Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies

Crispy on the outside, chewy in the middles – these Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies have just the right balance of sweetness and spice. This is a recipe you’ll want to add to your Christmas cookie collection!

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Gingersnaps are such a nostalgic and classic Christmas cookie. While they are a beautiful addition to any cookie tray with their rich caramel color and crackled tops, they’re even more delicious! The perfect balance of sweetness and spice and deeply aromatic, just the smell of these cookies baking in your kitchen feels like Christmas.

For all you sourdough bakers, this recipe incorporates sourdough discard into this classic cookie. While the sourdough flavor is subtle and nuanced, it’s a fun way to incorporate sourdough into your Christmas baking!

For an extra special Sourdough Gingersnap, try dipping the cooled cookies in melted white chocolate. This makes a beautiful presentation and extra sweet treat!

Find More Holiday Cookies at Quail Creek Homestead:

• Browned Butter Sugar Cookies
• Soft and Chewy Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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What You Need to Make Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies

Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment – you can also use a large mixing bowl and electric hand mixer.

Mixing bowl

Kitchen scale – optional, but recommended for flour measurements.

Measuring cups and spoons

Baking sheets

Parchment paper

Wire racks – for cooling cookies

Ingredients for Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies

Butter, softened

Granulated sugar

Brown sugar – light or dark brown both work just fine.

Molasses – unsulphured, not blackstrap molasses.

Egg

All purpose flour

Ground ginger

Ground cinnamon

Baking soda

Baking powder

Salt

Sourdough discard – see note about baking with discard below.

Baking with Sourdough Discard

Baking with sourdough discard comes with a few tips and tricks for best results.

Sourdough discard for discard recipes should be very inactive. When baking with discard, there should be another leavening agent (such as baking soda or baking powder). So, it is not the same as baking with active sourdough starter or leaven. While you want your sourdough bread to have all that gluten structure, you do not want that in a discard recipe. It will leave your baked goods tough and chewy.

As with all things sourdough, discard changes over time. Fresh discard will still have some leavening power. It will be thicker in consistency and stretchy. As it ages, the discard will be thinner in consistency, as the gluten structure breaks down. It will also have a stronger sourdough smell and flavor.

I like to use aged sourdough discard in discard recipes, as it incorporates into the recipe better and does not affect the texture of the final product. This is great for things like cookies, cakes and quick breads.

Don’t overmix the dough once the discard is added. Once the discard is added to the recipe, only mix until combined. If you find the discard difficult to incorporate fully, try gently folding it in with a rubber spatula.

Overmixing can cause a tough and chewy texture, which is why I prefer to add the sourdough discard as the final step in mixing.

How to Make Sourdough Gingersnap Cookies

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the molasses and egg, beating well to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and bottom as necessary.

Once all the dry ingredients are mixed in well, pour in the sourdough discard. Mix until just incorporated and there are no streaks of discard left. If you feel you are overmixing the dough, you can fold the discard in gently with a rubber spatula.

Cover the dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare a small plate with cinnamon sugar mixture for rolling the cookies.

Scoop the dough and roll into balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, then place on baking sheets at least two inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes, until edges are set and the tops are nicely crackled. Let cool 10 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.