These sourdough snickerdoodle cookies are a delightful twist on a classic favorite. The inclusion of sourdough starter not only introduces a subtle tangy flavor but also contributes to a soft and chewy texture. These cookies are perfect for any occasion, whether you're craving a sweet treat for yourself or looking to impress guests with a unique dessert. The next time you feed your sourdough starter, set some aside to create these delicious cookies!
If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, I recommend you check out my Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins! If you want to try another recipe filled with cinnamon goodness, I recommend you try my Cinnamon Chip Muffins!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love These Cookies
There's something truly magical about the combination of sourdough and cookies. Sourdough might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cookies, but it adds an irresistible dimension to the traditional snickerdoodle. The natural fermentation of sourdough starter imparts a subtle tanginess that complements the sweetness of the cookie. Even better, the sourdough starter's natural acidity contributes to a chewier and more tender texture in the cookies.
These cookies are super easy to make! You can have the cookies ready to bake in only 15 minutes.
This recipe uses sourdough discard so it takes no planning ahead and being sure to feed your starter. You can just pull some of your inactive starter out and use it in this recipe. I'm always looking for ways to use my starter so I don't have to toss any discard and these cookies are the perfect solution!
What is Sourdough Starter Discard?
Sourdough starter discard is inactive sourdough starter that you have no use for. Some people hear discard and think that it's a bad thing but it's really not! In order to keep your sourdough starter healthy, you need to feed it every so often. If you don't make bread all of the time, you end up with too much starter and eventually have to discard some. You can either throw away the discard or find something to make with it. No one likes to be wasteful so luckily there are recipes like this one that call for sourdough discard!
Ingredients
Before you make these sourdough snickerdoodle cookies, gather your ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: Bleached or unbleached is fine.
- Cream of Tarter: This is important for the texture of the cookies. If you choose not to use it, the cookies will still be delicious but the texture will be off.
- Baking Soda: Double check that this isn't past it's expiration.
- Cinnamon
- Unsalted Butter: Bring this to room temperature so it combines well with the other ingredients and you get the best texture possible.
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg: Allow this to come to room temperature so it combines better with the ingredients.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: If you want the cookies to be more less tangy, feed the sourdough starter the day before you plan to make them. If you want more tangy cookies, allow the sourdough starter to ferment a bit longer.
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make These Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, vanilla and sourdough discard, mixing until smooth.
Step 4: Slowly add the flour to the stand mixer and continue mixing until well combined.
Step 5: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for coating the cookie dough.
Step 6: Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place it on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat this process, placing dough balls about 2 inches apart until the pan is full.
Step 7: Bake in the oven for 9-12 minutes. Allow to cool a little bit before transferring to a cooling rack.
Tips for the Perfect Cookies
Ensure that you either fluff up your flour or spoon and level it into your measuring cup. You should never pack flour into your measuring cup!
Use room temperature ingredients to ensure that they mix together well. This also helps with the texture of your cookies.
Experiment with different spices! Everyone loves a classic snickerdoodle but you can also use pumpkin pie spice or chai spice in place of the cinnamon to mix things up!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator. If you'd like to freeze them, you can freeze them for up to 6 months.
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This helps me get feedback on the recipes as well as helps other readers. If you love my recipes, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter or follow me at the social media links below so you don't miss new recipes! I appreciate you taking the time to view my blog and appreciate when you share it with others!
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ c All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cream of Tarter
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ c Unsalted Butter room temperature
- ¾ c Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg
- ½ c Sourdough Starter Discard
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.1 ½ c All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Cream of Tarter, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, vanilla and sourdough discard, mixing until smooth.½ c Unsalted Butter, ¾ c Granulated Sugar, 1 Egg, ½ c Sourdough Starter Discard, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Slowly add the flour to the stand mixer and continue mixing until well combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for coating the cookie dough.3 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place it on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat this process, placing dough balls about 2 inches apart until the pan is full.
- Bake in the oven for 9-12 minutes. Allow to cool a little bit before transferring to a cooling rack.
Anonymous says
Very moist with perfect crisp! I was concerned they lacked structure when they were baking but they crisped beautifully as they cooled down. Everyone at the party enjoyed!
Andee says
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Belle says
I made them yesterday and they were really good! It’s my first time using sourdough discard and this recipe did not disappoint!
Thank you for sharing!