Ingredients
8 tablespoons or 113 grams salted or unsalted butter, melted
1 cup or 200 grams white granulated sugar
1/2 cup or 110 grams dark brown sugar
1/2 cup or 135 grams natural, creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup or 100 grams sourdough starter, stirred down well before measuring
1 medium egg
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
1 and 1/2 cups or 210 grams all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
2 teaspoons or 7 grams kosher salt*
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a few cookie sheets with parchment.
Add melted butter, sugars, peanut butter, sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk very well until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a thick cookie dough forms and all ingredients are well combined.
Scoop dough with a #40 cookie scoop or two tablespoons of dough per ball. Roll in your hands and then roll in granulated sugar. Place balls two inches apart on parchment lined sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-13 minutes until the outsides are crackled but the insides are still very soft. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on trays.
Notes
- This recipe was tested with a natural, creamy peanut butter with only peanuts and salt as ingredients NOT a peanut butter spread. If you use something like JIF or Skippy which have oils and sugars added, you will not get the same results.
- This is a soft dough. You don't have to, but if you prefer to chill it for 30 minutes before rolling dough balls you can.
- Do not overbake! These cookies will look underdone inside after 12-13 minutes. This is what gives them the perfect texture once cooled. They will also continue cooking a bit on the hot trays as they cool.
- For the best texture, cookies must cool on cookie sheets.
- If you like more of a crunch, roll the dough balls in coarse or demerara sugar.
- If you want to make this dough a day or two ahead, you can. Simply cover the dough very well and place in the refrigerator for up to two days, scoop, roll, and bake when you're ready. Or you can scoop the balls, roll in sugar, and place on a tray covered very well in the fridge and bake when ready.
- To freeze dough, you can scoop, roll in sugar, and freeze on a parchment lined tray until solid. Then transfer to freezer bags for up to three months before baking.
- A cup of flour consistently measures about 140 grams in my kitchen when scooped from the flour bag or flour jar. I know you'll see 120 grams as the agreed upon weight of a cup of flour but I disagree.
- I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in my recipes. If you are using a different brand or variety of salt you may want to adjust the amount. Here is an article on salt conversions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-13 minutes per tray
- Category: desserts, cookies, sourdough discard cookies, sourdough discard recipes
- Method: baking, sourdough
- Cuisine: American