The Best Citrus Sourdough Sugar Cookies for Christmas
A tart twist on a sweet favorite! These sourdough sugar cookies for Christmas feature the bright taste of summer and the savory flavor of the holiday season. This indulgent recipe will have you reaching for Santa’s cookies more than once. So, so delicious!
My childhood Christmas memories bring me a lot of joy during the holiday season now that I’m an adult. I smile fondly as I reminisce about my family bringing the Christmas tree home and decorating it as well as all the holiday baking with mom.
There were endless hours of baking during the Christmas season and the classic cutout sugar cookie was always on the menu.
I can still remember the sweet taste of the sugar cookie tinged with the flavor of almond extract complimented with multiple colors of buttercream frosting, sprinkles and red hot candies.
I adored making several dozen shapes of cookies, symbolizing the Christmas season.
As an adult, I still love baking my beloved cutout cookies at Christmastime. Only now, I add sourdough to my recipe to enhance the flavor and the health benefits.
My hope is that you cherish this recipe as much as I do and pass it on to loved ones. Cozy Christmastime baking is the perfect way to make lasting memories with family and friends.
Grab a warm mug with a delicious beverage and let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Indulgent, Full Flavor – The bright, citrusy zing of the lemon and lime pairs perfectly with the rich complexity of the sourdough and sweetness of the classic cutout cookie. It’ll add a new flair to your cookie platter this holiday season. These sourdough sugar cookies also taste amazing with a piping hot mug of coffee or hot chocolate.
Healthier with Sourdough – The tangy flavor of the sourdough signals a healthier cookie. The holidays are a high sugar consumption time, but the sourdough in these cookies help keep blood sugar in check with a lower glycemic index and lower gluten content (especially important for gluten sensitive people). They’re also easier to digest and boast a higher nutrient content. What’s not to love?!
For another sourdough sugar cookie recipe, try my Fruit Pizza with Peaches and Grapes.
Creatively Flexible – Instead of lemon and lime, try substituting orange zest and juice. If you want sourdough sugar cookies at Easter time, try lavender buds in the dough and lemon in the icing. Decorating lends itself to all sorts of creativity with color and design. Use your imagination!
Tips for Sourdough Sugar Cookies
- If you want to use an active and bubbly sourdough starter, make sure to feed your starter about 4-6 hours (more or less depending on your room temperature) before mixing dough.
- Once the dough is mixed, it will be slightly sticky. Be sure to chill 2-3 hours if you are baking right away.
- If long fermenting, I recommend no longer than three days in the refrigerator. Otherwise, wrap the dough extra tight and place in the freezer until you are ready to bake. I had a batch in the freezer about three weeks and I think that one was the best.
- To simplify cutting and decorating, use larger size cookie cutters. You’ll save time on the cutting and rolling process. When ready to frost, place icing in a ziplock bag, cut a tiny hole in the bottom corner of the bag and simply pipe onto the cookies. No need for spreading with a knife or purchasing extra decorating supplies. I omitted icing with different colors and sanded with regular granulated sugar. Use sprinkles and glitter if desired. Super easy and quick!
- When making the icing, you can add more lime juice to reach the desired consistency, but I added more milk instead. I didn’t want the taste of lime or citrusy flavor of the cookies to be overpowering.
- When adding the lemon zest to the dough, grate into the dry ingredients instead of the wet. The oils in the zest will coagulate the eggs and break down the creamy, fluffy texture of the wet ingredients.
How to Make Sourdough Sugar Cookies
What You’ll Need
All-purpose flour
Unsalted butter at room temperature
Granulated sugar
Eggs or yogurt (to avoid an egg allergy or sensitivity)
Heavy cream
Sourdough starter (active and bubbly or discard)
Lemon extract and zest
Powdered sugar
Freshly squeezed lime juice and zest
Food coloring and sprinkles – optional
A full list of ingredients is listed in the recipe card below.
Equipment
Electric stand mixer
Spatulas
Cookie sheets
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Measuring cups and spoons
Ziplock bags for frosting
Scissors
Medium-sized mixing bowl
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Next, grate the lemon zest into the dry ingredients and stir together.
In a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter about three minutes or until light and fluffy.
Next, add the eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy.
Then add the sourdough, vanilla, heavy cream and extract. Mix until well incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients, one half at a time, and mix until dough just comes together. Don’t over mix. The dough will have a sticky texture.
Divide the dough into two halves and tightly wrap each in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator and chill for minimum two hours, then bake right away. Or if you choose to bulk ferment the dough, keep in the fridge up to three days then bake.
