The Best Sourdough Snickerdoodles made with Discard
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Sourdough Snickerdoodles Recipe uses sourdough discard for soft, chewy cookies with a cinnamon sugar coating. A perfect treat for any time!
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Growing up, my mom wasn’t much of a baker, that was my dad’s side of the family. But when she had a sweet tooth, one recipe that she often liked to pull out of the recipe tin was for Snickerdoodle cookies.
There’s just something about snickerdoodles – simple and sweet, with a slight bite from the cream of tartar that keeps you coming back for more!
But like all of my other family recipes, I had to see how I just might be able to give this recipe an upgrade with sourdough!
Made with sourdough discard, these cookies are quick and simple to make. Better yet, they don’t require any chilltime before baking, so you will be able to enjoy these cookies in no time.
However, if you prefer a long fermentation, you can prepare these cookies up to 3 days in advance! Scoop the cookie dough into dough balls and store them in the fridge until ready to bake.
From the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar mixture to the tiniest crisp on the edges and the soft and chewy center, this Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe will give you the most delightful afternoon treat!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No Chill Time
One of the best things about this recipe? You don’t have to chill the dough! Unlike a lot of sourdough cookie recipes that make you wait around, you can mix up the dough and pop those cookies in the oven right away. It’s perfect for those times when you get a sudden craving and just want to whip up something sweet without the hassle.
Texture
The texture of these cookies is exactly what you want from a classic snickerdoodle—soft and chewy, with a little bit of bite. Each cookie has that nice contrast between a slightly crisp edge and a fluffy center, making every bite feel like a cozy treat. You’ll see why I believe say these are the best sourdough snickerdoodles made with discard!
Flavor
Let’s talk flavor! These cookies have a wonderful balance going on. You’ve got the sweet cinnamon sugar on the outside, a hint of tang from the sourdough discard, and a little kick from the cream of tartar. It all comes together to create a cookie that’s not just tasty but really interesting. You’ll be coming back for seconds (or thirds)—trust me!
Ingredients Needed
Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Cream of tartar: This ingredient brings the signature taste, a slight bite, to these Sourdough Snickerdoodles. You can choose to not add it, but it won’t technically be a snickerdoodle.
Baking soda: Double-check the freshness of your leavener! If it is expired, the cookies won’t rise properly.
Salt: For a little contrast.
Cinnamon: The cookies will be rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking, but I also love a little cinnamon mixed in the dough.
Butter: For easy mixing, be sure to use room-temperature butter. If the butter is too soft, then the cookies will spread while baking.
Sugar: balances out the tang from the sourdough, adds sweetness, and helps give the cookies that chewy texture and nice golden color.
Eggs: To add moisture and structure to the cookies.
Sourdough discard: I prefer to use fresh discard in sweet treats like this, no older than a few days. For a more tangy flavor, use older sourdough discard.
Vanilla extract: For the best flavor, opt for vanilla extract over imitation.
Supplies
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Cookie scoop
Rimmed baking sheet
Parchment paper
How to Make Sourdough Snickerdoodles
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
To a medium bowl, add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk until combined. Set aside.
Tip: I highly suggest using a kitchen scale at least when you are measuring your flour. Snickerdoodle cookies are notorious for being too cakey and dry! This often occurs due to too much flour being added to the dough.
To avoid this cookie disaster, opt for using a scale to have perfectly soft and chewy Sourdough Snickerdoodles every time! If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I recommend fluffing the flour and then spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife for a more accurate flour measurement.
To a bowl of a stand mixer (this can also be done with a hand mixer), add the softened butter and sugars. Mix with a paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes on medium speed, or until the butter is light and fluffy and has no clumps. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the eggs and mix for another 2 minutes on medium speed, or until the mixture is a pale yellow color and fluffy.
Add in the sourdough discard and vanilla extract and mix on low until everything is combined.
While mixing on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients and stop once the flour just has a few flour streaks. Then scrape the sides of the bowl and mix the rest of the remaining flour into the dough by hand. Overmixed cookie dough leads to tough cookies!
