Just in time for holiday baking, these Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a nostalgic, holiday favorite. Follow along to create delectable gingerbread men and unforgettable Christmas season flavors that blend sourdough depth with ginger spice warmth.

sourdough gingerbread cookie men decorated on a wire rack

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the great opportunity to form lasting memories with my family. When we bake gingerbread cookies or build a gingerbread house, it goes beyond providing a meal or setting a table (though those are also incredibly important and lasting experiences in their own ways). 

It’s much more about the process, the creativity, and the involvement of the kids. It’s an opportunity for giving – giving cookies as gifts, allowing imaginations to create, and encouraging a sweet expression of individual tastes. 

It might just be in the shape of the cookie, or the way the icing outlines or swirls along the top, or perhaps its the clean, golden top of a simple, undecorated gingerbread man.

Christmas memories have no shortage of outlets if we’re willing to set aside the daily routine for a moment. The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to intentionally slow down even more – baking the Christmas cookies, harvesting the seasonal foliage, decorating with all the candles and greeneries and linens.

Recipes such as this one draw me back to the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Gingerbread recipes can be found circulating through Little House on the Prairie enthusiasts, and it certainly makes me wonder: were the Ingalls excellent sourdough bakers?

I’d like to think so. It’s an age old practice, so it doesn’t seem far fetched to wonder.ย 

overhead photo of decorated sourdough gingerbread cookies of different shapes and sizes

Why I Love This Recipe

Flavor: I love the flavorful and warming sensations of these traditional gingerbread spices. Ginger is invigorating and comforting. Cinnamon is earthy and sweet. Ground cloves is aromatic and rich. Allspice is a wonderful blend of these spices with the addition of nutmeg, which I consider to be one of the primary Christmas flavors and one of my all time favorites.

Simple: Sourdough gingerbread cookies are simple, the dough is forgiving when shaped over and over by little hands, and the flavor is unparalleled during the winter season.

Perfect for decorating: This recipe is intended for decorating cookies, which could mean gingerbread men, stars, Christmas trees, bells, hearts – you name it. It’s so much fun to get creative with the shapes, frosting, colors, and toppings.

You also cannot go wrong with simple, golden, icing-free cookies. This is a delicious, undemanding recipe.

Sourdough gingerbread men and snowflakes on parchment paper

Tips

  • You can use sourdough starter discard or your fed, active starter.
  • Get a head start, as these cookies have a long chill period time compared to other discard recipes.
  • Chilling the dough is important, but when you’re ready to get to work, let your dough sit on the counter for a few minutes before rolling out.
  • You shouldn’t have a sticky dough, but a smooth and manageable one. Increase flour minimally, if necessary.
  • Leftover pieces can be tricky to use once warmed up on your counter, so stick them in the fridge to chill before rolling them out to use them up.
  • If the royal icing isn’t thickening up enough or holding its peaks, add more powdered sugar. Store in the fridge, airtight, and warm to room temperature before using.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosureย here.

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Ingredients

jars, canisters, and bags of ingredients on a white countertop

Dough

Unsalted butter – softened

Brown sugar

Molasses: This gives it that warm classic, gingerbread flavor.

Egg

Sourdough starter discard: Active starter would also work, but it is a great way to use up extra discard.

Vanilla extract: Homemade or store-bought

All-purpose flour

Salt

Baking soda

Spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and all spice

Royal icing (optional)

Powdered sugar

Water: room temperature

Meringue powder

Tools

Stand mixer or hand mixer

Measuring cups and spoons

Cookie sheet

Cookie cutters

Piping bag (optional)

overhead photo of decorated sourdough gingerbread cookies in the shape of a snowflake  on parchment paper

How to Make Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies

butter, suga, and molasses in a stand mixer bowl

Make the dough:

In a large bowl, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and blackstrap molasses on medium speed until creamy.

egg, sourdough starter and vanilla being added to creamed butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl

Add in the egg, sourdough starter and vanilla on medium speed until incorporated.

spices and flour in a bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.

Cut the dough in half and form two discs.

two discs of gingerbread dough wrapped in plastic on a white countertop

Wrap them in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for at least one hour, or up to three days for long fermentation.

letting a disc of dough sit at room temperature on a countertop

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, set one disc of chilled dough out to come closer to room temperature. A cold disc of cookie dough is tough to roll out.

Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

cutting out sourdough gingerbread cookie dough on a quartz counter

Roll your disc out to 1/4โ€ thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the other disc.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will look slightly underdone and edges will be golden but not dark. For crispier cookies, bake a little longer.

undecorated gingerbread man on a wire rack

Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating, approximately 30 minutes.

Prepare royal icing per instructions below.

Decorate as desired!

Royal Icing

Add powdered sugar, water, and meringue powder to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Using your wire whisk attachment, beat the ingredients at high speed for approximately 2 minutes.

If your icing is too thin, continue beating until thickened, or alternatively you can add more powdered sugar.

Once applied to the cookie, royal icing typically dries within a couple hours.

sourdough gingerbread cookies on a baking sheet on a vintage stove with a candle burning

Storage

Unbaked cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days before baking. It will develop its sourdough flavor further, and the fermentation of the grains has unique health benefits. Be sure to wrap them carefully to be airtight. 

