, and meringue powder to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using your wire whisk attachment, beat the ingredients at high speed for approximately 2 minutes.
- If your icing is too thin, continue beating until thickened, or alternatively you can add more powdered sugar.
- Once applied to the cookie, royal icing typically dries within a couple hours.
Notes
- You can use sourdough starter discard or your fed, active starter.
Get a head start, as these cookies have a long chill period time compared to other discard recipes. - Chilling the dough is important, but when you're ready to get to work, let your dough sit on the counter for a few minutes before rolling out.
- You shouldn't have a sticky dough, but a smooth and manageable one. Increase flour minimally, if necessary
- If the royal icing isn't thickening up enough or holding its peaks, add more powdered sugar. Store in the fridge, airtight, and warm to room temperature before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg