Sourdough Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
Last Updated on December 31, 2025 by Stephanie Gilpin
Delicious, buttery sourdough shortbread cookies in delicate bite-sized form—perfect for parties, holidays, and gifting any time of year!
There’s something timeless about a tray of delicate, buttery cookies with a dollop of sweet colorful icing on top. In my family, we’ve always called them tea cookies—bite-sized shortbread cookies with a thumbprint filled with soft vanilla icing.
Every year on my birthday, my mom would buy these from our local bakery, always coordinating the icing color with my party theme. They were simple but special, and I wanted to bring that same joy into my own kitchen with a homemade, sourdough twist.
These sourdough shortbread thumbprint cookies have all the soft, tenderness of the originals, with just a hint of depth from sourdough discard.
They’re perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, or holiday cookie trays, and they freeze beautifully—so you can always have a little nostalgia ready to bake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery, tender shortbread texture
- Subtle tang from sourdough discard (no sour flavor- be sure to use recently fed starter!)
- Classic, nostalgic bakery-style icing
- Perfect for freezing, gifting, or decorating for any occasion
- Simple ingredients—no fancy equipment needed
Ingredients
Sourdough Shortbread cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) salted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 g) sourdough discard (100% hydration, recently fed and not overly sour)
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: up to 2 Tbsp extra flour if dough feels sticky
Icing:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
- Optional: Food coloring or sprinkles for decoration
How to Make Sourdough Tea Cookies:
1. Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
2. Add Flavor and Discard
Mix in vanilla extract and sourdough discard until smooth and creamy.
3. Add Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. If dough feels too sticky, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of flour. It will be a very soft dough, but shouldn’t be overly sticky.
4. Chill
Wrap dough in plastic wrap or cover in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 3 days). This step is essential for easy shaping and perfect texture.
5. Shape
Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon handle to create a shallow indentation in each cookie.
6. Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just set and bottoms are barely golden. The tops should remain pale and soft.
7. Cool & Fill
Allow cookies to cool completely before filling the centers with icing.
To Make the Icing:
Whip together the ingredients with an electric mixer until a smooth icing forms. Use natural food coloring to color the icing the color of your choice. Alternatively, you can use store bought cookie icing.
Decoration & Icing Ideas
- Tint icing to match your event: pastel pinks for baby showers, soft yellows for birthdays, or red and green for Christmas cookie trays.
- Add sprinkles or edible pearls for a fancy finish.
- Pipe icing neatly into the thumbprint or spread casually for a charming homemade look.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Chill dough: Up to 3 days in the refrigerator before shaping.
- Freeze dough balls: Freeze after shaping and bake from frozen when needed.
- Bake ahead: Bake cookies 1-2 days in advance and frost the day you plan to serve them.
How to Store
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If frosted, layer cookies between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking.
How to Freeze
- Unbaked dough: Shape into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then store in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
- Baked cookies (unfrosted): Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before icing.
- Frosted cookies: Freeze flat on a tray until icing is set, then layer between parchment in a sealed container.
Printable Recipe:
Sourdough Shortbread Tea Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks / 226 g salted butter, softened
- ½ cup 60 g confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups 210 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup 60 g sourdough discard (100% hydration, recently fed but not overly sour)
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: up to 2 Tbsp extra flour if dough feels sticky
Icing:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch salt
- Optional: Food coloring or sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
Cream Butter and Sugar
- In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add Flavor and Discard
- Mix in vanilla extract and sourdough discard until smooth and creamy.
Add Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. If dough feels too sticky, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of flour.
Chill
- Wrap dough in parchment paper or cover in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 3 days). This step is essential for easy shaping and perfect texture.
Shape
- Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon handle to create a shallow indentation in each cookie.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just set and bottoms are barely golden. The tops should remain pale and soft.
Cool & Fill
- Allow cookies to cool completely before filling the centers with icing.
For the Icing:
- Mix together the icing ingredients with an electric mixer until a smooth icing forms. Use food dye to color as desired.
Notes
If frosted, layer cookies between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking.
FAQ
Shortbread cookies rely on a high butter-to-flour ratio for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The confectioners’ sugar gives them a delicate crumb.
No! The sourdough discard adds just a whisper of tang and a soft texture but no noticeable sour flavor.
Yes, just add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt to balance flavor.
You can, but the icing adds that nostalgic bakery-style sweetness. You can also drizzle it instead of filling the thumbprint for a lighter touch.
Absolutely! It doubles beautifully and freezes well, making it perfect for holiday baking or parties.
A Sweet Tradition Reimagined
For me, these cookies are more than a treat—they’re a taste of home, childhood birthdays, and the comfort of familiar traditions. I hope they can become a family tradition for you too!
More Sourdough Cookies:
- Sourdough Discard Ginger and Molasses Cookies
- Sourdough Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies
- Sourdough Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
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