When you’re ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes using your favorite cookie cutters. Use a bench scraper or spatula to pick up the shapes and place about an inch apart on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies for 6-7 minutes then let them rest on the pan until cool to the touch. Don’t over bake. If they look slightly under baked, the edges will brown up when they rest on the sheet from the oven. Place on wire rack to cool completely.
When the cookies are ready to frost, mix together the icing ingredients in a stand mixer then scoop into a ziplock bag. Now is also the time to add food dyes if you want color. To frost, cut a tiny hole into the corner of the bag.
Gently frost the cookies as you desire. Pipe icing in a zig zag pattern or place a solid amount on and spread with a knife. Leave as is or decorate with sprinkles and glitter before the icing dries.
Store cookies in an airtight container and consume within a week for best freshness. Otherwise, store in the freezer up to three months.
FAQ’s
Do these sourdough sugar cookies need to long ferment?
No, they can be baked after chilling in the fridge 2-3 hours. A long ferment time provides the benefits of sourdough and adds to the flavor, so it’s highly recommended.
Is it necessary to use the lemon and lime in this recipe?
No, the lemon and lime can be eliminated from this recipe without affecting the structure of the cookies. Try adding a teaspoon of almond extract instead to the dough. For the icing, replace the lemon and lime with orange juice and zest or simply leave as a buttercream frosting.
How long are these cookies good for?
These cookies are freshest for a week if stored in an airtight container. Otherwise, place the airtight container in the freezer up to three months.
More Christmas Recipes From Becky
Simple Christmas Cocktail Shrub with Oranges and Cloves
The Best Christmas Sourdough Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Easy Chocolate Sourdough Cookies with Espresso and Cherries
Spiced Cranberry Christmas Jam | Irresistibly Easy and Delicious
If you make this recipe and love it, I’d love it if you left it a 5-star review! If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments section below. Tag me with your photos on Instagram @beckybuttlesamericana.
And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
From my heart to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! – Becky
Sourdough Citrus Sugar Cookies
A tart twist on a sweet favorite! The traditional classic cutout features the bright taste of summer and the savory flavor of the Christmas season in these Citrus Sourdough Sugar Cookies. This indulgent recipe will have you reaching for Santa's cookies more than once. So, so delicious!
Ingredients
- 3¾ cup (450 grams) flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs or ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup sourdough starter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp lemon extract
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp freshly grated lime zest
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- optional, food coloring of choice
Instructions
To Prepare Cookies
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate lemon zest into dry ingredients and mix. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until creamy about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.
- Next, add eggs one at a time or yogurt ¼ cup at a time. Then add sourdough starter, lemon extract and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- On low speed, add half the flour mixture at a time and mix until just combined. Then separate dough into two disks and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill 2-3 hours before baking or up to 72 hours if long-fermenting.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle flour on counter surface and roll dough ¼ inch thick. Cut cookies with desired cutters and place one inche apart on cookie sheets. Bake 7 minutes until cookies are set but not hard. Remove from oven and let them rest on the warm tray. Transfer to wire rack when cool to the touch to cool completely.
To Prepare Icing
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.
- Next add lime juice and lime zest until desired consistency is reached. Add more juice or milk if consistency is too thick.
- Add to Ziplock bag, cut small hole in bottom corner of bag and pipe onto cookies. Decorate with sprinkles or colored or granulated sugars.
Notes
- If you want to use an active and bubbly sourdough starter, make sure to feed your starter about 4-6 hours (more or less depending on your room temperature) before mixing dough.
- Once the dough is mixed, it will be slightly sticky. Be sure to chill 2-3 hours if you are baking right away.
- If long fermenting, I recommend no longer than three days in the refrigerator. Otherwise, wrap the dough extra tight and place in the freezer until you are ready to bake. I had a batch in the freezer about three weeks and I think that one was the best.
- To simplify cutting and decorating, use larger size cookie cutters. You'll save time on the cutting and rolling process. When ready to frost, place icing in a ziplock bag, cut a tiny hole in the bottom corner of the bag and simply pipe onto the cookies. No need for spreading with a knife! I omitted icing with different colors and sanded with regular granulated sugar. Use sprinkles and glitter if desired. Super easy and quick!
- When making the icing, you can add more lime juice to reach the desired consistency, but I added more milk instead. I didn't want the taste of lime or citrusy flavor of the cookies to be overpowering.
- When adding the lemon zest to the dough, grate into the dry ingredients instead of the wet. The oils in the zest will coagulate the eggs and break down the creamy, fluffy texture of the wet ingredients.
I’m a wife and homemaker inspiring old-fashioned skills always with a warm beverage in hand. Homemade Recipes. Gardening. Preserving. Healthy Living.
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