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Let’s talk about the perfect, soft sugar cookie, the kind that melts a little when you bite into it.
Now, let’s give it a clever twist that solves a common baker’s dilemma—what to do with all that sourdough discard.
Why This Recipe Just Makes Sense
If you keep a starter, you know the slight guilt of pouring discard down the drain. It feels wasteful, right?
This recipe turns that tangy, unfed starter into the secret weapon for a cookie that’s familiar yet intriguingly different.
The sourdough adds a subtle nuttiness and complexity that plain sugar cookies just don’t have.
And the best part? There’s no long ferment, no waiting for rise. It’s cookie dough, fast and forgiving.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
- Unsalted Butter: The base we brown to create a toasty, nutty flavor and to cleverly make room for the starter.
- All-Purpose Flour: Standard, simple flour builds the cookie’s structure without competing with the sourdough.
- Baking Powder: Gives our cookies their perfect, soft lift since the discard isn’t here for leavening.
- Kosher Salt: Balances all the sweetness and enhances every other flavor in the bowl.
- Granulated & Light Brown Sugar: White sugar for sweetness and crunch, brown sugar for a hint of moisture and caramel depth.
- Egg Yolks: Using just yolks adds richness and fudginess, and, strategically, removes extra water from the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: The classic flavor partner that makes a sugar cookie truly sing.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: The star! Unfed, cold from the fridge is perfect—it brings that wonderful tang.
The Magic of Browned Butter
Browning the butter isn’t just a fancy step, it’s actually the engineering secret here.
By evaporating the water in the butter, we create space in the recipe’s liquid balance to add our discard.
You get all the flavor of the toasted milk solids, without the extra water content.
It’s a trick that feels clever every single time you do it, filling your kitchen with that incredible, nutty aroma.
How to make ?
Step 1- Brown the Butter
Cut your butter into pieces and melt it in a skillet over medium heat. It’ll foam and sputter—that’s the water cooking off.
Keep whisking often for about 7 to 10 minutes, until the noise settles, the smell turns deeply nutty, and you see golden brown bits at the bottom. Pour it all, every last browned bit, into a large heat-safe bowl to cool for just 5 minutes.
Step 2- Combine the Dry Ingredients
While the butter cools, take a medium bowl and whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt together.
This isn’t just mixing, it’s making sure your leavener is perfectly distributed for an even, tender crumb in every cookie.
Step 3- Build the Wet Dough
To the warm browned butter, add both sugars and whisk vigorously for a full minute. It’ll look a bit separated, and that’s okay.
Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth, then scrape the bowl and mix in the sourdough discard. You’ll see it all come together into a cohesive, glossy mixture.
Step 4- Bring It All Together
Scrape down the bowl again, then add your flour mixture. Fold it in gently with a spatula until just combined—no dry streaks, but don’t overmix.
Let this dough rest on the counter for 10 minutes. This lets the flour hydrate fully, giving you a dough that’s easier to handle.
Step 5- Scoop, Roll, and Sugar
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets. Pour some extra granulated sugar into a small bowl.
Use a cookie scoop (or two tablespoons) to portion the dough, roll it into a ball, and toss it generously in the sugar. This creates that delightful, sparkly, crisp exterior.
Step 6- Bake and Rotate
Place the sugared dough balls on your sheets, leaving room for them to spread. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes.
Rotate the tray front-to-back halfway through. They’re done when the edges are golden and the centers are just set, with perhaps a slight puff.
Step 7- Cool Completely
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; they’re still setting up internally.
Then, move them to a wire rack. This step is non-negotiable for achieving the ideal soft, not-steamy, texture.
Getting Your Starter Ready to Use
You want unfed, discarded starter straight from the fridge. Its inactivity is perfect here.
A 100% hydration starter (equal parts water and flour by weight) is what the recipe balances for, so if yours differs, this is the one time to use the discard you’d normally toss.
There’s no need to plan ahead or feed it special. Just use what you have.
That’s the whole beautiful point—turning something destined for the compost into something delicious.
Tips
- Weigh your browned butter. You’re aiming for 180-190 grams after cooking. If it’s a bit over, that’s fine; if it’s under, you can add a tiny splash of water to the dough later.
- Keep your egg yolks and starter discard cold. This helps control the dough’s temperature and prevents overspreading in the oven.
- Don’t skip the 10-minute dough rest. It makes rolling the sticky dough into perfect balls so much simpler.
- Reuse your parchment paper between batches. These cookies aren’t greasy, so the paper stays clean, making cleanup a breeze.
Serving & Sharing Ideas
These cookies are brilliant all on their own, with a glass of cold milk or a cup of tea.
But for a real treat, sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two of them. The tangy cookie with sweet cream is a revelation.
They also make a wonderfully thoughtful gift. Tuck a stack into a simple bag or tin.
It’s a shareable bite that says you’re a baker who knows how to use every last bit, deliciously.
Storage & How to Keep Them Soft
Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay perfectly soft for up to a week.
If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to three months, or freeze the dough balls for a future fresh-baked treat.
To freeze the dough, scoop, roll in sugar, and place the balls on a tray to freeze solid.
Then, transfer them to a freezer bag. You can bake straight from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time.
Sourdough Discard Sugar Cookies Recipe
Description
The platonic ideal soft sugar cookie, with a tangy twist. These cookies are pillowy-soft, subtly tangy, and feature a hint of nuttiness from browned butter. Perfect for sourdough bakers looking to use up discard without waiting hours for fermentation.
ingredients
Instructions
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Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt until foamy, then continue cooking, whisking often, until golden brown and nutty-smelling (7–10 min). Pour into a large heat-safe bowl (scrape in browned bits); should weigh 180–190g. Cool 5 min.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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To the slightly cooled browned butter, add sugars and whisk 1 minute. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla (30 sec), then sourdough discard until just combined (30 sec). Fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Rest dough 10 min.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment.
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Place extra granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use a #40 (2-tbsp) scoop to portion 12 dough balls (~30g each). Roll into balls, coat in sugar, and place on sheet pan spaced 2" apart.
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Bake 13–16 min, rotating pan halfway, until edges are golden and centers just set. Cool on pan 5 min, then transfer to wire rack.
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Repeat with remaining dough in batches, reusing cooled pans and parchment.
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Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 32
Serving Size 1 cookie
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 120kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6g10%
- Saturated Fat 3.5g18%
- Cholesterol 35mg12%
- Sodium 70mg3%
- Potassium 45mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 16g6%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g2%
- Sugars 9g
- Protein 2g4%
- Calcium 40 mg
- Iron 0.7 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- No sourdough discard? These cookies rely on it—don’t substitute active starter or plain flour/water mix without adjustments.
- Brown butter tip: Don’t walk away! It burns quickly after browning.
- Cookie size: Use a #40 scoop (~2 tbsp) for consistent baking.
- Storage: Keeps well for a week, or freeze dough balls for fresh-baked cookies anytime!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fed sourdough starter instead of discard?
It’s not recommended. This recipe uses unfed discard as a flour/water substitute. Fed starter may make cookies too sour or affect texture.
Why only egg yolks?
Egg whites add water. Removing them lets us add more sourdough discard while keeping dough structure. Yolks add richness and fudginess.
Can I skip browning the butter?
You can melt it, but you’ll miss the nutty flavor and need to adjust liquid content. Browning removes water, making room for discard—so it’s key!