This recipe makes the best sourdough brownies. They are rich and fudgy, with thick gooey centers and shiny crackly tops. Don't throw away that sourdough discard. Make a sweet treat and satisfy your chocolate cravings at the same time!
If you have a sourdough starter, then you're bound to end up with discard and don't want to throw it away. That's one of the reasons why we love to share sourdough discard recipes.
This recipe for sourdough brownies is sure to make any chocolate lover very, very happy!
Recipe highlights
- great use for sourdough discard: Cut down on food waste. There's no need to throw away starter when you have a good recipe to use it in!
- thick and fudgy: These bad boys are full of ooey, gooey goodness, with fudgy centers and crackly tops.
- rich chocolate flavor: These sourdough brownies are everything you think of when you're craving a decadent chocolate dessert.
- easy to make: This is a simple brownie recipe that only requires a few steps and common pantry ingredients.
What you'll need
- eggs, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar: You'll beat these together to make a "meringue" that creates that beautiful, shiny crust on top!
- butter, dutched cocoa powder, vanilla extract and chocolate chips: These ingredients get melted together on the stovetop. The heat "blooms" the chocolate, bringing out even more depth of flavor.
- flour and salt: These are added last and folded in with a spatula to keep the batter from being over-mixed.
Step by step instructions
Before you start mixing the ingredients, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a 9" x 9" baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 1: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the vanilla extract and chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate has melted. Add the cocoa powder and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside and allow it to cool.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes. Add the sourdough starter discard and chocolate mixture to the bowl and beat on low speed to combine.
Step 3: Add the flour and salt to the bowl and use a spatula to gently stir them into the batter.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the baking dish, smooth evenly and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the baking dish before cutting into squares.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the brownies are done? It's important not to over-bake the sourdough brownies. You'll know when they are done when the edges are set but still appears slightly under baked in the center. The brownies will continue to cook as they cool in the pan, which is another reason they must cool before you cut them!
What kind of flour should I use for brownies? All-purpose flour is best for baking brownies. Cake flour should be avoided as it will produce a brownie with less structure and be soft and "cake-like".
Can I use regular cocoa powder? Yes you can. We've tested this recipe with cocoa powder and separately with dutched cocoa powder. Both produced excellent results. Use dutched cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Can I use only one type of sugar in this recipe? Yes you can. We like the added depth of flavor brown sugar adds, but feel free to use all brown sugar or all granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture to the batter so you may need to adjust baking time if you alter the recipe.
Do I have to use parchment paper? No, but it is highly recommended for two reasons. Not only does parchment paper prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan, it acts like a sling to easily lift them up and out in one big piece before cutting into squares.
How to store and freeze
- To Store: Allow the brownies to cool completely after they come out of the oven. Store them in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. Keep them at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: After brownies have cooled, wrap individual baked brownies in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Allow brownies to thaw, if frozen. Place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds on high.
Recommended kitchen tools
- 9" x 9" baking dish (affiliate link)
- electric mixer (affiliate link)
- heavy saucepan (affiliate link)
More easy sourdough discard recipes
Looking for an easy recipe to make with your sourdough discard? Make something fun like homemade sourdough sugar cookie bars, sourdough pop tarts, sourdough chocolate chip cookies or double chocolate sourdough muffins.
Don't have a sweet tooth? Bake up an easy snack of sourdough discard crackers. Or try one of our reader favorites, sourdough pizza crust, for a delicious brick-oven style pizza at home!
Browse through our collection of sourdough discard recipes to find something your family will rave about!
Sourdough Brownies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter
- 12 oz. (340 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (40 g) dutched cocoa powder (or regular cocoa powder)
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a 9" x 9" baking dish with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla extract and dutched cocoa powder. Stir the ingredients until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from the burner and set it aside to cool down.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 7-10 minutes. Add the sourdough discard and chocolate mixture to the bowl beat on low until combined. Add the flour and salt and stir with a spatula until just combined. (The batter will be very thick.)
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan after they come out of the oven. Remove the brownies from the pan by lifting them with the parchment paper and cut into squares.
NOTES
- To Store: Allow the brownies to cool completely after they come out of the oven. Store them in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. Keep them at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- To Freeze: After brownies have cooled, wrap individual baked brownies in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Keep in the freezer for up to three months.
- To Reheat: Allow brownies to thaw, if frozen. Place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds on high.
Beth says
So good. My batter was a little thinner and I had to bake a little longer but came out chocolatey fudgy and thick. So good. Will make tomorrow again for super bowl🤗
Elma says
Made this today. It was very good!! I used all 3 eggs. I don’t think it was too sweet. I think it has a well balanced taste. I baked mine for just 35 minutes as I have a convection oven. Will definitely make this again! Thank you for the recipe!
Amy says
You're welcome Elma! 🙂
Breezy S. says
Love this recipe and am so grateful for it! My husband has a few allergies and this is the only brownie recipe I've found that reacts well to plant based butter and egg replacer.
We usually decrease the sugar which works well. Also tastes amazing with raspberries in them.
Amy says
That's wonderful to hear! 🙂
Stephanie S says
What egg replacer do you have success with?
Maggie Mae says
Such amazing brownies! I baked mine with olive oil instead of butter because it’s all I had on hand and they turned out great still! I also only used two eggs and I cup of packed brown sugar because again, all I had on hand! Even with these subs they turned out so delicious and perfect! Thank you for a great recipe!:)
Amy says
Thank you Maggie Mae! 🙂
Beth says
Super fudgy brownies. Only my youngest said "too much chocolate" but is that even possible? Will make again for special occasion. Did create more dirty dishes than I like to wash, which is why it will be special occasion only.
Lucy says
Came out amazing, mine baked for about 40 min. Question about the eggs, has anyone tried 3 eggs instead of 2 eggs and one yolk? I going to try it for the second batch and see.
Tamarica Hartman says
Just pulled these out of the oven about 20 minutes ago made my husband try them and he said he didn’t think they would be that good, but are awesome! This is my first discard recipe and it didn’t disappoint can’t wait for the kids to get home to try them!! Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
Thank you Tamarica! So glad to hear you enjoyed the brownies so much 🙂
Jason says
After reading the reviews. I added 10 minutes to the bake time and made them in a 9x13 instead of 9x9. I also stirred in some Dark chocolate chips while adding the flour and salt. Turned out great, thanks for a great discard recipe!
Amy says
Hi Jason! Thanks for sharing your baking tips with everyone! 🙂
Lynn says
I made these lectin free by subbing dairy free butter, swerve sweeteners, flax eggs, soda water for the egg yolk and using equal parts almond, sorghum and millet flour. I also used dark chocolate chips instead of semi sweet. Baked perfectly but I left them in for an additional 10 min just to be safe- sooooo delicious!!!! 10/10!
Amy says
Thanks for sharing Lynn! 🙂
Audrey says
These are fabulous tasting brownies! I added some chopped walnuts because we like them. Also substituted coconut oil for butter -which I would not recommend. It made the brownies very oily so I put them on paper towels when cooking which helped.
Amy says
Thank you for sharing Audrey! 🙂