Sourdough Sugar Cookies
These sourdough sugar cookies are so soft and buttery! They’re so easy to make and topped with a yummy sour cream frosting! This is my favorite sourdough discard cookie recipe, and I know you’ll love it too!
I’ve been making my Soft and Puffy Sugar Cookies for years. They’re the yummiest cut out sugar cookie!
But, every once in a while, I treat myself to a swig sugar cookie from our neighborhood soda shop. If you know, you know. They’re so soft and buttery. The sour cream icing is slightly tangy, but also has the right amount of sweetness. And swig cookies are always served cold. Now you can make swig cookies at home with your sourdough starter! You’ll also love my Coconut Lime cookies version too!
Why you’ll love sourdough sugar cookies
I decided it was finally time to recreate these swig cookies at home, but with a sourdough twist. Since I love dessert recipes, I was definitely up for the task! What I came up with turned out so much better than I thought possible! (And if you like sugar cookies with a twist, make sure you check my recipe notes for a Coconut Lime Sugar Cookie variation!)
- It’s so easy to make.
- No rolling out cookie dough, or cut out cookies here. These drop sugar cookies are so easy to shape!
- No chilling required!
- The flavor from the sourdough discard makes these cookies taste so rich, just like a bakery style cookie.
- The sour cream icing has the yummiest flavor – a slight tang, but still sweet and delicious. If you like sour cream frosting, you’ll also love my Lemon Cheesecake Cookies.
- These sugar cookies stay soft and fresh for several days. I like to keep mine in the fridge.
- Like my Funfetti Sourdough Bread, these are perfect for birthdays and celebrations!
- Its a quick and easy discard recipe.
Ingredients
There’s a long list of ingredients, but don’t let that fool you. This recipe comes together so quickly! This cookie dough can be made in less than 30 minutes. A few important ingredients to understand:
- Sourdough Discard: For this recipe, I suggest using a discard that was fed in the past 1-3 days. If you use really runny, overly hungry discard, you will notice it gives the cookies a slight tang. I don’t love it, so I use my newer discard for this cookie recipe. This recipe is based on using a 100% hydrated starter.
- Sour Cream: Using sour cream in the cookie dough, helps create a tender, fluffy texture. In the frosting, it adds a tangy flavor that compliments the sweetness perfectly.
- Vanilla and Almond Extracts: These extracts add a smooth, sweet flavor. If you don’t love almond extract, you can leave it out. But it’s a small amount, so it’s not overpowering.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder are still necessary to provide a perfect rise and texture for this cookie.
- Powdered sugar: adds sweetness and lightens up the cookie texture.
- Butter: I’ve always used unsalted butter in my recipes. It allows you to control the saltiness of your recipe.
How to make sourdough sugar cookies
My number one pro tip: It’s so important to use a kitchen scale for measuring your ingredients, especially for sourdough recipes. One cup of active starter is not the same as one cup of runny, hungry starter. Weighing your ingredients gives you much more accurate and reliable results. On my recipe cards, you can choose either US Customary or Metric measurements.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, make sure you fluff your flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup. Level it off with a straight edge. Please, for the love, don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup!
Use the cookie paddle attachment for your mixer and mix together the discard, butter, oil, and sugars. Add the salt, baking powder, and baking soda. I sprinkle them over the top to make sure they get easily incorporated into the butter mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until fully combined. Next add the flour gradually and mix until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
Shaping the cookies
Scoop the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons in size. These cookies are then rolled in sugar. Slightly press them with the flat bottom of a glass. You can see how the edges kind of crack apart. This is what you want.
Bake until the edges are just set. The center may initially look underbaked, but that’s normal. The cookies will spread when baked, so make sure you space them 2-3 inches apart.
While the cookies are cooling, get the yummy frosting ready. I love to use heavy cream to thin it just a bit. It makes the frosting super rich and velvety. Once completely cooled, slather on the frosting. These are some serious melt in your mouth sourdough cookies!
Storing tips
Since there is sour cream in the frosting, store any leftover cookies in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh and soft for up to 4 days or so. Plus, they are so tasty cold!
You can also freeze them, frosted, for up to 3 months. To freeze, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until the frosting is hard. Then you can place them in a freezer bag or airtight container and stack them.
Sugar Cookies with a twist
You can easily switch up your sugar cookie with some minor changes. Try these variations:
- Add citrus zest like lemon or orange to the dough and/or frosting.
- Add a different flavored extract to the frosting like raspberry, coconut, almond, or pistacchio.
- Add colorful sprinkles to the cookie dough. Or add chopped nuts.
Whatever you do, make sure you try making my favorite, Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies! I added coconut extract to the frosting and place a lime wedge on top. When you eat it, squeeze the lime over the cookie and enjoy! The coconut and fresh lime combo is life changing! Check the recipe notes for this version.
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More cookie recipes you’ll love
Coconut Lime Cookies (Swig Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 227 g unsalted butter softened (1 cup/2 sticks)
- 164 g vegetable oil or other neutral-flavored oil (¾ cup)
- 250 g granulated sugar (1 ¼ cups)
- 86 g powdered sugar (¾ cup)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 28 g sour cream (2 Tablespoons)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 780 g all-purpose flour (6 ¼ cups, spooned and leveled)
- 100 g granulated sugar for coating the cookies
Frosting:
- 170 g unsalted butter, softened (¾ cup, 1 ½ sticks)
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 28 g sour cream (2 Tablespoons)
- 684 g powdered sugar (6 cups)
- 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 4 limes for garnishing
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. 227 g unsalted butter164 g vegetable oil or other neutral-flavored oil250 g granulated sugar86 g powdered sugar
- Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the ingredients. Mix until creamy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until combined, about 1-2 minutes. 28 g sour cream2 large eggs1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- Add the flour and mix until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Do not over mix.780 g all-purpose flour
- Scoop the cookie dough using a cookie scoop or spoon. Use about 50g (3 Tablespoons) dough for each cookie. Roll dough into balls. Place 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough in the sugar, coating it completely. Place 8 cookies on one baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. Using the flat bottom of a glass, press the center of each cookie, flattening it. Don't flatten too thin – you want them about 1/4-inch in thickness. Dip the bottom of the glass in the sugar between pressing each cookie. This will keep it from sticking to the dough.100 g granulated sugar
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until edges are set. The center will look soft, but that's ok. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the butter, salt, pure vanilla extract, coconut extract, and sour cream. Mix until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. 170 g unsalted butter, softened1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon coconut extract28 g sour cream
- Gradually add the powdered sugar. Add cream or milk as needed to get the frosting to a thick but spreadable consistency.684 g powdered sugar2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Spread frosting over the center of each cookie. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. Before serving, cut the limes into 8 wedges per lime. Top each cookie with a lime wedge. When eating, squeeze the lime over the cookie to release the lime juice. 4 limes
Notes
- If you’d like to make these a sourdough discard cookie, you can use my Sourdough Sugar Cookie version.
- Cookies can be served at room temperature, but I prefer them cold (which is truer to a classic Swig sugar cookie.
- Store cookies, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cookies, frosted, for up to 1 month. To freeze, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until the frosting is hard. Then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container and stack them, with parchment between the layers.
Made the coconut lime cookies in the recipe notes and oh my goodness! They’re SO good! I love how soft and buttery these cookies are. Will definitely be making again!
The coconut lime are my favorite! But yes, I love how soft these cookies are too! Did you try chilling them? They’re so good cold!