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These sourdough discard peanut butter cookies are rich, chewy, and packed with peanut butter flavor. They have crisp edges, soft chewy centers, and just the right amount of sourdough tang to make them even more irresistible. The sourdough starter discard adds a subtle tang to the peanut butter cookies that complements the nutty flavor of the peanut butter … oh that salty-sweet crunch is just too good!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Super Simple – One of the things I love most about these cookies is how simple they are to make. Everything comes together in one bowl and you don’t need any fancy ingredients.
Use Up Sourdough Discard – The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the cookie dough really well. It creates a slightly more complex flavor than a traditional peanut butter cookie without overpowering the peanut butter. I’ve done something similar in my sourdough peanut butter and jelly cookies and my sourdough peanut butter blossoms.
Super Versatile – They’re also so adaptable! You can use crunchy or smooth peanut butter, add chocolate chips, or even make them with sunflower seed butter if you need a nut-free option.
Ingredients
- Sugar – Using brown and white sugar together gives these cookies the perfect balance of flavor and texture. You can use dark brown sugar, but I prefer light brown for the color.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter will both work here. Though I prefer salted. And absolutely no need for brown butter in this recipe. Let’s keep it simple!
- Peanut Butter – I usually use crunchy peanut butter because I love the extra texture, but smooth peanut butter works perfectly too. If your peanut butter is unsalted, you may want to add a bit of salt to the dough. It’s generally best to use a conventional peanut butter for this recipe like Jif or Skippy or even Kraft. If you’re using a natural peanut butter with no additives, make sure you stir it really well to incorporate the oil before you add it to the rest of the ingredients.
- Egg – I’ve used a large egg.
- Sourdough Starter – You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard in this recipe. It’s a great way to use up discard.
- Vanilla Extract
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder – I’ve used baking powder rather than baking soda.
How To Make Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
I’ve made these cookies with nothing more than a mixing bowl and fork, but you can absolutely add everything to the bowl of a stand mixer, and let your mixer do the work if you prefer. They’re quick either way.
Simply cream the butter and sugars together.
Then mix in the peanut butter, egg, vanilla, and sourdough discard.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Peanut Butter Tip
If using natural peanut butter, make sure it’s well mixed before adding or you will end up with crumbly cookies.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until a stiff cookie dough forms.
For the best flavor and texture, I like to cover the bowl and ferment the dough in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Chilling the dough will make it easier to shape into balls.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Chilling Tip
The dough can be baked immediately, but a longer rest in the refrigerator develops a deeper flavor and creates an even better texture.
When you’re ready to bake, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough and place the balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press each cookie with a fork to create the classic crisscross pattern, then bake them in the oven until the edges are lightly golden brown while the centers remain soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The result is a peanut butter cookie with crisp edges, chewy centers, and plenty of peanut buttery goodness.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Texture Tip
These cookies continue to firm up as they cool. Take them out while the centers still look slightly soft.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Chips – I love adding around 100 g of chocolate chips to make peanut butter sourdough chocolate chip cookies.
Change Up The Flavor – Make the cookies nut free with sunflower seed butter, or use another nut butter like cashew, hazelnut, or almond butter. This can change the texture of the cookies however, but they will still taste great!
Use Crunchy Peanut Butter – You can use creamy peanut butter or crunchy for extra texture and even more peanut flavor. And if you want even more crunch, consider adding some crushed, unsalted peanuts to your dough.
How To Store + Freeze
Store these cookies in a glass jar or cookie tin at room temperature for up to a week. I find plastic containers soften the crisp edges too much.
To freeze, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a lined cookie sheet or baking tray. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
When you’re ready to bake, allow the dough balls to soften slightly, press with a fork, and bake on a prepared baking sheet as directed. They freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Active starter and sourdough discard both work well in this recipe.
It’s totally up to you! Either works. Crunchy peanut butter adds extra texture while smooth peanut butter creates a more classic cookie.
Because different brands of peanut butter vary in moisture and oil content, you may notice slight differences in dough consistency even when using the exact ingredient quantities listed in the recipe. Natural pb can be quite oily so be sure to give it a good stir before you use it.
