Einkorn Sourdough Sugar Cookies
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These soft, chewy einkorn sourdough sugar cookies are my go-to for every holiday occasion. They strike the perfect balance of soft and crisp with a subtle tang that aren’t overly sweet and pair perfectly with frosting.

A classic sugar cookie recipe is a must-have for any baker’s arsenal, especially during the holiday season. This versatile treat can be transformed into festive shapes and decorated with colorful frostings to suit any occasion. Whether enjoyed plain or adorned with a luscious, creamy frosting, these cookies are a versatile treat for any occasion.
These cookies strike the perfect balance of sweet and balanced, with a delicate texture that’s both soft and slightly crunchy at the edges. The best part? No chilling time is required! This means you can whip up a batch of these delectable treats in no time.
Table of Contents

How to make an einkorn sourdough starter
The easiest way to make your sourdough starter with einkorn flour is to start feeding it einkorn flour. This will eventually after multiple feedings create an almost 99% einkorn sourdough starter.
1. Start with an Existing Starter:
Transitioning: If you already have a mature sourdough starter, you can gradually transition it to einkorn flour. Simply feed it einkorn flour instead of your usual flour. Over time, the starter will adapt and become predominantly einkorn.
2. Starting from Scratch:
Initial Feeding: Begin with 50 grams of einkorn flour and 40 grams of water. Mix them together thoroughly. You want a rather thick starter because of the way einkorn flour absorbs the liquid.
Daily Feeding and Discarding:
Discard: Remove half of the mixture.
Feed: Add 50 grams of einkorn flour and 40 grams of water to the starter.
Repeat: Continue this ratio of feeding until you start seeing signs of activity.
Monitoring Activity: Keep the starter in a warm place and monitor its activity. It should become bubbly and have a pleasant sourdough aroma.
Adjusting Feedings: If the starter is sluggish, increase the frequency of feedings. If it’s too active, decrease the feedings or the amount of flour and water.
By following these steps and being patient, you can successfully create a robust einkorn sourdough starter that will elevate your baking endeavors.
Maturation Time: It takes about 3-4 weeks for an einkorn sourdough starter to mature and be ready for baking.
Einkorn Flour Cost: Since einkorn flour is more expensive than regular wheat flour, starting with an existing starter can be more cost-effective.
Patience and Observation: Pay close attention to your starter’s behavior. It’s a delicate balance of feeding, discarding, and temperature control.
Ingredients for the perfect soft and chewy sugar cookies with frosting

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Step-By-Step How to Make Einkorn Sourdough Sugar Cookies
Cream Butter and Sugar
Use an electric mixer or stand mixer and cream together room temperature butter and sugar until well combined and smooth. You want to stop the mixing as soon as it turns into a frosting-like mixture (see picture below). This takes a min or two.
Add Eggs and Extracts
Add in room temperature eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix until creamy smooth (about 1 minute). If you use cold eggs, you will notice your batter will coagulate, so be sure to use room temperature eggs. (You can soak your eggs in warm water for several minutes to bring them to room temperature).
Add Sourdough Discard
Add sourdough discard and mix until incorporated.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add in your dry ingredients and mix until the dough is sticky and formed together.
Shape and Roll Out
Shape dough into a large disc and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4-1/2 inch in thickness. Use cookie cutter to cut into desired shapes. This recipe will yield 16 large 3-inch-wide round cookies or 32 medium and small cookies depending on your shapes and sizes.
Bake
Bake in 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until just slightly browned around the edges. This also is dependent on the size and shape of your cookie. A cookie smaller and thinner will require less time to bake.
Helpful tips for creating soft, thick and perfectly sweet sugar cookies.
Storing/freezing einkorn sugar cookies
Storing Prepared Cookies- Once the cookies have been frosted they should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Dough-The raw dough can be refrigerated overnight, if not making the same day. Wrap tightly in saran wrap. Take dough out of refrigerator 30 minutes prior to rolling. I do not recommend freezing the raw dough. If you choose to refrigerate the dough, use 2 tbsp less of flour as einkorn will slowly absorb the liquid in the recipe and you may end up with a dry dough if refrigerated for too long.
Freezing-You can freeze the cookies after they have been baked and cooled. I recommend freezing without the frosting on. Frosting tends to change flavor after freezing so I recommend frosting after you take them out of the freezer.
If you are looking for an einkorn sugar cookie recipe without sourdough
Try my Einkorn Sugar Cookies with Freeze Dried Strawberry Frosting These are made without refined sugar, and I Adapted my einkorn sourdough sugar cookies from this recipe.
What is einkorn flour and why I use it in baking
So why use einkorn flour for these sugar cookies? Einkorn is a great alternative to regular flour in cookie recipes. It’s lighter and fluffier than regular flour and has a sweet, nutty flavor that complements cookies perfectly. It’s also a healthier option as it contains less gluten and more protein than regular wheat flour. For every 100 grams of einkorn flour it contains roughly 16 grams of protein. Additionally, einkorn flour is easier to digest and can help alleviate digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and discomfort. Using einkorn flour in your cookie recipes is a great way to add some healthy, tasty variety to your baking while keeping it light, delicious and guilt free. If you would like to learn more about baking with einkorn flour, and einkorn benefits check out my beginner’s guide to einkorn flour.
Important Considerations:
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Einkorn Sourdough Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Salted butter (room temperature) 113 grams
- 2 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup 50 grams Sourdough discard room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups Einkorn Flour all-purpose (spooned and leveled) 390 grams
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Almond extract optional
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup Salted butter-Room temperature
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 tsp half & half or heavy whipping cream
- Optional: Food coloring for tint Dye free food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven & prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter & sugar: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together room temperature butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs & flavorings: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and sourdough discard. Mix until incorporated. (Tip: If using cold eggs, the batter may curdle. Bring eggs to room temperature quickly by soaking them in warm water for 1–2 minutes.)
- Add dry ingredients: Add in Einkorn flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together until just incorporated.
- Shape and cut dough: Form dough into a ball or disc. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to ¼–½ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. (Yields about 32 cookies, depending on size and shape.)
- Bake: Place cookies on prepared parchment line baking sheet and Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. (for smaller cookies reduce time)
- Cool: Allow to cool completely before frosting. Enjoy!
Buttercream Frosting
- Whip butter: To a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy.
- Add sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully combined.
- Add flavorings and liquids: Mix in vanilla extract and half & half.
- Adjust consistency: Check consistency, and taste. If too sweet add a pinch of salt. If adding food coloring, divide into bowls and add desired amount.
- Frost cookies: Use an offset spatula to spread frosting or fill a piping bag for decorating.








I love this recipe!! We made ours a little thinner I think so got 45 cookies. They’re so delicious. I don’t get any sour taste from the sourdough. The einkorn is so delicious, the perfect nutty taste.
Yay, I love that! We’re making these tomorrow with my kids too—can’t wait to see how everyone decorates theirs! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