Sourdough discard gives these snickerdoodles an extra boost to their signature tang. These are so easy to make, and can be either soft and chewy or fluffy and cakey depending on how long you bake them.
This might be the most well-tested recipe on this entire site (and maybe even on the whole internet) because I can't stop making them! Multiple members of my household have ranked these in their top three all time favorite cookies, and I would argue this is just about the highest honor any cookie can hope to achieve.
If you've never used some of your sourdough starter for snickerdoodles, what are you waiting for??
It's the best! Like better than regular snickerdoodles. Snickerdoodles are already known for their distinctive tang from the cream of tartar, and the sourdough culture takes it up a notch!
Plus, these are SO easy to make - the ingredient list is short, the process is simple, and there's no chill time.
Key ingredients
The ingredient list for these cookies is quite short, and while all the ingredients are essential, here are a few that make these cookies distinct:
- The cream of tartar - you cannot make snickerdoodles without it, and if you are about to be making the quantity of snickerdoodles I've been making, you may want to start buying it in bulk. Cream of tartar is a byproduct of winemaking and adds flavor (the signature tang we know and love), and keeps the texture of the cookie soft instead of crisp.
- The sourdough discard - you can use sourdough starter that's at its peak or discard that's more liquid. You'll have more of a sourdough flavor come through (which is so good here!) if you're using discard. Keep in mind that if you use discard that's fairly liquidy, you may need to chill your dough for an hour or so to let it firm up.
- The cinnamon - these cookies have cinnamon in the dough and are rolled through a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking. Don't skip either!
The texture
The texture of these cookies changes drastically depending on how long you bake them - if you want a soft, chewy cookie, pull them out of the oven once they're puffed up and set but before the tops start to crackle.
If you like more of a cakey cookie, give them an extra couple of minutes in the oven. Once they're set and the tops begin to crack, they're done!
Sourdough Discard Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Sugar Coating
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sourdough discard
Directions
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides as needed. Once light and fluffy, add the egg and discard and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients in three increments, mixing after each addition. Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed in, roll the dough into 35 gram balls (roughly 1 ½ tablespoon each). Roll the balls through the cinnamon sugar to coat and arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 7-9 minutes, until tops are domed and beginning to set. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a soft, chewy cookie, take them out of the oven once they're puffed up but before the tops start crackling (start checking at 7 minutes). These will need to cool completely to hold their shape well.
- For cookies that are more fluffy and cake-like, bake until the tops start to crack.
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