Yes. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Coookies
Ingredients
- 100 g Brown Sugar
- 100 g White sugar
- 100 g Butter
- 250 g Peanut Butter, (smooth or crunchy)
- 1 Egg
- 100 g Sourdough Starter, (or sourdough starter discard)
- 5 g Vanilla Extract, (1 tsp)
- 180 g All-purpose Flour
- 5 g Baking Powder, (1 tsp)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
- Add the brown and white sugar to a bowl with the butter and mash them together with a fork.If you'd prefer, you can cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until well combined (if the peanut butter is a little hard, soften it in the microwave).
- Add the egg, vanilla and sourdough starer to the bowl and mix together until well combined.
- Now, add the all purpose flour and baking powder to the bowl and bring it together to a stiff dough.
- You can chill the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days at this point.
- When you're ready to bake the sourdough discard peanut butter cookies, take the dough out of the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for around 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough into small balls (I've done 20g balls). Use a fork to press the cookies down with a criss cross pattern.
- Bake the sourdough peanut butter cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350ºF/175ºC.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking tray before transferring them to a glass jar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Rate and comment below!
How long would these last on the counter?
In line 4 of the instructions, you have a typo – “starter”. Sorry, it’s just the secretary in me that sees these things.
I went pantry mamma crazy yesterday! I made the hamburger buns, hotdog buns and the monkey bread! Now this morning I’m making the peanut butter cookies 😂 I have had success with all of them and the monkey bread was the best I’ve ever had! Absolutely delicious 🤤 Thanks for sharing your recipes 🙏🏼 I’m very grateful! I veganized the monkey bread because my daughter is vegan but I just exchanged butter for vegan butter and it was so delicious! Thanks again!
These are amazing. Soft with a little crunch on the outside. I have used the same peanut butter recipe that I love until I decided to try these. So worth it
Perfect! I ran out of butter so subbed lard and only had crunchy peanut butter. Turned out great!
I made these with sucanat and organic cane sugar. And I used 50g-75g less. And I used organic, creamy peanut butter (just peanuts and sea salt). They are wonderful. Thank you for the recipe. I wish I could upload a picture.
The softest peanut butter cookies I have ever made!
Our boys loved these with the choc chip addition! I let the dough sit for about 24 hours before baking. Will make again!
The BEST peanut butter cookies! Super flavorful, moist, and easy to make! This was my first time baking with sourdough and these cookies came out perfect. Will be making again! Thank you so much for the recipe❤️
This one’s a keeper. I did add 1/2 tsp kosher salt as the dough seemed to need it and I was using unsalted butter. Used a store brand equivalent of Smuckers PB, so no added sugar or other chemicals. They’re good, definitely a bit crumbly but delicious. Hot and humid here, so I dipped the fork in cornstarch from time to time to keep it sticking to the dough. I like my cookies small and elegant so got nearly 80, with 10 minutes bake time.
This one was a bust for me. Cookies were neither fish nor fowl with little in the way of peanut butter cookie flavor. Maybe it was me or scaling this doesn’t work as I went to the 2x scale for 80 cookies and the cookies came out fine, just flavorless. Had a huge bake sale to do so this was a disappointment. Love Pantry Mama and will try some other recipes as I have in the past. Just not this one…
You may want to consider the type of peanut butter you used. I used a really mild peanut butter on one batch and a nice flavorful (Adams natural) on the other and there was a big difference in flavor.
Is it okay to use peanut butter that is separated & you stir it to mix the oil in or do you have to use Jiff or Skippy peanut butter?
As long as it’s stirred/mixed before adding to the mix, you can use the separated peanut butter.
My husband’s new favorite cookie!!! Thank you!!!
Absolutely the Best peanut butter cookie recipe.! I will no longer make any other peanut butter cookie recipe!!! FACTS!
I make a batch at least 2X a month. Freeze half for few days later so don’t eat them all at once. The only pb cookie recipe I use now.
I made these this morning, OMG they are delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
I love all your recipes, thank you for sharing your gift of sourdough!
Thank you, Keri! We love to hear that! 🙂
Why so long on the refrigeration? I’ve heard of an hour or two. But two days? Does the sourdough lose its tang? So curious… thank you!
The long fermentation is completely optional, but it allows your sourdough starter to work it’s fermentation magic and also enhances the flavor of the cookies too 🙂
Thank you Pantry Mama
Most excellent recipe!
these were great we have an allergy kiddo so used sunbutter, if you substitute the peanut butter with an alternative definitely add chocolate chips it just gives it that extra oooommmfff
These are very good! Thank you!