With a cookie scoop, or spoon, scoop 35 g of dough per cookie. This dough is very soft, but shouldn’t be sticky. Once rolled, it should form a smooth dough ball.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Roll the dough into a smooth, round dough ball, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely coated.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart – I baked 8 cookies at a time—for 9–11 minutes. As stated before, Snickerdoodles are notorious for being known as dry and hard cookies, the key to that is not overbaking them! The cookies are ready when the edges are just beginning to set, the tops will look mostly matte with a bit of shine in the middle.
Immediately after you remove the cookies from the oven, grab two spoons! Use the backs of the two spoons to push the cookies towards the center. This trick helps the cookies to remain thick and chewy, rather than flat.
After shaping, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
Tip: If you prefer even more cinnamon flavor and a bit of crunch, dip the warm cookies into the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture!
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough to make about 30 cookies total.
How to Serve
These Sourdough Snickerdoodles are best served warm, right out of the oven. Pair them with a cold glass of milk, and you’re in for a treat! It’s such a cozy combo.
How to Store
If you have any leftovers (though I doubt it!), just let the cookies cool down and toss them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for about a week.
Want to keep them longer? Just pop them in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them out, and they’ll be just as good as when you baked them!
Tips
For a long fermentation, roll the dough into cookie balls, cover them, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake—up to 3 days.
You can freeze this cookie dough, and when you bake it, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time at the same temperature.
You can skip the cream of tartar if you want, but then it wouldn’t really be a true snickerdoodle!
FAQs
Do I need an active sourdough starter for this Sourdough Snickerdoodles Recipe?
No, this recipe calls for sourdough starter discard, not an active sourdough starter. Using fresh sourdough discard gives these chewy sourdough snickerdoodle cookies a slight tang while keeping the soft centers and crisp edges everyone loves. It’s a great way to use up extra sourdough discard without needing a bubbly, active starter!
Can I make sourdough snickerdoodles with a short dough rest?
Yes! One of the great things about this recipe is that you don’t need a long dough rest. You can bake the cookies right after making the dough. If you want thicker, chewier cookies, though, you can chill the dough for a short time—about 30 minutes to an hour works great! And when they come out of the oven, let them cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Trust me, it makes all the difference!
How can I add more flavor to my Sourdough Snickerdoodles?
If you love that cinnamon sugar goodness and want to boost the flavor, try dipping your warm cookies in some extra cinnamon sugar right after they come out of the oven. It makes them even more delicious! If you’re up for a little twist, you can also use brown butter in your dough. Brown butter sourdough snickerdoodles are seriously tasty.
Happy baking!
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Sourdough Snickerdoodles Recipe
Sourdough Snickerdoodles Recipe uses sourdough discard for soft, chewy cookies with a cinnamon sugar coating. A perfect treat for any time!
Enter your email below, and we’ll send it straight to your inbox! Plus, you’ll get my newest sourdough recipes and best tips every week!
Ingredients
- 360 grams (about 2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 12 grams (2 teaspoons) cream of tartar
- 6 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
- 3 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
- 226 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 270 grams (1 1/3 cups) sugar
- 70 grams (1/3 cup) light brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) sourdough discard
- 8 grams (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 70 grams (1/3 cup) sugar, for rolling
- 8 grams (4 teaspoons) ground cinnamon, for rolling
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. To a medium bowl, add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk until combined. Set aside.
360g (2 1/2 c) flour, 12g (2 tsp) cream of tartar, 6g (1 tsp) baking soda, 5g (1 tsp) salt, 3g (1 1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
Tip: I highly suggest using a kitchen scale at least when you are measuring your flour. Snickerdoodle cookies are notorious for being too cakey and dry! This often occurs due to too much flour being added to the dough. To avoid this cookie disaster, opt for using a scale to have perfectly soft and chewy Sourdough Snickerdoodles every time! If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I recommend fluffing the flour and then spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife for a more accurate flour measurement.
3. To a bowl of a stand mixer (this can also be done with a hand mixer), add the softened butter and sugars. Mix with a paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes on medium speed, or until the butter is light and fluffy and no clumps. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the eggs and mix for another 2 minutes on medium speed, or until the mixture is a pale yellow color and fluffy.
