I perfected Sourdough Cutout Sugar Cookies that keep their shape in the oven and are easy to decorate with frosting or royal icing for holidays and parties.
I’ve been tinkering with this Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies recipe and somehow they stay soft yet hold their shape for perfect Sourdough Sugar Cookie Cutouts. Using sourdough starter discard and unsalted butter gives the dough a subtle tang and richer bite than you expect.
I love how these beg for royal icing or a quick buttercream, and they turn any tree or heart into something worth sharing, which is why folks around here call it Sourdough For Christmas. I’m not gonna say it’s magic but I picked up a few little tricks that make them cut clean and bake even, you’ll notice.
Ingredients
- Sourdough starter discard: Adds tangy flavor, mostly carbs from flour, tiny protein, not a health food
- Unsalted butter: Its rich in fat and calories, gives tenderness and flavor, some vitamin A
- Granulated sugar: Pure carbohydrate, adds sweetness and structure, no fiber or protein, empty calories
- All purpose flour: Main source of carbs and gluten, provides structure, little fiber unless whole grain
- Cornstarch: Lightens texture, reduces spread, mostly starch so carbs only, dont have nutrients
- Egg: Adds protein, moisture and binding, helps cookies hold shape, yolk adds richness
- Powdered sugar (buttercream): Powdered sugar makes sweet smooth frosting, mostly carbs, can be overly sweet
- Egg whites (royal icing): Egg whites make glossy icing, high protein, dries hard, not for raw egg nervous folks
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (240 g) sourdough starter discard, unfed
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional decorating: 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened for buttercream
- Optional decorating: 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180 to 240 g) powdered sugar for buttercream
- Optional decorating: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream for buttercream
- Optional decorating: gel food coloring as needed
- Optional royal icing: 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- Optional royal icing: 2 large egg whites (or 3 tbsp meringue powder + 5 to 6 tbsp water)
- Optional royal icing: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or clear extract
- Optional: sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper; have a cooling rack ready.
2. In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup unfed sourdough starter discard until light and a little fluffy, then beat in 1 large room temp egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Dont overbeat once the egg is added.
3. Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g), 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt in a separate bowl. Measure flour by weight if you can for best results.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions and mix just until it comes together; the dough should be soft but not sticky. Overworking will make the cookies tough. Cornstarch keeps them tender and helps them hold shape.
5. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or overnight for best shape. You can also divide and chill in smaller disks so they warm faster to roll.
6. Roll chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thickness, cut shapes with cookie cutters, transfer shapes to prepared sheets using a thin spatula. Re chill cut shapes 15 to 30 minutes before baking to minimize spreading.
7. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but centers still pale. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven heats unevenly. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes then move to a rack to cool completely. They stay soft if you avoid browning them.
8. For buttercream: beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, gradually add 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar, add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream to reach spreadable consistency, tint with gel food coloring as needed. For royal icing: whisk 3 cups powdered sugar with 2 large egg whites (or 3 tbsp meringue powder plus 5 to 6 tbsp water) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or clear extract; pipe outline then thin to flood consistency to fill. Use pasteurized whites or meringue powder if you prefer.
9. Decorate cooled cookies: pipe outlines then flood for smooth finish, use a toothpick to pop air bubbles, add sanding sugar or sprinkles while icing is wet. Let royal icing dry 12 to 24 hours before stacking. Store finished cookies in an airtight container between parchment layers, or freeze dough or baked plain cookies for up to 3 months and bake or decorate later.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheets (2) and parchment paper
3. Cooling rack
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, plus a rubber spatula
6. Whisk for the dry ingredients
7. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale (measure flour by weight if you can)
8. Rolling pin and extra sheets of parchment for rolling the dough flat
9. Assorted cookie cutters and a thin metal spatula to transfer shapes
10. Plastic wrap for chilling dough (or reusable wrap) and a ruler or guide if you want exact thickness
FAQ
Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Sourdough starter discard (1 cup): swap with 1 cup plain full fat yogurt or 1 cup buttermilk. If using yogurt, thin it with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk so the dough isn’t too stiff. You’ll lose a little tang but the cookies stay tender.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup): use 1 cup salted butter instead and cut the recipe salt to about 1/4 teaspoon. For a dairy free option try 1 cup solid coconut oil or 1 cup vegan stick butter, chill the dough a bit before cutting because coconut oil makes them spread more.
