Freshly Milled Sourdough Sand Dollar Cookies
Soft, buttery sand dollar cookies made with freshly milled flour and sourdough discard. Perfect for summer gatherings, coastal-inspired dessert tables, or an easy homemade treat.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened 113 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1 large egg room temperature 50 grams
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard 120 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
- 1 cup freshly milled hard white wheat flour 144 grams
- 2/3 cup freshly milled soft white wheat flour 96 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 grams
- 1 small package sliced almonds
- 2 –3 tablespoons white sanding sugar 30–45 grams
Instructions
- Mill your flour: Mill 144 grams hard white wheat berries and 96 grams soft white wheat berries. Whisk the freshly milled flours together until evenly combined to create a balanced flour blend that yields approximately 240 grams (2 cups) flour. If preferred, substitute 2 cups all-purpose flour.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 3–4 minutes, until light and fluffy. The mixture should become noticeably lighter in both color and texture.
- Add egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla: Mix until fully incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything blends evenly.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in the flour blend, baking powder, and salt just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix once the flour has been added.
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps the dough firm up and keeps the cookies from spreading too much.
- Scoop the dough: Portion the dough into evenly sized balls, about 1½ tablespoons each, and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Flatten the cookies: Gently press each dough ball into a thick round shape using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass.
- Create the sand dollar design: Arrange 5 sliced almonds in a star pattern in the center of each cookie and gently press them into the dough.
- Add the sand dollar holes: Using a clean kitchen straw, punch four small holes around the almond design and one hole near the bottom center. Clear the straw between cookies as needed.
- Finish with sugar: Sprinkle the tops lightly with white sanding sugar for a soft shimmer and sandy appearance.
- Bake: Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies tender.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cream thoroughly – Beat the butter and sugar for a full 3–4 minutes. This creates air in the dough and helps keep the cookies tender.
Don’t overmix once the flour is added – Mix just until the flour disappears. Overworking the dough can make the cookies dense.
Twist the straw gently – This creates cleaner sand dollar holes and prevents tearing.