You can also store your dough in the freezer for several months. Simply thaw to room temperature, shape, bake, and decorate.

Baked cookies that are stored in an airtight container may be kept at room temperature for several days. Glass or metal containers work best, as plastic containers can soften your cookies.

If undecorated, baked cookies can also be frozen up to 2 months in a sealed bag or container. Decorate upon thawing.

FAQ

decorated gingerbread cookies on parchment paper

You will have better results with chilling the dough first. Chilling allows the flour time to hydrate, yielding a chewier cookie. Cool dough is also easier to roll, shape, and transfer to a baking tray.

Is it better to use unfed sourdough starter or fed starter?

You can’t lose either way! Unfed starter will have a slightly stronger sourdough flavor than fed starter, but either one works great.

Do these cookies harden as they cool?

Yes! They will harden after 30 minutes or so of cooling. How crisp they are will depend on the bake time, as well.

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out some of my other sourdough discard recipes:

Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies

4.50 from 51 votes
Just in time for holiday baking, these Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a nostalgic, holiday favorite. Follow along to create delectable gingerbread men and unforgettable Christmas season flavors that blend sourdough depth with ginger spice warmth.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
overhead photo of decorated sourdough gingerbread cookies of different shapes and sizes
Save this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, 200 grams
  • 1/2 cup molasses, 140 grams
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter, discard (142 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla, 5 grams
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, 420 grams
  • 1 teaspoon salt, 5 grams
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon all spice

Royal icing (optional)

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons room temperature water
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and blackstrap molasses on medium speed until creamy.
  • Add in the egg, sourdough starter and vanilla on medium speed until incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice.
  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Cut the dough in half and form two discs.
  • Wrap them in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for at least one hour, or up to three days for long fermentation.
  • When you're ready to bake the cookies, set one disc of chilled dough out to come closer to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Roll your disc out to 1/4โ€ thickness on a lightly floured surface.
  • Cut into desired shapes and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the other disc.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will look slightly underdone and edges will be golden but not dark. For crispier cookies, bake a little longer.
  • Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating, approximately 30 minutes.
  • Prepare royal icing per instructions below.
  • Decorate as desired!

Royal Icing

  • Add powdered sugar, water, and meringue powder to the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Using your wire whisk attachment, beat the ingredients at high speed for approximately 2 minutes.
  • If your icing is too thin, continue beating until thickened, or alternatively you can add more powdered sugar.
  • Once applied to the cookie, royal icing typically dries within a couple hours.

Notes

  • You can use sourdough starter discard or your fed, active starter.
    Get a head start, as these cookies have a long chill period time compared to other discard recipes.
  • Chilling the dough is important, but when you're ready to get to work, let your dough sit on the counter for a few minutes before rolling out.
  • You shouldn't have a sticky dough, but a smooth and manageable one. Increase flour minimally, if necessary
  • If the royal icing isn't thickening up enough or holding its peaks, add more powdered sugar. Store in the fridge, airtight, and warm to room temperature before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.50 from 51 votes (45 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




51 Comments

  1. Sue Kibbe says:

    These were the best gingerbread cookies I’ve ever made! It made a lot so I froze half after baking them, but even those didn’t last! Need to make another batch!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Suggestion: Can also roll into balls and roll in sugar. Delish!!!

    1. Lisa says:

      Yum! Great idea!

  3. Teresa says:

    I just made these and they are the best tasting gingerbread cookies I ever had. This will be my new go to recipe every Christmas season!

  4. Anonymous says:

    How do you make a sour dough stater?

  5. Rachel Mitchell says:

    I’ve never made gingerbread before, so of course decided to start with sourdough gingerbread. This recipe is amazing! Made several batches so far for Christmas parties and gifts, everybody loves them. Thank you so much for this recipe

    1. Lisa says:

      Awesome! We love the sourdough version here. So glad you do, too!

  6. Elyssa says:

    Hello! Can I substitute the molasses for anything else?

    1. Lisa says:

      The molasses is part of what gives gingerbread its signature taste and color. I’ve never made it without, so I am not sure what would be the best substitute or if that would work.

  7. Karegan says:

    Can you freeze them after baking? I baked them and they are delicious but I want to save some for Christmas!

    1. Lisa says:

      I don’t see why not! Just make sure they are sealed well in a freezer safe bag or airtight container.

      1. Roo says:

        Have you tried this recipe with whole wheat? I want to try it, I remember gingerbreads from my childhood made with whole wheat.

        1. Lisa says:

          I have not. Sounds yummy though.

        2. Rachel says:

          I used 100% fresh ground soft whole wheat, turned out amazing. Hard red wheat might make them a little less tender, but I’m sure they’d still be good.

  8. Ruthy says:

    5 stars
    So good and bursting with traditional ginger flavor! Also a very easy dough to work with which I loved.

  9. ari says:

    Hi! Love this recipe just like all your other ones! My question is, what is meringue powder, and where do you get it?

    1. Lisa says:

      It’s a dried mixture of egg whites and sugar. You should be able to get it at most any grocery store.

  10. Haylee says:

    5 stars
    They were simple to make and tasted delicious! I really appreciate the sourdough recipes