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These classic sourdough peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and full of salty-sweet peanut butter flavor. They’re the perfect nostalgic treat—easy to make, freezer-friendly, and a delicious way to use up extra sourdough starter discard.
Sourdough discard desserts are such a fun way to use up extra starter, and these peanut butter sourdough cookies are one of my favorites!
If you’re looking for more sweet treats to try, you might enjoy my chewy Sourdough Granola Bars, delicious Sourdough Brownies, or bakery-style Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Freezer-friendly: I love to freeze unbaked cookie dough balls so I can grab them when unexpected company drops by. Pop them straight into the oven from frozen, and your kitchen will be smelling amazing in minutes.
- Perfect holiday cookie: Peanut butter cookies are one of the most popular cookie flavors for a reason! Roll the dough balls in sugar before baking for an extra special touch.
- Uses up discard: This chewy cookies recipe is a delicious way to use up ½ cup of sourdough discard, adding subtle tang and extra depth of flavor to a classic favorite.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour: It’s best to spoon and level your flour for the proper texture.
- Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth, classic cookie.
- Butter: Unsalted butter, brought to room temperature for easier creaming.
- Sugars: A mix of granulated sugar and light brown sugar gives the best flavor and chewy texture.
- Sourdough discard: Room temperature discard works best for blending evenly into the dough.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer, optional
- Cookie Scoop, large, optional
How to Make Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making sourdough discard peanut butter cookies.
Step 1: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric mixer), mix the peanut butter and butter until fully combined and smooth (Photo 1).
Step 4: Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and mix on low until fully incorporated.
Step 5: Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard. Mix on medium-low until the batter is smooth and combined, scraping down the bowl as needed (Photo 2).
Step 6: With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients about ⅓ cup at a time. Mix just until no flour is visible. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not feel sticky. If sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons of flour (Photo 3).
Step 7: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Step 8: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. If the dough chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats so it’s easier to scoop.
Step 9: Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), portion the dough and roll each scoop into a ball. Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar to coat (Photo 4).
Step 10: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Use a large fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern into the top of each cookie, flattening slightly (Photo 5).
Step 11: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges look set but the tops still appear slightly underbaked (Photo 6). This ensures a soft and chewy texture.
Step 12: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (Photos 7 and 8).
How to Store
Store baked sourdough peanut butter cookies cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer-lasting cookies, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Cookies can be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze already baked cookies, and you can also freeze the cookie dough. To freeze the dough, scoop as if you were to bake them. Put the dough balls on a baking sheet or plate and freeze for an hour. Then transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer bag or an airtight freezer safe container. Bake frozen at the same temperature and add 2 minutes to your bake time.
Tips
- For extra flavor and texture: Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking for a light crunch and a pretty finish.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough: This helps the cookies hold their shape and enhances their flavor.
- Make mini cookies: Use a small cookie scoop for bite-sized treats, reducing the bake time by 2–3 minutes. (I used a large cookie scoop that holds about 3 tablespoons. If you prefer, you can make the cookies smaller by using a small cookie scoop to make mini peanut butter cookies. You will have to adjust your bake time.)
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The creamy, nutty flavor of peanut butter pairs beautifully with the slightly tangy flavor of sourdough. It creates a cookie that’s both familiar and unique.
Sourdough starter (especially discard) adds a mild tang and subtle complexity to the flavor. It also helps keep cookies moist and tender, giving them a bakery-style texture.
More Sourdough Dessert Recipes
- Sourdough Brownies
- Sourdough Coffee Cake
- Sourdough Galette
- Sourdough Carrot Cake
- Sourdough Lemon Bread
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer with paddle attachment optional
- cookie scoop, large optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled (262 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, 5 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3 grams
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 256 grams
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (114 grams)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling ( 55 grams)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (170 grams)
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard, room temperature (130 grams)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the peanut butter and butter until fully combined and smooth.
- Add both the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the bowl and mix on low until completely combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard and mix on medium-low until batter is smooth and all the ingredients are completely mixed together. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- With the stand mixer on the lowest setting, add the dry ingredients 1/3 cup at a time and mix until no flour is showing. Do not overmix. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and not feel sticky when touched. If your dough is sticky, add one to two tablespoons of flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.
- When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- If you let your dough rest in the refrigerator for more than one hour, allow it to sit at room temperature while the oven is preheating so it is easier to scoop. If your dough rested for an hour, remove it from the refrigerator once the oven is done preheating.,
- Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), scoop out the cookie dough and roll it gently into a ball and then gently roll it into a bowl of granulated sugar so that the entire ball of dough is lightly coated.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto your baking sheet and use a large fork to make a criss cross pattern on the top of each ball, gently pushing down.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies look set and the tops of the cookies look slightly undercooked. This will create a soft and chewy cookie.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We loved these cookies!
They’re such a classic cookie!