Sourdough Shortbread Cookies
Make buttery sourdough discard shortbread cookies with just a few simple ingredients. These easy slice and bake cookies are crisp and tender.
These sourdough discard shortbread cookies are buttery, crispy, and melt in your mouth delicious, with just a hint of sourdough tang that makes them a little more interesting than your average shortbread cookie. They are a simple slice and bake cookie made with just a handful of ingredients, and are a great way to put that jar of discard in your fridge to use!
These are easy to make ahead, perfect for sharing, and especially good with a cup of tea or coffee.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Buttery, crisp, and melt in your mouth delicious. these cookies have that classic shortbread texture with a subtle sourdough tang that balance their sweetness.
- An easy way to use discard. No feeding your starter, no waiting room dough to rise, no complicated techniques.
- Perfect for making ahead. the dough is rolled into logs and chilled before slicing, so you can prepare it ahead of time and bake fresh cookies whenever you’re ready.
If you love finding unexpected ways to use your discard, cookies are a fantastic way to start! Try sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies for a rich, chocolatey treat or brown butter pumpkin spice sourdough cookies when you want something cozy. And if you are ready to turn that jar of discard into an entire cookie collection, check out my Surprise! It’s Sourdough Cookies cookbook for even more delicious ideas. Because your starter deserves to make more than just bread!
How to make these discard cookies
Below is a brief overview of the directions so you can get an idea of what to expect before you head into the kitchen. For the full set of written directions, including ingredient amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step One: Mix the dough
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the discard, vanilla, and salt to this mixture and mix well. Gradually add the flour, mixing just until it comes together into a soft cookie dough. Don’t over-mix, we want tender cookies and over mixing will make them tough.
Step Two: Shape and chill the dough
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion into a log, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps to firm up the butter, making it easier to slice and for the cookies to hold their shape while baking.
Step Three: Slice and bake
Unwrap the dough from the plastic wrap and slice each log into rounds that are about 1/2″ thick. Arrange the cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Use a fork to gently prick the tops of the cookies a few times. These help prevent air pockets from puffing up the cookies as they bake.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. They will stay fairly pale, so don’t expect them to become golden. If they turn golden, they are overbooked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step Four: Dip in chocolate
Once they are cool, dip them in melted chocolate, and then let them sit out again until the chocolate has hardened.
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
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Sourdough Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the sourdough discard, vanilla, and salt to the butter mixture.
- Mix until well combined.
- Gradually mix in the flour until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half, roll each half into logs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Slice the dough logs into ½-inch thick coins.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Use a fork to pierce each cookie a few times.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled, melt half of the chocolate and dip half of each cookie into it. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off onto a wire rack.
- Once the chocolate has set, re-melt the remaining chocolate, then dip each cookie a second time for an extra chocolate layer. Let the cookies set until the chocolate is firm.
