Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
These sourdough snickerdoodle cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and coated in the perfect cinnamon sugar crunch—with a subtle sourdough tang that takes them over the top. If you’ve got sourdough discard hanging out in your fridge, this is the cozy cookie recipe you’ve been waiting for.
Snickerdoodles are a nostalgic favorite: warm vanilla flavor, that signature crackled top, and just the right touch of cinnamon. Adding sourdough discard gives them an extra dimension—deeper flavor, extra tenderness, and just a hint of tang that plays beautifully with the sweet-spice combo. They’re everything you love in a snickerdoodle, made even better with sourdough.
Whether your starter is fresh from a feed or a little sleepy from the fridge, it will still work here—just know that a recently fed starter will give you a softer, puffier cookie, while an older, more acidic discard might give you a slightly crispier edge and more tang. Either way? Delicious.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for discard – A no-fuss way to use sourdough starter you’ve been saving up.
- Classic flavor, upgraded – All the cinnamon-sugar goodness of a snickerdoodle, with a little extra depth from sourdough.
- Soft and chewy – These bake up with the perfect texture—pillowy inside with just the right edge.
Once you try these, you’ll want to keep the cookie fun going. Try your hand at sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough kitchen sink cookies, cowboy cookies, or even sourdough oatmeal raisin cookies for something a little unexpected. Cookies and sourdough were meant to be friends.
How to make sourdough snickerdoodles
For the full recipe, scroll to the recipe card below—but here’s a quick look at how it all comes together:
Step One: Make the cinnamon sugar
In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. This is what gives your cookies that classic crinkly, cinnamon-coated crust. Set it aside while you make the dough.
Step Two: Make the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the room temperature butter and sugar together until light and fluffy—about 4 to 5 minutes. This step is key for that soft and chewy texture.
Mix in the eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract. The mixture should be smooth and creamy, though it might look a little loose—totally normal.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Don’t overmix! The dough will be soft and thick.
Note: Chilling isn’t necessary, but if your dough feels sticky or you want extra thick cookies, a 30-minute chill helps.
Step Three: Roll in cinnamon sugar
Scoop the dough using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, and roll each ball gently in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each one.
Step Four: Bake the cookies
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden and the centers still look a little soft. The cookies will finish baking as they cool on the pan.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
A Few Tips for Perfect Snickerdoodles
- Use truly room temperature butter and eggs for the best texture.
- Don’t overbake—the cookies will finish baking on the pan.
- Let them cool on the sheet to set properly and keep them soft.
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni
Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Lline two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ½ cup of granulated sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, salt and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the room temperature butter and granulated sugar, until light and fluffy – about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, discard, and vanilla and mix until well mixed and creamy, about 3 minutes more.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not overmix. The dough should be soft and thick and slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough straight into the cinnamon and sugar mixture, and then gently roll to cover the dough with the cinnamon and sugar.
- Carefully transfer the cookie ball to the prepared baking sheet. Place dough about 3” apart on the sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. The edges should just be starting to turn golden brown but should still be very light. The middle of the cookie should be mostly set but can still look a little “wet”.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes on the pan before removing to a wire rack.
