Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies

Soft, chewy sourdough discard peanut butter cookies with crackled, crispy edges and a sparkly sugar coating. A quick, one-bowl way to use up starter discard, no chilling required.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (113g) salted or unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (110g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (135g) natural, creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup (100g) sourdough starter or discard, stirred down well before measuring
• 1 medium egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons (7g) kosher salt
• About 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for coating

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Add the melted butter, both sugars, peanut butter, sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a thick dough forms and all ingredients are combined.
4. Scoop the dough with a #40 cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per ball), roll into balls in your hands, then coat each in granulated sugar.
5. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined sheets.
6. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until the outsides are crackled but the insides remain soft. Do not overbake; they will look underdone inside.
7. Cool the cookies on the trays for best texture before transferring.

Notes

Peanut butter: use a natural, creamy peanut butter made from only peanuts and salt for best results, not a sweetened spread like Jif or Skippy. Discard vs. active: the recipe works with either sourdough discard or active starter; just stir it down well before measuring. Fork crosshatch: this version is rolled in sugar for crackled tops, but for the classic look you can flatten each ball with a fork in a crosshatch pattern before baking. Do not overbake: the cookies should look slightly underdone at 12-13 minutes and will set as they cool on the tray. Sugar coating: swap in coarse or demerara sugar for extra crunch. Storage/make-ahead: refrigerate the dough covered up to 2 days, or freeze scooped and sugared dough balls for up to 3 months and bake from frozen (add a minute or two). Adapted from Wild Thistle Kitchen.