Sourdough Discard Christmas Cookies
Christmas cookies are a holiday staple—no matter if you’re baking them for a party or just spending an afternoon in the kitchen with your kids, you need a recipe that actually delivers. These Soft Sourdough Discard Christmas Cookies are everything you want in a holiday treat: tender, chewy, and perfectly sweet. Somehow, I ended up creating one of the softest, most delicious sugar cookie bases ever! Add a handful of Christmas sprinkles, and you’ve got one of the best sourdough Christmas cookies you’ll ever taste. I’d love for you to give them a try, and definitely save this recipe—you’re going to get asked for it!
What You’ll Need:
- Unsalted butter (½ cup / 113 g): Adds richness and a soft, buttery texture.
- Granulated sugar (¾ cup / 150 g) + Brown sugar (¼ cup / 50 g): The mix of sugars gives structure, sweetness, and that chewy center.
- Sourdough discard (¼ cup / 60 g): Adds a little tang and helps reduce food waste — win-win!
- Egg (1 large): Binds everything together and adds moisture.
- Vanilla (1 tsp) and almond extract (½ tsp): Brings out the cozy sugar-cookie dough flavor.
- All-purpose flour (1 ¾ cups / 220 g): The perfect amount to hold everything together without drying the cookies out.
- Baking powder (¾ tsp) + Baking soda (½ tsp): Keeps them light and soft in the middle.
- Salt (½ tsp): Balances out the sweetness.
- Red and green Christmas sprinkles (¼ cup / 40 g): Makes them instantly festive and fun! I used these sprinkles.
- Optional white chocolate chips (½ cup / 90 g): Adds creamy sweetness that pairs perfectly with the vanilla flavor.
How to Make Soft Sourdough Discard Christmas Cookies
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup (113g) softened butter, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, and ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in ¼ cup (60g) sourdough discard, 1 large egg (50g), 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract, and ½ tsp (2g) almond extract until fully combined.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour, ¾ tsp (3g) baking powder, ½ tsp (3g) baking soda, and ½ tsp (3g) salt.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. If the dough feels too sticky or wet, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon (8–10g) at a time until you get a soft and scoopable dough.
- Fold in the fun: Gently fold in ½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips and ¼ cup (50g) red and green Christmas sprinkles.
- Scoop and chill: Scoop into 14–16 dough balls (about 2 tbsp or 40g each) and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Chilling helps them stay soft and chewy.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are still soft.
- Cool and decorate: Press a few extra white chocolate chips and sprinkles on top while warm.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Tips for the Best Cookies
- Don’t skip the chill: It’s the secret to soft and chewy cookies that hold their shape!
- Underbake slightly: They’ll finish setting on the pan.
- Make ahead: Dough balls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer — just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
If You Liked These, Try This Next!
If you loved these Soft Sourdough Discard Christmas Cookies, you’ll definitely want to try my Sourdough Snickerdoodles next!
They’ve got that same soft, buttery texture with a cinnamon-sugar twist that makes them perfect for any time of year — especially the holidays.
Soft Sourdough Discard Christmas Cookies
Soft, chewy cookies made with sourdough discard and festive sprinkles—perfectly sweet with that classic Christmas cookie flavor.
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Servings: 16 Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen Scale or measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Mixing Bowl if using hand mixer
- 1–2 Sheets of parchment paper
Ingredients
- 113 g or ½ cup Unsalted butter softened
- 150 g or ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- 50 g or ¼ cup Brown sugar
- 60 g or ¼ cup Sourdough discard
- 1 Large egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Almond extract optional
- 220 g or 1 ¾ cups All-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 50 g or ¼ cup Christmas sprinkles plus, some extra for the top of cookies
- 85 g or ½ cup White chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream 113g (½ cup) softened butter, 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, and 50g (¼ cup) brown sugar together until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add in 60g (¼ cup) sourdough discard, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and ½ tsp almond extract. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 220g (1 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour, ¾ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. If the dough feels too sticky or wet, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon (8–10g) at a time until you get a soft and scoopable dough.
- Fold in 85g (½ cup) white chocolate chips (optional) and 50g (¼ cup) red and green Christmas sprinkles.
- Scoop dough into 14-16 evenly sized balls (about 2 tablespoons or 40g each). Chill the dough balls for 30 minutes to 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place chilled dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until edges are set and centers are slightly underbaked.
- Add extra sprinkles and white chocolate chips on top of the cookies fresh out of the oven. Then, let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
If your dough feels wet or sticky after mixing, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Sourdough discard can vary in hydration, so depending on how wet yours is, you may need a little extra flour to get a soft, scoopable dough.
Dough balls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer—bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 12 minutes.
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