Easy Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies (Soft + Chewy!)

Last Updated on June 13, 2026 by Jamie Saechao

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These soft and chewy sourdough discard peanut butter cookies are loaded with flavor and are super easy to make!

I whipped up a batch of these cookies for the neighbor kids and they disappeared in less than 10 minutes- I got reports that these were the BEST pb cookies they had ever had!

This simple sourdough peanut butter cookie recipe is perfect for holiday baking, gift giving, and weekend snacking.  It’s a classic cookie with a sourdough twist!

These sourdough discard peanut butter cookies can be made with all natural peanut butter or brands like Skip or Jif- I give you all my tips below on how to use either one.

These peanut butter beauties can be baked right away or long fermented for extra digestibility. The dough takes just a few minutes to whip up, making them the perfect sourdough cookies or busy weekends!

Get the best sourdough cookies recipes: sourdough chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate sourdough cookies, soft sourdough sugar cookies, and sourdough snickerdoodles here.

Hi! I’m Jamie, and I just want to share that this recipe was created 100% by me. The cookies were tested in a real kitchen, I wrote these words and photographed the recipe.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Ingredients

Here are a few of the main ingredients for these delicious sourdough cookies.  See full recipe below for all the details!

• Sourdough discard- I like to use discard that is less than 48 hours old for sourdough cookies, but technically you can use discard that has been stored in the fridge for longer. The older the discard, the more tangy the sourdough flavor. 
• Peanut butter- We prefer the texture of Skippy creamy peanut butter for this recipe, finding it gave the best texture and peanut butter flavor. Make sure to use a salted peanut butter, or add more salt to the dough.
• Baking soda
• Room temperature egg- if your egg is cold, put it in a glass of warm water to get it to room temperature quickly!
• Flour- Use a high quality, organic all purpose flour if you can!
• Sugars: We found a combination of both brown and white sugars worked best for this recipe
• Vanilla extract:  Vanilla accents the salty, nutty flavors of the peanut butter
• Egg: Use a room temperature egg

You will need a cookie sheet, hand held mixer or stand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, and parchment paper or baking mat for this recipe. 

Using Natural Peanut Butter

If you want to use natural peanut butter, be sure to stir the peanut butter very thoroughly so that the natural oils are mixed into the peanut butter. If you use natural peanut butter and don’t stir it thoroughly the cookies will spread too much and be very thin.

When testing natural peanut butter, I stirred it for about five minutes before adding it to the dough. 

How To Make Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, and extra salt if using.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard, mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) to the wet and mix with the paddle attachment until just incorporated-be careful not to over mix the dough at this step.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking. Scoop the dough out using a 1.5 inch cookie scoop and place on the baking sheet. Alternatively, shape into 1-1.5 inch dough balls. 

Use the tines of a fork to flatten the cookies in a traditional criss-cross pattern. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to the cooling rack. 

Long Fermenting Peanut Butter Cookies

We love to ferment this cookie dough for added texture, flavor and digestibility!

To long ferment these cookies, cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-28 hours. The dough should still be tender and easy to scoop after refrigerating. 

Long fermenting the cookies will make the dough easier to digest, plus it will give you slightly thicker, chewier cookies!  

Recipe Tips

• If your peanut butter does not have added salt, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to the dough. 
• For a soft texture, bake the cookies until the edges just start to set up and change color, about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will be very soft.  Let them cool on the baking sheet – they will continue to firm up as they cool. 
• For best results, use a scale to measure your flour.  Too much flour will result in dry, cakey cookies
• If using natural peanut butter, stir very well before adding to the dough!
• These cookies are VERY soft and chewy, but after they cool completely they are easy to handle. Patience is key!
• If you only have active sourdough starter, you can stir it down so it is flat, then add it to the dough. 
• Add crushed peanuts, one cup of chocolate chips, or sea salt to the cookies for extra flavor!

How To Store Chewy Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

• Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.  These cookies freeze well, just make sure to put them in a freezer-safe container.  Set them on the counter for a few hours to thaw.