226g (1 c) unsalted butter, 270g (1 1/3 c) sugar, 70g (1/3 c) light brown sugar, 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
4. Add in the sourdough discard and vanilla extract and mix on low until everything is combined.
120g (1/2 c) sourdough discard, 8g (2 tsp) vanilla
5. While mixing on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients and stop once the flour just has a few flour streaks. With a rubber spatula, scrap the sides of the bowl and mix the rest of remaining flour into the dough by hand. Over mixed cookie dough leads to tough cookies!
6. With a cookie scoop, or spoon, scoop 35g of dough per cookie or about 2 Tablespoons. This dough is very soft, but shouldn’t be sticky. Once rolled, it should form a smooth dough ball.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Roll the cookie dough into a smooth, round dough ball, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely coated.
70g (1/3 c) sugar, 8g (4 tsp) ground cinnamon
8. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart - I baked 8 cookies at a time - for 9-11 minutes. As stated before, Snickerdoodles are notorious for being known as dry and hard cookies, the key to preventing that is not over baking them! The cookies are ready when the edges are just beginning to set, the tops will look mostly matte with a bit of shine in the middle.
10. Immediately after you remove the cookies from the oven, grab two spoons! Use the backs of the two spoons to push the cookies towards the center. This trick helps the cookies to remain thick and chewy, rather than flat. Do this quickly, as it doesn't take long for the cookies to set as they cool.
11. After shaping, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
Tip: If you prefer even more cinnamon flavor and a bit of crunch, dip the warm cookies into the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture!
12. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough to make about 30 cookies total. Serve warm with a glass of milk and enjoy!
Notes
How to Serve
These Sourdough Snickerdoodles are best served warm, right out of the oven. Pair them with a cold glass of milk, and you’re in for a treat! It’s such a cozy combo.
How to Store
If you have any leftovers (though I doubt it!), just let the cookies cool down and toss them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for about a week.
Want to keep them longer? Just pop them in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them out, and they’ll be just as good as when you baked them!
Tips
For a long fermentation, roll the dough into cookie balls, cover them, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake—up to 3 days.
You can freeze this cookie dough, and when you bake it, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time at the same temperature.
You can skip the cream of tartar if you want, but then it wouldn’t really be a true snickerdoodle!
FAQs
Do I need an active sourdough starter for this Sourdough Snickerdoodles Recipe?
No, this recipe calls for sourdough starter discard, not an active sourdough starter. Using fresh sourdough discard gives these chewy sourdough snickerdoodle cookies a slight tang while keeping the soft centers and crisp edges everyone loves. It’s a great way to use up extra sourdough discard without needing a bubbly, active starter!
Can I make sourdough snickerdoodles with a short dough rest?
Yes! One of the great things about this recipe is that you don’t need a long dough rest. You can bake the cookies right after making the dough. If you want thicker, chewier cookies, though, you can chill the dough for a short time—about 30 minutes to an hour works great! And when they come out of the oven, let them cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Trust me, it makes all the difference!
How can I add more flavor to my Sourdough Snickerdoodles?
If you love that cinnamon sugar goodness and want to boost the flavor, try dipping your warm cookies in some extra cinnamon sugar right after they come out of the oven. It makes them even more delicious! If you're up for a little twist, you can also use brown butter in your dough. Brown butter sourdough snickerdoodles are seriously tasty.
Hi,
I did make these cookies. At first I had very sticky dough and started adding flour. It was still sticky, so I reread all the directions. On page two there is a typo of 260g of flour instead of 360g of flour listed on the ingredients. I added a half cup more, but was no longer sure how many grams I had since I was at the end before baking. Lucky for me I added just the right amount of flour and the cookies turned out perfect. They tasted wonderful and will be going to a church function. Please have others note the flour typo as I mixed from the directions and used 260 at first.
Hi Jodi! My apologies about the typo – it has now been corrected. So glad the cookies still turned out and that you enjoyed them!
My cookies spread out quite some. Good favor.
These are gooooood! Mine are pretty light and airy. Not dense which I love. Can’t wait to try them again!
So thrilled to hear you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
These sound amazing! Two questions: can I use active starter? And can I leave the dough in the fridge overnight? Thanks!
Hi Samantha! Yes, you can use active starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. And certainly! Leaving the dough in the fridge will allow you to long-ferment the cookie dough.