- All purpose flour (3 cups): replace with 3 cups pastry flour for a softer, melt in your mouth cookie, or use a 1 to 1 gluten free baking blend (make sure it contains xanthan gum) for a GF version. If you use GF blend chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up for cutting.
- Powdered sugar for buttercream (1 1/2 to 2 cups): make your own by blitzing granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup in a high speed blender for 45 to 60 seconds. Works great when you run out of store bought powdered sugar.
Pro Tips
1) Weigh the flour, not scoop it. A cup can mean a lot of extra flour and then your cookies get tough. If the dough feels a tiny bit sticky, chill it instead of adding more flour, that’ll keep them tender. Also, if your discard was runny, press it a little in a sieve or let it sit in the fridge so it doesnt water down the dough.
2) Get the butter soft but not greasy. If it looks shiny or melting, the dough will be too soft and the shapes will spread. If that happens, pop the cut shapes back in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, it helps them hold crisp edges.
3) Roll to an even thickness every time. Use two dowels or stacked rulers as guides on the sides of your dough to keep it about 1/4 inch. Consistent thickness gives even bake times so smaller cookies dont burn while bigger ones finish.
4) For decorating, use meringue powder if you dont want raw egg whites, and thin your royal icing slowly until it just flows. Pipe an outline, let it set a minute, then flood. If you see air bubbles, drag a toothpick over them right away or theyll dry with craters. Store layers with parchment so they dont stick, and let royal icing dry fully before stacking.
Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipe
I perfected Sourdough Cutout Sugar Cookies that keep their shape in the oven and are easy to decorate with frosting or royal icing for holidays and parties.
24
servings
178
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheets (2) and parchment paper
3. Cooling rack
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, plus a rubber spatula
6. Whisk for the dry ingredients
7. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale (measure flour by weight if you can)
8. Rolling pin and extra sheets of parchment for rolling the dough flat
9. Assorted cookie cutters and a thin metal spatula to transfer shapes
10. Plastic wrap for chilling dough (or reusable wrap) and a ruler or guide if you want exact thickness
Ingredients
-
1 cup (240 g) sourdough starter discard, unfed
-
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
-
1 large egg, room temp
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
-
2 tablespoons cornstarch
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
-
Optional decorating: 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened for buttercream
-
Optional decorating: 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180 to 240 g) powdered sugar for buttercream
-
Optional decorating: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream for buttercream
-
Optional decorating: gel food coloring as needed
-
Optional royal icing: 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
-
Optional royal icing: 2 large egg whites (or 3 tbsp meringue powder + 5 to 6 tbsp water)
-
Optional royal icing: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or clear extract
-
Optional: sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper; have a cooling rack ready.
- In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup unfed sourdough starter discard until light and a little fluffy, then beat in 1 large room temp egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Dont overbeat once the egg is added.
- Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g), 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt in a separate bowl. Measure flour by weight if you can for best results.
- Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions and mix just until it comes together; the dough should be soft but not sticky. Overworking will make the cookies tough. Cornstarch keeps them tender and helps them hold shape.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or overnight for best shape. You can also divide and chill in smaller disks so they warm faster to roll.
- Roll chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thickness, cut shapes with cookie cutters, transfer shapes to prepared sheets using a thin spatula. Re chill cut shapes 15 to 30 minutes before baking to minimize spreading.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set but centers still pale. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven heats unevenly. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes then move to a rack to cool completely. They stay soft if you avoid browning them.
- For buttercream: beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, gradually add 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar, add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream to reach spreadable consistency, tint with gel food coloring as needed. For royal icing: whisk 3 cups powdered sugar with 2 large egg whites (or 3 tbsp meringue powder plus 5 to 6 tbsp water) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or clear extract; pipe outline then thin to flood consistency to fill. Use pasteurized whites or meringue powder if you prefer.
- Decorate cooled cookies: pipe outlines then flood for smooth finish, use a toothpick to pop air bubbles, add sanding sugar or sprinkles while icing is wet. Let royal icing dry 12 to 24 hours before stacking. Store finished cookies in an airtight container between parchment layers, or freeze dough or baked plain cookies for up to 3 months and bake or decorate later.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 46g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 178kcal
- Fat: 8.1g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.3g
- Monounsaturated: 2g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
- Sodium: 49mg
- Potassium: 27mg
- Carbohydrates: 23.9g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Sugar: 8.3g
- Protein: 2.3g
- Vitamin A: 260IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 7.3mg
- Iron: 0.3mg
