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Growing up, peanut butter cookies were a staple in our house. My mom used to make them with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pressed right in the middle, pure peanut butter heaven. Those cookies were the inspiration for my Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies, baked with crisp edges, a soft and chewy center, and a touch of melty chocolate.
These sourdough peanut butter cookies are everything you love about a classic peanut butter cookie, with rich flavor, perfectly balanced sweetness, and that irresistible chewy texture. Whether you make them the traditional way with a Hershey’s Kiss on top or go all in with a peanut butter cup, the sourdough discard adds a subtle depth of flavor and texture that makes them stand out. You can even call them sourdough peanut butter blossom cookies if you’re adding that chocolate kiss. No matter how you make them, they’re a family favorite and one you’ll want to bake again and again.
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Why You’ll Love Peanut Butter Cookies with Sourdough Discard
- Peanut Butter Blossoms – The version with a Hershey’s Kiss on top is called a peanut butter blossom, a recipe that first appeared in the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off and quickly became a classic. My sourdough peanut butter cookies are a take on that nostalgic favorite, soft, chewy, and made with sourdough discard. You can stick with the traditional chocolate kiss or switch it up with a peanut butter cup (my personal favorite). Check out all of my sourdough discard cookie recipes for more of my favorite sourdough cookie recipes.
- Peanut Butter & Chocolate – Peanut butter and chocolate are a classic combination. The creamy peanut butter base pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate center for that sweet-and-salty balance everyone loves. We kind of can’t get enough of these, and they freeze dangerously well! For even more chocolatey flavor, try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies too.
- Discard Recipe – I love finding new ways to use my sourdough discard, and these cookies are so quick and easy to make. The discard adds a subtle depth of flavor and helps create that soft, chewy texture everyone loves. Just like my Sourdough Peanut Butter Brownies, this recipe combines sourdough discard, chocolate, and peanut butter into one homemade treat you’re going to love.
Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like these Pretzel Bites with Sourdough Discard and young/fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Chocolate Sourdough Crinkle Cookies.
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – Use fresh discard or discard that’s no more than a day or two old to avoid a strong sour flavor. I use 100% hydration discard. If yours is very runny, you may need to add a little extra flour.
- Unsalted Butter – I always use softened, unsalted butter so I can control the salt level. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
- Sugar – A mix of brown and white sugar gives the perfect balance of sweetness and flavor.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Use creamy, store-bought peanut butter (not the natural kind — save that for your sandwiches). Jif or a similar creamy brand works best. For a little more texture, use the chunky peanut butter instead.
- All-Purpose Flour – These cookies turn out best with all-purpose flour around 11.5% protein
- Cornstarch – Just a little bit of cornstarch makes these cookies extra soft and tender.
- Hershey’s Kisses – One of the best parts of these cookies is the Hershey’s Kiss pressed into the center of each one. Unwrap one for every cookie, or switch it up with mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for even more peanut butter flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Sourdough Discard: You can use active sourdough starter in place of sourdough discard. The flavor will be similar but without the tangy sourdough taste.
- Butter: If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it, just reduce the added salt in the recipe slightly. Margarine or plant-based butter can work in a pinch, though the flavor and texture won’t be quite the same.
- Chocolate Topping: Hershey’s Kisses are classic, but mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Rolos, or even a square of dark chocolate make fun variations. You can also mix chocolate chips or white chocolate chips into the dough or leave the dough plain and press a crisscross pattern on top with a fork for a traditional peanut butter cookie look.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies with Sourdough Discard
Mix The Dough
Step 1: Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the room-temperature butter until it lightens in color and becomes smooth. Add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Then add the egg, sourdough discard, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract, and whip again until everything is well combined and fluffy.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The dough should feel soft and smooth and not overly sticky. It should be easy to roll into a ball in your hands.
Scoop the Cookies
Step 3: Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF convection bake. Scoop the dough into small balls, about 2 Tablespoons each.
Step 4: Place the balls of dough onto a parchment paper -lined cookie sheet, spacing them out so they have some room to spread while they bake. I like to fit about 12-15 cookies per baking sheet.
Big Bakery-Style Cookies: If you prefer a larger cookie, portion the dough into 3 oz balls, fitting about 8 cookies per pan. Bake a few minutes longer at the same temperature, then top each one with a full-size or snack-size Peanut Butter Cup.
