Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies piled on a plate, with shelled peanuts to the side.

5 from 1 vote

Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Soft and chewy sourdough peanut butter cookies made with discard for a hint of tang and extra flavor. Easy, freezer-friendly, and perfect for holidays.

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time11

Total Time1 41

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 237kcal

Author: Joy Kincaid

Equipment

Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Mixing Bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
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

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing: Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough as directed, adding 2 minutes to bake time.

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:

You don't have to roll the cookie dough in sugar, but it does make the cookies taste amazing and makes them more like a traditional peanut butter cookie.

I use 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.

Nutrition