Sourdough peanut butter cookies feature tangy discard in a classic buttery cookie. The perfect salty-sweet combination!

Chewy, sweet, and a touch salty, these sourdough peanut butter cookies combine all of our favourite things! With a hint of tang from starter, they’re complex and delicious.
Even though cookies are supposed to be best still warm from the oven, we think these cookies are even better one day two, after sitting in a sealed container overnight. They get a little fudgy and dense – just right to pack in your bag.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add the peanut butter, butter, starter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to mix until fluffy and light, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until just combined.
Roll the dough into 14 approximately equal balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 3cm (1 in.) space between. Press the cookies with the tines of a fork to create a crosshatch pattern in the tops.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden and the edges feel just firm to the touch.
Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the trays before carefully removing to cool fully on racks. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or freeze for up to a month.
Tips and Notes
Natural peanut butter has to be used for this recipe. Check the ingredients – it should either be only peanuts, or peanuts and salt. Other types have added oils and sugars to create a nut butter that doesn’t separate, and the cookies won’t turn out.
Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, including the egg and peanut butter, for easiest mixing.
You can use either active starter or discard for this recipe. Keep in mind that the volume measurements vary a bit between the two, but as long as your starter is 100% hydration, it shouldn’t make a difference.
Substitutions
Use another nut butter, like almond or hazelnut, to change up the flavour of the cookies.
Add a cup of chocolate chips to make chocolate peanut butter cookies. We especially like mini chips in these cookies.
A good GF flour blend should work if you want to make gluten-free cookies, but we haven’t tested this.
Use vegan butter for dairy-free cookies.
More Cookie Recipes
Chocolate Chunk Sourdough Cookies
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Ruby Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread Cookies
If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.
Recipe
Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
Description
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Fork
- Wire rack
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sourdough starter
- ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose four
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the peanut butter, butter, starter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.
- Use an electric hand mixer to blend until fluffy and light, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough into 14 approximately equal balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 3cm (1 inch) space between.
- Press the cookies with the tines of a fork to create a crosshatch pattern in the tops.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden and the edges feel just firm to the touch.
- Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the trays before carefully removing to cool fully on racks. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or freeze for up to a month.
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