Bake The Cookies
Step 5: Bake the peanut butter cookies at 375°F in a convection oven for about 7–8 minutes, until they’re puffed up with lightly crisp edges and golden brown.
Avoid overbaking. Remove the cookies while the centers are still slightly gooey. They’ll finish baking on the sheet and set into a soft, chewy texture as they cool.
Step 6: While the cookies bake, unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses and set them aside. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each one. The cookies will crinkle slightly, that’s their signature look, and the chocolate will soften just enough to melt into the cookie while still holding its shape. Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before serving and enjoy.
Cookie Baking Tip: One of the secrets to a cookie with a delicious crispy edge with a gooey or chewy middle is convection bake. If you have convection bake on your oven, use it! If you don’t have convection, you have a couple of options:
- You can increase the temperature by 25 degrees (400º Fahrenheit for this recipe) and preheat your oven for 15-20 minutes to get it really hot before baking the cookies.
- Bake the cookies at the regular, non-convection temperature (375º Fahrenheit for this recipe) and add some extra time to the bake, usually 2-3 minutes.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have extra cookies, let them cool completely before storing. Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container and freeze them for longer storage. When you’re ready to enjoy, take them out a few hours ahead and let them thaw at room temperature.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. Place it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw, then bake the cookies fresh the next morning.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
For a more impressive, bakery-style treat, use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough into 3-ounce balls. Bake the larger cookies for about 9–10 minutes in a convection oven, then press a full-size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup into the center. This is the way my mom used to make them: big, soft, and full of peanut butter flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a great cookie dough to freeze. Mix up the dough and scoop it into balls, then place them on a baking sheet. Freeze the dough balls until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 2–3 months.
When you’re ready to bake, you can bake the cookies straight from frozen or thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. If baking chilled or frozen dough, add an extra minute or two to the bake time.
Yes. Stick the dough in the refrigerator after mixing and let it rest overnight or for up to a couple of days. This extended fermentation time gives you more of the sourdough fermentation benefits and can create a slightly more complex, tangy flavor. Keeping a stash of frozen dough also means you can enjoy fresh-baked cookies anytime you need them!
It’s best not to. Natural peanut butter separates easily and can make the dough a little stiffer in consistency. Use a sweetened, store-bought brand like Jif or Skippy for the right texture and consistency.
Yes, active starter works just as well. The flavor will be similar but less tangy since the discard has more fermented notes.
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
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Equipment
- mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter, about 1/2 cup
- 115 grams brown sugar, about 1/2 cup
- 75 grams granulated sugar, about 1/3 cup
- 1 large egg, about 50 grams
- 60 grams sourdough discard, see recipe notes
- 140 grams creamy peanut butter, see recipe notes, about 1/2 cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract, about 1 teaspoon
- 225 grams all-purpose flour, about 1 1/4 cups
- 10 grams cornstarch, about 1 Tablespoon
- 6 grams baking soda, about 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt, about 3/4 teaspoon
- 20 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped, this is approximate – you want one for each cookie
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF convection. See recipe notes for non-convection.
- To a small bowl, whip together the softened butter until light and fluffy, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) for about a minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix together until fluffy and smooth.
- Crack the egg and add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Whip together with the beaters until the egg is fully incorporated. Add the sourdough discard, peanut butter and vanilla extract, mixing with each addition until smooth and combined.
- To a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to combine. Pour the flour mixture on top of the butter mixture and mix together until incorporated.
- Scoop the cookie dough into small, 2 Tablespoon sized balls and stick on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated, 375ºF oven on convection bake for about 7-8 minutes. After 7-8 minutes, the cookies should be puffy with the edges just a little crispy. If you don't have convection bake, bake the cookies at 375ºF for about 9-10 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, unwrap a Hershey's kiss for each cookie. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place a Hershey's kiss directly in the center of the cookie and press down just a little.
- Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes until they set up completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I make ahead and Freeze, then bake?
how long will they be good in my freezer?
Yes! You can scoop the dough, freeze the balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen—just add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Made these cookies this morning and they are the most delicious peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made/eaten! You have such wonderful recipes!
I’m glad they turned out great! Enjoy!
Made these this morning and they are the most delicious peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made/eaten! You have such wonderful recipes!
Thanks for the review!