Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)

These easy, old-fashioned cut out sourdough discard sugar cookies are the perfect way to celebrate the holidays! Soft and chewy, these cut-out sugar cookies can be used to celebrate Christmas, Valentines Day, or Easter.

From Christmas to Valentine’s Day, birthday parties and Easter, these thick sugar cookies are the perfect sourdough cookie for celebrating!

My daughter and I tested 7 different cookie dough recipes, blending classic, old-fashioned ingredients like baking powder, flour, and sugar with sourdough discard.

This resultant recipe is simple and easy to make and can be long-fermented if desired! These are simply the best sourdough sugar cookies… The tangy flavor of sourdough is perfectly accented by vanilla and almond!

If you love holiday baking with sourdough, try these sourdough discard cookies, sourdough Oreo cookies, easy sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough discard cranberry cookies, or sourdough gingersnaps. You can find all of my sourdough discard cookie recipes here.

Ingredient Highlights

• All purpose flour – if you are not using a scale, use the scoop and level technique to measure. Scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level off with the back of a butter knife.
• Unsalted butter- if you only have salted, you can reduce the amount of salt added to recipe.
• Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract, not imitation.
• Almond extract *optional, but I love a sugar cookie with a hint of almond!
• Sourdough discard – I used flat, runny discard stored in my fridge, but you can also use it straight from the jar. (Also referred to as unfed sourdough starter).

See the recipe card for full ingredient list + amounts.

What is sourdough discard? Sourdough discard is any flat, runny, or unfed portion of your starter. It may be starter that you are otherwise going to throw out. You can learn how to feed your starter here.

Jamie’s Recipe Tips

• Make sure to chill the dough for 2 hours for a great rolling experience.
• For a longer ferment, refrigerate for up to 72 hours before baking.
• Use firm, even pressure when rolling out the dough.
• For best results, do not over mix the dough, mix until all ingredients are just incorporated and the dough starts pulling away from the edge of the bowl.
• If the dough cracks at the edges, it’s okay… just smoosh it back together a bit.
• For crispier cookies, let them bake an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Use parchment paper or a silicon mat on the bottom of your baking sheet to prevent the cookies from sticking.

How To Make Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies

Step 1: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Use a scale or the scoop and level method to accurately measure the flour (see notes).

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer OR using a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar just until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Do not over mix.

Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and sourdough starter discard to the bowl and mix until combined. The dough will have a slightly “coddled” look.

Step 4: Slowly add the dry ingredients, a third at a time, to the wet ingredients, and mix until fully incorporated. Dough should be pulling away from the bowl when you are done mixing.

Divide the dough into two portions, shaping each portion into a flat rectangle. Wrap each disc with parchment or plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350 and pre-line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. You can roll thinner, if desired, but 1/4 inch gave us the best texture!

Cut out each cookie with a cookie cutter and place on pre-lined baking pan.

Step 6: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are firm on the tops (for larger cookies, you may need to bake slightly longer).

Cool for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Wait until they are completely cool to frost. Enjoy!

We have the perfect icing recipe that sets up quickly and tastes delicious… coming soon!

Storage

Make sure cookies are completely cool before freezing.

• Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
• To freeze, place all the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze, then transfer to a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

More Sourdough Dessert Recipes

If you loved this sourdough cut out sugar cookies you will also love sourdough discard chocolate cake, sourdough peanut butter cookies, and sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies.

If you tried these sourdough discard cut out sugar cookies loaf or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!