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Adding a Healthy Twist to Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
I am all about adding wholesome elements to classic recipes. My Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies with Buckwheat are a testament to this ethos. I modified an old Swedish gingersnap recipe to reduce sugar and include whole grains. Buckwheat is the perfect complement to warm spices and molasses depth in this gingersnap rendition. And soft wheat lends an earthiness to taste and texture.
Making these cookies is a great family or playdate activity during the holidays. Turn on your favorite Christmas music, invite friends, get festive, and make these cookies! Or, make a batch and take some to neighbors, coaches, teachers, or co-workers.
Sourdough Buckwheat Gingerbread Healthy Additions
These sourdough gingerbread cookies with buckwheat and soft wheat flours offer not only the cozy flavors of the holidays but also an array of healthy choices:
🌾 Nutrient-Rich Grains: Buckwheat and soft wheat contribute significantly to the cookies’ nutritional value. Buckwheat, despite its name, is not a type of wheat but a pseudo-cereal seed rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. This nutrient powerhouse offers antioxidants and aids heart health, digestion, and blood sugar control. Soft wheat, lower in gluten than regular flour, is excellent for pastries and brings additional fiber and micronutrients.
🍞 Sourdough’s Magic: Incorporating sourdough discard this recipe is two-fold. It helps use your sourdough discard. And the sourdough fermentation helps break down gluten and phytic acid, making the nutrients in grains more accessible for absorption. It also promotes gut health by fostering beneficial bacteria and aiding digestion.
✨ Molasses & Spice: Molasses, a byproduct of sugar production, isn’t just for sweetness—it’s also a rich source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Alongside the warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, it creates a delightful flavor profile with added health perks.
Shape Choices and Optional Icing
We like to make traditional gingerbread men and women with this recipe. Additionally, our kiddos enjoy using other Christmas cookie cutters to add variety. For the perfect icing accompaniment, try this quick 2 ingredient, low-sugar cream cheese icing from the Busy Little Kiddies blog to complete your holiday cookie experience.
Whether cut into festive Christmas shapes or simple rounds, made with or without icing, these cookies are delicious any which way.
Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies Recipe = Extra Dough
This recipe makes quite a bit of dough. I typically freeze half the dough and use it throughout the holiday season.
Although soft in the middle, the dough for these gingerbread cookies with buckwheat is quite sturdy. I plan to make a gingerbread house with the recipe this year. You can find templates for gingerbread houses online and then make a sturdy icing to connect the pieces.
Healthy Festivity
Add some fun to your holiday celebrations with these nutritious and flavorful treats. They’re perfect for sharing or gifting to loved ones or savoring alongside a warm beverage or cold dark beer.
If you are into gingerbread right now like me – I’m in love with these sourdough gingersnap pancakes! They are the perfect holiday breakfast treat.
Please let us know how the recipe goes in the comments below. And you can find more sourdough discard and buckwheat recipes throughout the blog.
Buckwheat & Sourdough Swedish Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 227 g butter 1 cup
- 100 g cane sugar 1/2 cup
- 110 g brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 1 egg
- 80 g sourdough discard unfed, scant 1/3 cup
- 10 grams baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 30 ml boiling water 1 ounce
- 230 g all-purpose flour 2 1/3 cups
- 100 g buckwheat flour heaping 3/4 cup
- 100 g soft wheat flour heaping 3/4 cup
- 4 grams cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 2 grams ginger 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams allspice 1 teaspoon
- 1 gram cloves 1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper essential oil
- 2 pinches cardamom, ground
- 15 ml molasses 1/4 ounce
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and then gently mix in sourdough starter.
- Mix baking soda with boiling water and add molasses (mixture will fizz).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, soft wheat flour, spices, salt, pepper, and cardamom.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with the soda-water, molasses mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until combined.
- Chill dough for at least an hour (or overnight).
- Let the dough sit out to warm until it’s pliable enough to roll.
- Preheat your conventional oven to 375°F (190°C) or a convection oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated convection oven for about 10 minutes in a convection or 14 minutes in conventional or until golden brown.
- Let cool on a wire rack before consuming or decorating.
Notes
- Sticky Dough: The dough will be fairly sticky. Dust with more AP flour if it does not seem to come together to make a brick of dough for chilling; after chilling the dough should be easier to manage, but will require more flour to roll.
- Sourdough Flavor: The sourdough discard adds depth of flavor and subtle tanginess to the cookies. Chilling the dough overnight will further ferment and add more sourdough flavor to your dough.
- Sourdough Substitute: If you do not have discard, substitute equal amounts of flour and water.
- Re-Soften Dough Time: If the dough is thoroughly chilled overnight, it might take 1-2 hours for it to soften enough for rolling so be sure to plan accordingly.
- Cookie Softness: Adjust the baking time according to your oven and desired cookie texture.
More Holiday Baking Recipes
Love this Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies with Buckwheat recipe? Here are some more healthy holiday baking ideas to fuel your holiday celebrations.
