These chewy Sourdough Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel are the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Plus, they are so easy to make.
These cookies combine three of the best ingredients: peanut butter, chocolate, and a gooey caramel center. They are a great way to use up your sourdough discard.
If you don't have a sourdough starter, I also have a non-sourdough version of these cookies. Try these Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Looking for more sourdough cookie recipes? Try one of these: Sourdough Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Apple Cookies, Sourdough Nutella Cookies, or these Sourdough Snickerdoodles.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make these tangy Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peanut Butter.
Unsalted Butter: I use unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter reduce the salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon. There is about ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick of salted butter.
Creamy Peanut Butter: Smooth peanut butter replaces some of the butter in these cookies to add its nutty salty flavor. Stick with brands like Jif or Skippy. I don't suggest using natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir back together when it separates.)
Brown and White Sugar: This recipe uses both types of sugar. The brown sugar adds moisture while the white sugar helps the cookie dough spread while it is baking.
Sourdough Discard: Don't worry your cookies won't be sour. There is plenty of sugar to eliminate the sourdough flavor. Bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before adding it to the recipe. It will be easier to incorporate. Active starter or sourdough discard can be used.
Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.
Egg Yolks: Using egg yolks only helps to offset the additional liquid in the sourdough discard.
Tip: Egg whites and egg yolks are easier to separate while they are still cold. Separate the eggs, save the whites for another recipe, and then allow the yolks to come to room temperature.
Bread Flour: Bread Flour has a higher protein content which results in a chewier cookie. For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.
Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour creates dense cookies.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You could use regular chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate, but I found mini chocolate chips easier to use when wrapping dough around pieces of caramel.
Caramels: My favorite caramels for stuffing into cookies are Werther's Original Soft Caramels. They have just the right texture and melt beautifully. I recommend cutting each caramel in half to prevent molten caramel from erupting while the cookies bake.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
- How to Create Your Own Micro Sourdough Starter
- Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter
- How to Dehydrate Sourdough Starter
- Storing Sourdough Starter in the Refrigerator
- Storing Sourdough Starter on the Counter
- Best Containers for Storing Sourdough Starter and Discard
- How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last?
- What is the Difference Between Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Discard?
- Best Gifts for Sourdough Bakers
Substitutions and Variations
Sourdough Discard: You can use either sourdough discard or active sourdough starter.
Caramels: You could also use other brands of soft caramels, Rollo candies, or any other caramel-filled candy bar like Snickers or Milky Way.
Flaky Sea Salt: If you are a fan of salty-sweet combos try sprinkling the tops of the cookies with flaky salt before you bake them.
Heath Toffee Pieces: Change the flavor of the cookies by substitution Heath Toffee Pieces for the chocolate chips.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Slice the butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored skillet over medium heat stirring or whisking constantly.
Step 2: Once melted, the butter will begin to foam.
Tip: Using a light-colored pan makes it easier to monitor the color of the butter as it browns.
Step 3: Continue stirring/whisking for about 5-7 minutes, the foam will begin to subside and the melted butter will darken to a deep amber color.
Step 4: Remove the browned butter from the heat, and pour it into a bowl. Allow the butter to cool for 30 minutes.
If you still have questions about how to brown butter, check out this video on how to brown butter from America's Test Kitchen.
Step 5: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated white sugar together with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth.
Step 6: Add the sourdough discard, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until combined.
Step 7: Add the bread flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Stir until just combined.
Step 8: Fold in the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips with a spatula.
Tip: To avoid creating tough cookies be careful to not overmix the dough once you add the flour.
Step 9: Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
While the dough is chilling, unwrap the 16 unwrapped caramels
and cut each one in half.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 10: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough each.
Break each dough ball in half and sandwich a piece of caramel between the two haves. Smooth the two halves together by rolling the dough between your hands to make a smooth ball. Make sure the caramels are completely sealed inside.
Tip: The chill time allows the butter in the dough to firm up and allows the flour to fully hydrate. Which prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
Tip: To quickly portion out the dough use a knife to cut the chilled dough into smaller pieces.
Step 11: Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie.
Step 12: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Tip: Sometimes the caramel leaks out of the cookies while they bake. Lining the cookie sheet with parchment paper will make clean up easier. If your parchment paper wants to roll back up lightly crumple it into a ball and them smooth it back out.
Tip: Use a light-colored cookie sheet. Dark cookie sheets absorb too much heat and can cause your cookies to overbake. Check out this post from Handle the Heat to see a comparison of cookies baked on different types of cookie sheets.
Make-Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Instructions
Make-Ahead: You can mix up the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Chilling cookie dough keeps it from spreading too much as it bakes by hydrating the flour and solidifying the butter.
Storing: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three weeks.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Unbaked cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. I always have a batch of Amaretto Chocolate Chip Cookie dough in my freezer for when a cookie craving strikes.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place in a zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
When you are ready to bake cookies, remove the cookie balls from the freezer, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, and then bake. You may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
Thaw frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can chill the dough in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.
I typically chill cookie dough for at least 2-3 hours before baking cookies. To see if the dough has chilled long enough, poke the dough with your finger. It should feel fairly stiff.
You can use either. Because this recipe uses baking soda you don't need to use active starter to create lift.
Expert Tips
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. This ensures the ingredients mix evenly and will give you the best final texture. To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, place the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- You could use regular chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate, but I found mini chocolate chips easier to use when wrapping dough around pieces of caramel.
- Refrigerate the dough for 2-3 hours to allow the flour to fully hydrate and the butter to solidify which will keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly portioned cookies. Take the guesswork out of portioning cookies by using a cookie scoop to make sure each cookie is the same size.
- Alternatively, cut the block of cookie dough into even pieces with a knife.
- My secret for perfectly baked cookies is this AirBake cookie sheet. My cookies bake evenly every time I use these pans. AirBake cookie sheets have two aluminum layers with a layer of air in between them. The layer of air decreases the temperature of the top layer of metal, preventing the bottom of the cookie from browning too quickly. These pans are also really easy to clean. Just wipe them clean with a little soap and hot water. It is not recommended to fully submerge these pans in water or place them in a dishwasher.
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sometimes the caramel leaks out of the cookies. Parchment paper will make removing the cookies from the pan easier.
- Baking times for all recipes are only suggestions. The actual baking time will vary depending on your oven. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
More Cookie Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup sourdough discard room temperature
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 16 caramels
Instructions
- Slice the 8 tablespoons unsalted butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Continue stirring/whisking for about 5-7 minutes, the butter will become a deep amber color. Remove the browned butter from the heat and pour it into a bowl. Allow the butter to cool for 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated white sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the ½ cup sourdough discard, 2 egg yolks, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Add the 2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir until just combined.
- Fold in the 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
- While the dough is chilling, unwrap the 16 caramels and cut each one in half.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough each.
- Break each dough ball in half and sandwich a piece of caramel between the two haves. Smooth the two halves together by rolling the dough between your hands to make a smooth ball. Make sure the caramels are completely sealed inside. Place the balls on the baking sheet leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie. Flatten the balls slightly with your hand to help them spread.
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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