Baking Great Bread at HomeButtery Cookies with a Tangy Twist
BeginnerSourdough Discard ThumbprintCookies
by Henry Hunter
Rise Time
PT1H
Bake Time
12-15 minutes
Yield
24 thumbprint cookies
Perfection is not required
"Great bread isn't about perfect technique—it's about understanding the dough."— Henry Hunter
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Bread Flavor
Transform your sourdough discard into buttery thumbprint cookies with a tangy twist. Easy beginner recipe ready in 60 minutes.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Filling
Make the Dough
Cream butter and sugar, then fold in the . The discard adds moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
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Cream Butter and Sugar
Beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Add Wet Ingredients
Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and until well combined. Mixture may look slightly curdled—that's fine.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Fold Together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix or the cookies will be tough.
Chill the Dough
Chilling firms the butter back up and makes the dough much easier to roll into balls.
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Cover the Dough
Place plastic wrap or a lid directly on the dough surface.
Refrigerate
Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat Oven
While dough chills, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
PT30M
Chill Time
Shape and Fill
Roll, indent, and fill. This is the fun part.
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Roll into Balls
Scoop dough and roll into balls about 2.5cm (1 inch) in diameter.
Space on Sheets
Place balls 5cm (2 inches) apart on lined baking sheets.
Make Indents
Use your thumb or the back of a small spoon to press a well into the center of each cookie. If the edges crack, gently press them back together.
Fill with Jam
Spoon about ½ teaspoon of jam or jelly into each indent. Don't overfill—the jam bubbles and expands during baking.
The Final Step
Bake the Cookies
Bake until the edges just start turning golden. These carry over quite a bit after coming out of the oven, so pull them early.
Baking Methods
Bake until the edges just start turning golden. These carry over quite a bit after coming out of the oven, so pull them early.
Preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with rack in center position.
Bake
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are just starting to turn golden. Centers will look slightly underset—that's what you want.
Cool on Sheet
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They'll firm up as they cool.
Transfer to Rack
Move to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 cookie • servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
Temperature is the invisible ingredient. I use the Goldie and DoughBed from SourHouse to keep my starter and dough at the perfect temperature, every time.
SourHouse Temperature Control Products
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