Sourdough Discard Lemon Cookie Bars

A sliced Sourdough Discard Lemon Cookie Bar.

5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Discard Lemon Cookie Bars

A flavor-packed sugar cookie bar topped with a lemon buttercream frosting. They're sweet and just the right amount of tart, and perfect for spring!

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Chill Time30

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Jessica Vogl

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cookies

2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
14 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
1 egg
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting

¾ cup unsalted butter softened
2 ⅔ cup confectioner's sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular dairy
lemon zest for topping
sprinkles optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cookies. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sourdough discard, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined, and a smooth dough forms. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper (optional, but it makes it easier to get the baked bars out of the pan).
Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, roughly scoop the cookie dough into the baking pan. Use your hands or a spatula to evenly press the cookie dough to the edges of the pan and fill any spaces.
The dough will not spread much, so you want this to be pressed fairly flat and even. We will cover it with frosting, too, so don't worry too much!
Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Let cool in the baking pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.
Make the frosting. Once the cookie bars are fully cooled, cream the butter in a medium-sized bowl until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, then slowly mix in the confectioner's sugar. Add the lemon juice and milk, mixing until fully smooth and incorporated. Add more milk if you feel that the frosting is too thick.
If using food coloring, add a few drops and mix until you reach your desired color.
Spread the cooled cookie bars with a layer of frosting, sprinkle with lemon zest, and add sprinkles (optional). Cut into 20 pieces, and serve!

Video

Notes

1 serving = 1 cookie bar.

To make this recipe with active sourdough starter, replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). Be prepared that your cookies may rise a bit more than those made with discard.

Nutrition