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Honey Sourdough Sugar Cookie Recipe
🍯 Soft, Sweet, and Simply Charming: Our Sourdough Honey Sugar Cookie Story
There are some recipes that feel like they’ve been waiting for you your whole life — the ones that make your kitchen smell like childhood memories and holidays and warm hugs, all rolled into one. Our Sourdough Honey Sugar Cookies are exactly that kind of recipe.
They started as a happy little experiment in the Honeycomb Classroom… a “let’s see what happens if we add a little sourdough starter and swap the sugar for honey” moment. And then — boom. One bite in, and we knew this cookie was something special. Soft, sweet, beautifully golden, and full of that warm-from-the-oven comfort people crave this time of year.
And of course, they’re naturally sweetened with our Cherry City Honey. That means fewer refined sugars, cleaner ingredients, and a flavor that actually tastes like something real and homey.
So today, we’re sharing the full recipe, the story behind it, and a peek into why these cookies have become one of our most requested samples.
⭐ Why Sourdough + Honey Makes Pure Cookie Magic
Most people don’t think of sourdough when they think of sugar cookies… but ohhh, they should.
Sourdough starter isn’t just for bread.
It adds:
✨ soft chewiness
✨ a delicate tang that balances the honey
✨ beautiful golden color
✨ extra rise and tender texture
And then there’s the honey — the hero of this whole recipe. Honey keeps the cookie moist, adds depth, and gives every bite a cozy warmth you just don’t get from white sugar. The way sourdough and honey play together is like a little kitchen duet. Gentle. Sweet. Perfect.
💛 The Story Behind the Cookies
Every workshop season, we try to introduce at least one new recipe that highlights the versatility of honey. Over the years we’ve drizzled it, whipped it, infused it, and baked it into everything from biscuits to popcorn balls. But sugar cookies? That was new territory.
The “test batch” happened late one afternoon — the kind where the light in the classroom windows is soft and golden, and you swear the bees outside are cheering you on. We had a bowl of fresh sourdough discard, a jar of honey still warm from bottling, and not much of a plan.
And as most good food stories go… the unplanned part is where the magic happened.
Once the dough chilled and the cookies baked, the room filled with a smell that made everyone immediately wander in. “What’s that?” “Is that honey I smell?” “Are you testing something new?”
There’s a moment when a new recipe wins you over — that first warm bite when everybody looks at each other and goes, “Yep. This one stays.”
These cookies had that moment.
They’re now a favorite at our holiday open houses, group presentations, and workshop samplings. And we love seeing people’s faces when they realize they’re made with sourdough and honey — two ingredients rooted in tradition and real, honest food.
🍪 About the Cookies You’re About to Make
This recipe gives you cookies that are:
✨ Soft and tender
✨ Lightly sweet, not cloying
✨ Beautifully flavored with honey
✨ Perfect for cutouts
✨ Easy for kids to decorate
✨ Ideal for Christmas, bake sales, gifting, or “just because”
They hold their shape beautifully, which means snowflakes… stars… gingerbread people… beehives (of course!)… all come out clean and defined.
And because they’re honey-sweetened, they brown just a touch deeper around the edges — giving each cookie that picture-perfect golden glow.
🥣 The Recipe (Printable Card Available!)
Want the full recipe card? You got it. We have a button below that you can get a pdf to print out!!
You’ll need only a handful of ingredients:
sourdough starter, honey, butter, vanilla, flour, and a little baking magic.
The dough mixes together quickly, chills beautifully, and rolls like a dream.
Bake them soft, bake them crisp — your choice.
They’re delicious either way.
🎨 A Canvas for Frosting Artists
(Or frosting amateurs who still have fun… no judgment.)
Once baked, these cookies become the perfect base for a little creativity.
You can:
✨ drizzle with honey glaze
✨ decorate with royal icing
✨ dunk half in chocolate
✨ sprinkle with sanding sugar
✨ leave them plain — they’re THAT good
And yes, if you’ve got kids, grandkids, or a group coming in for a workshop — expect things to get delightfully messy.
🍯 Why These Cookies Fit Perfectly With Who We Are
At Cherry City Honey, we love recipes that feel familiar but still bring something fresh to the table. These cookies check all the boxes:
✔ made with clean ingredients
✔ rooted in tradition
✔ sweetened naturally
✔ adaptable for any season
✔ irresistibly good
Food doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special. Sometimes it just takes a little honey, a little sourdough, and a whole lot of heart.
💛 Bake a Batch & Share the Sweetness
Whether you’re baking for family, gifting to neighbors, prepping for a cookie exchange, or bringing a treat to work, these Sourdough Honey Sugar Cookies never fail to get people talking.
If you make a batch, tag us — we LOVE seeing your creations.
Get your printable recipe (click here)
🍯 Sourdough Honey Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
Soft • Golden • Naturally Sweetened
Ingredients
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½ cup unsalted butter, softened
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½ cup granulated sugar
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¼ cup honey
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1 egg
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ cup sourdough discard (unfed)
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2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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¼ tsp salt
Instructions
1. Cream the Butter & Sugar
Beat butter and sugar together until light, soft, and fluffy.
2. Add Honey, Egg & Vanilla
Mix in honey, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add Sourdough Discard
Stir in the sourdough starter until fully combined.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients
In a second bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Make the Dough
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Mix until a soft dough forms.
6. Chill the Dough
Wrap and refrigerate for 1–2 hours (or overnight).
Chilled dough = perfect cut-outs!
7. Roll & Cut
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness.
Cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters.
8. Bake
Place on a parchment-lined sheet.
Bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes or until edges are just barely set.
9. Cool & Decorate
Let cool completely before icing, glazing, or decorating.
Tips for Best Results
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For a bakery-style flavor, add ½ tsp almond extract.
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Dough can be chilled up to 48 hours.
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Cookies stay soft if you avoid overbaking.
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Perfect with honey glaze or royal icing.