Sourdough Brownies
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 vanilla cake, 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.
These have become my GO-TO brownies! I tend to need to bake them closer to 50+ minutes for them to be fully set, and they are glorious. Everyone who tries them raves about them. They’re extra tasty with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Great recipe! I doubled the recipe and used muffin tins with parchment liners. I made 24 regular-sized “muffins” and 24 mini-sized. I put a peanut butter swirl filling and baked at 350 for 21 minutes and 13 minutes, respective to size. I used a variety of chocolate - Ghirardelli baking bars and chips; milk, semisweet, and bittersweet. I bake several times a week and these were a standout bake!
The house smells SO good right now. We are having a hard time waiting for them to cool enough to sneak a sample bite. No way will they make it to the completely cool down stage. Very easy to make. I was so confident, I doubled the recipe. Good thing. Thank you. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
I'm new to making sourdough recipes. I only just started my sourdough starter and it isn't ready to use yet, but when it is ready can I use the starter or do I have to wait for the discard?
Hi Victoria, you can use either. If you decide to use active starter, just make sure to stir it down to get all the bubbles out so it's the same measurement as discard.
Could it be long fermented.
Yes it can. You can ferment on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge. If you ferment in the fridge, the batter will solidify, so you will need to bake it for a few extra minutes.
Absolutely wonderful! I’m wondering if anyone tried making with less sugar? They were quite sweet for my tasting.
I used about 40% less sugar and still delicious! it didn't seem to affect the bake significantly.
Love a discard recipe! This one is fabulous (as is your cinnamon rolls)
Thank you!
Truly amazing! This is my second time making these! First time I wasn’t sure if I was over cooking them or under. I under cooked them but we still ate them!! Second time I put mine in a 9x13 to make them a little thinner and they are perfect all the way through. Thank you!
Thank you, Tiffany!
Absolutely fabulous! I am always on the hunt for recipes to use up sourdough discard and this is an excellent recipe. I would recommend getting a sourdough starter going just to use this recipe! I hate when people review recipes and make changes, so I will consider mine “additions” and not changes. This is technically true because I didn’t change the basic recipe any and only added 50 g of mini semisweet morsels and 50-60 g of chopped walnuts to the flour step. The taste and texture of these brownies are exactly what brownies are supposed to be: dense and fudgey with a crackle top and a deep chocolate flavor achieved with the sourdough undertone pushing the chocolate to decadent level! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
This brownie recipe is the best I've had yet! The fudgy texture is next level. I slightly underbaked them so will definitely lean more towards 40 minutes than 35 but they're still amazing. I can't wait for more discard to make these!
I’ve gotten nothing but rave reviews on these brownies! They are so delicious! I have a 9x13 of them cooling right now to take away this weekend to share with friends and family. Quick, easy and delicious!