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These Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies are thick and chewy with the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor. The addition of brown butter takes them to the next level, adding a rich, nutty depth that makes every bite irresistible.
Peanut Butter Cookies are a year-round favorite! They are simple to whip up and have a soft, chewy texture and rich, nutty taste, which makes them perfect for any celebration. And if you love this one, you have to try my Peanut Butter Chocolate Sourdough Cookies too!
They would be perfect for a cookie exchange or to add to your Christmas cookie boxes for a homemade holiday gift! And don’t miss my Sourdough Snickerdoodles and Sourdough Chocolate Orange Cookie recipe for your cookie box, too.
Why you will love this recipe
- No chill – These Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies do not require you to chill the dough before baking, so it makes this recipe quick and easy to make!
- No stand mixer needed- Since we are using melted butter in this recipe it’s easy to mix by hand, no stand mixer or beaters needed.
- Brown butter – Using brown butter in these cookies enhances the nutty flavor and is incredibly delicious!
- Optional Peanut Butter Blossoms – This recipe can easily be converted to make Peanut Butter Blossoms cookies! See the instructions below.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Peanut butter – I think creamy peanut butter gives the cookies the best texture, and I recommend the processed peanut butter over natural peanut butter. I have tried it with natural peanut butter and they are still yummy (just not as yummy as with the processed). For extra crunch in the cookies you can use crunchy peanut butter.
- Brown butter – The butter is browned to create a rich, nutty flavor. If you want to skip this step, you can just cream softened butter with the peanut butter and sugars.
- Sourdough discard – Using sourdough discard adds flavor and moisture to the cookies. Discard can no longer naturally leaven sourdough bread, but it can be used in delicious sourdough discard recipes like my sourdough chocolate chip cookies!
- Sugars – Both white sugar and brown sugar are used in the cookie dough to create the perfectly sweet chewy texture.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
How to brown butter
Browned butter is just butter that is cooked until it is golden brown. It takes on a nutty flavor that adds depth and pairs so well with the nutty peanut butter used in this recipe. If you love brown butter, be sure to also try Iced Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, Sourdough Pumpkin Scones, and Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Here’s how you do it:
- Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently with a spatula. If you have a light colored pan that is helpful to see the color better but dark pans will do the job.
- Once the butter melts, it will begin to foam. The butter should begin turning a golden brown color. Continue to stir. You will want to keep an eye on this as it can quickly burn if not attended to.
- Once the color turns a deep bronze color and the foam begins subsiding, usually within 5-8 minutes of starting, the butter is ready. It should smell nutty.
- Once browned to your liking, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl or jar.
You can find more in-depth instructions here.
Instructions to make Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies
Step 1: First, make the brown butter. Take the butter and cut it into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Let it cool for a couple minutes.
Step 2: Mix together the sugars, brown butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl.
Step 3: Add the egg, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 4: Mix in baking soda, all-purpose flour, and salt.
Step 5: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough into balls. This recipe makes 22 cookies.
Add 12 cookie balls to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies have lost their sheen in the middle. If baking 2 racks at a time, rotate the pans halfway through.
Let the baked cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Recipe Tips
- If you are baking two trays at once, rotate them halfway through for even baking.
- If you want to skip the brown butter, you can use regular butter instead and cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars.
- For the best flavor and texture I recommend a processed creamy peanut butter like Jif. However, if you prefer to use natural peanut butter, you can.
Storage instructions
After the cookies have cooled completely, add them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature on the counter for up to one week.
If you want to freeze the baked cookies, let them cool completely. Next, add them to an airtight container and use a layer of parchment paper between cookies so that they do not stick together. Alternatively, you can flash freeze the cookies on a cookie sheet first, and once they are frozen, add them to a freezer bag. When you are ready to enjoy them again, let them thaw on the counter or add them to the microwave for a few seconds until they have defrosted. Cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to make Peanut Butter Blossoms
This recipe can easily turn into Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies! In addition to the regular ingredients, you will need Hershey’s kisses and an optional bowl of granulated sugar. Here’s how you do it:
- Take the balls of dough and roll them in granulated sugar. This step is optional, but it gives the classic look of the peanut butter blossoms.
- Bake as directed.
- Directly after pulling the cookies out of the oven, place a Hershey’s kiss in the middle of the cookie and gently press down.
- Add to cooling rack to cool and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Yes, either active starter or discard will work in this recipe.
Yes, to long ferment the sourdough peanut butter cookies, follow the instructions all the way up until you have made the dough balls, and then add them to the fridge for 24 hours. Then bake as instructed. Keep in mind that because the dough is cold, it may take an extra minute or so to bake through.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. I recommend shaping the cookie balls and then flash freezing the dough on a cookie sheet until frozen solid. Then transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag. To bake, add the frozen cookie dough to a cookie sheet and bake as instructed, just keep in mind they will need a few extra minutes to bake from frozen.
Yes, although I have tested both processed and natural peanut butters and I do prefer the flavor and texture of the processed peanut butter better.
More sourdough Cookies
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
Sourdough Snickerdoodles
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
Sourdough Chocolate Orange Cookies
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
The Best Sourdough Cookie Recipes
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
Iced Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
Tried this Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 110 grams brown sugar, ½ cup
- 100 grams granulated sugar, ½ cup
- 114 grams butter, ½ cup
- 129 grams creamy peanut butter, ½ cup
- 1 large egg, 50 grams
- 60 grams sourdough discard, ¼ cup
- 5 grams vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams baking soda, 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams salt, 1 teaspoon
- 175 grams all purpose flour, 1 ¼ cup
Instructions
- Make the brown butter. Take the butter and cut it into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Set aside to cool for a couple of minutes. If you prefer to skip this step, you can just cream softened butter with the peanut butter and sugars.
- Mix together the sugars, brown butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl.110 grams brown sugar, 100 grams granulated sugar, 114 grams butter, 129 grams creamy peanut butter
- Add in the remaining wet ingredients.1 large egg, 60 grams sourdough discard, 5 grams vanilla extract
- Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. 5 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt, 175 grams all purpose flour
- Use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough into balls.
- Add 12 cookie balls to a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies have lost their sheen in the middle.If baking two pans at once, rotate the pans halfway through baking.
- Let the baked cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- If you are baking two trays at once, rotate them halfway through for even baking.
- If you want to skip the brown butter, you can use regular butter instead and cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars.
- For the best flavor and texture, I recommend a processed creamy peanut butter like Jif. However, if you prefer to use natural peanut butter, you can.
- You can use discard straight from the fridge, although room temperature discard will mix in easier.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You had me at browned butter. Goodness gracious! Best peanut butter cookie recipe ever. All others fall short! Thanks for sharing.
So happy you like them! I agree the brown butter really elevates these.
Haven’t baked yet but I’m sure it’s as great as all the other recipes she has!
question – can peanut butter cookies rest in the fridge for a day before baking and after mixing? thanks!
Yes! Cookie dough can sit up to 4 days in the fridge.
Such an easy to follow recipe and they make the best cookies ever
Thanks so much Cassandra!
Delicious chewy peanut butter cookies! Came together easily. Don’t skip the brown butter!
I agree the brown butter is a must! Thanks for sharing.
These sourdough peanut butter cookies are so delicious! I love the addition of the brown butter and how they bake up so thick and chewy.