Chewy Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Yield: 20 cookies
These Chewy Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies are thick and soft in the center with crisp edges and plenty of rich peanut butter flavor. Made with sourdough discard and no chilling required, they’re an easy peanut butter cookie recipe you can mix and bake whenever the craving hits.
Ingredients
- 175 grams all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups
- 1 gram baking powder 1/4 teaspoon
- 4 grams baking soda 3/4 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 57 grams unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup
- 190 grams creamy peanut butter 3/4 cup
- 220 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for rolling 1/4 cup
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 grams sourdough discard, 100% hydration 1/3 cup
- 8 grams vanilla 2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set to the side.175 grams all-purpose flour, 4 grams baking soda, 1 gram baking powder, 3 grams salt
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.57 grams unsalted butter, softened, 190 grams creamy peanut butter, 50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for rolling, 220 grams brown sugar
- On low, mix in the egg and egg yolk one at a time. Scrape down the sides when necessary.1 large egg, 1 egg yolk
- Add the sourdough discard and vanilla extract and mix on low until smooth.100 grams sourdough discard, 100% hydration, 8 grams vanilla
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there are no more streaks of flour.
- Scoop 45 gram portions of cookie dough, roll them until smooth and then roll them in some sugar. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
- Place 8 cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers have puffed up.
- Keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- As the cookies cool they will crack. Serve with milk and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Peanut butter – I only tested this recipe with creamy peanut butter. If you try natural peanut butter or another nut butter, let me know how it turns out in the comments!
- Unsalted butter – Your butter needs to be at room temperature before you start. Press it with your finger and it should leave a clean indent without feeling greasy or oily. Cold butter won't cream properly and will affect the texture of the finished cookie.
- Eggs – Make sure your eggs are at room temperature so they blend into the batter easily. Since the sourdough discard adds extra moisture, I use one whole egg and one egg yolk to compensate. If you forgot to pull them out ahead of time, place them in warm water for about 5 minutes.
- Sugar—I use a combination of granulated sugar (white sugar) and brown sugar. The granulated sugar helps the cookies spread just enough and gives them lightly crisp edges, while the brown sugar adds moisture for thick, chewy centers. You'll also need a little extra granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough before baking.
- All-purpose flour – Regular all-purpose flour gives these delicious sourdough peanut butter cookies the right structure.
- Leaveners – A small amount of baking powder and baking soda helps these cookies lift and spread properly. Make sure both are fresh or they won't work the way they should.
- Sourdough discard—For sweet recipes like these peanut butter sourdough cookies, I prefer fresh sourdough starter discard no older than 1-2 days. Older discard will give the cookies a tangier flavor. You can also use the same amount by weight of an active sourdough starter/ripe starter.
- Vanilla extract – Go with pure vanilla extract over imitation for the best flavor.
Helpful Tip:
Want to add chocolate? Absolutely! I’d add 170 grams (1 cup) of chocolate chips to the dough before baking. You can also melt chocolate, place about 1 tablespoon on a piece of parchment paper, and gently press the bottom of each baked cookie into the chocolate. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then place them in the refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate hardens. Once set, the chocolate will stick to the bottom of the cookies. Want to long-ferment the dough? Roll the dough into balls, cover them, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Bake them whenever you're ready, or bake them the same day if that's easier. These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are another great make-ahead recipe when you want fresh cookies without doing all the work at once.Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
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