Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Is there anything better than a warm peanut butter cookie fresh from the oven?

Just the smell alone takes me straight back to baking in my Nanna’s kitchen. Her blue recipe book covered in flour, a mixing spoon in my hand, and the promise of something sweet by the time the oven timer dinged. She always let me scoop the dough and press the criss cross pattern on top (my favorite part!). Those simple afternoons, filled with peanut butter-smeared fingers and cookie crumbs on the counter, are some of my sweetest memories.

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Now that I’ve fallen head over heels for sourdough baking, I’ve learned how to reimagine the recipes I grew up loving, starting with these sourdough peanut butter cookies. They’re soft, chewy, full of rich peanut butter flavor, and made with sourdough discard (because we don’t waste good starter around here, right Crumb Catchers?).

Whether you’re baking with your little ones or just craving a cookie that tastes like comfort, this recipe is the perfect way to turn a little sourdough into something seriously delicious!

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

• Chewy with golden brown edges and soft, slightly gooey centers.
• Made with sourdough starter discard, so you’re not tossing any of that precious starter.
• Easy to mix up with simple pantry staples and a bowl of a stand mixer (or even a hand mixer!).
• Perfect peanut butter cookie flavor with that classic criss cross pattern on top of each dough ball.
• They’re customizable! Use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for that salty-sweet crunch, you can even throw in a handful of chocolate chips for peanut butter sourdough chocolate chip cookies. 

Ingredients You’ll Need For Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies

You only need a handful of baking basics and your sourdough discard to bring these peanut butter sourdough cookies to life!

• Flour: All-purpose flour works best here. Be sure to measure it carefully with a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method.
• Baking soda & baking powder: A little lift goes a long way to keep these soft but structured.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance all that peanut butter goodness.
• Peanut Butter: This recipe was made with creamy peanut butter, but you can definitely swap in crunchy peanut butter for extra texture. I haven’t tried natural peanut butter for this recipe.
• Brown sugar + White sugar: The combo adds sweetness and helps create that classic chewy texture.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature so it creams well with the sugar.
• Egg + Vanilla extract: These bind everything together and round out the flavor. Be sure to use a room temperature egg.
• Sourdough Discard: This recipe was made for discard, but active sourdough starter works too. Just know the older the discard, the more tangy flavor it may add. Since this is a sweet treat, fresher starter is best.

How to Make Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream together the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined.
5. Mix in the sourdough discard until incorporated.

6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
7. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough into small balls (about 2 tablespoons or 40g each). Roll and place cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet. Press down gently with a fork in a criss cross pattern.

8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges look light brown and the centers look slightly underbaked. That’s how you get that soft, chewy texture!
9. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Storing Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and chewy for 3-4 days (if they last that long).

To freeze:

• Freeze the cookie dough: Place balls of dough in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once solid, transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen. Just add a few minutes to the bake time.
• Freeze baked cookies: Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @catchthecrumbsourdough on Instagram to show it off!