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.
Johanna says
Made these this weekend and they were soooo good. Very dark chocolate. Small bites 😉
Natalie DiPaolo says
Hi! New sourdough gal here. I made these brownies yesterday (first time making sourdough brownies!) and although they turned out delicious, I did have some issues with the final product for which I'm hoping you can provide some insight. When the baking time was up, I used a thermometer to check doneness and it registered at 200 which seems to be past finish temp to brownies, however, the inside of the brownies were quite underdone. I think people like them this way, but they were a little too underbaked for me. Alternatively, the top crust was very stiff and quite hard to cut through, which combined with the gooey center, made a bit of a mess. The weirdest part was the bottom created a weird stiff layer that was really hard to cut through. It wasn't a crusty layer like the top, almost seemed plasticky in texture. Any thoughts? Or did I just somehow mess these up on my own terms lol
Gramma Di says
These are SOOOO good. The only thing I changed is the butter because I didn’t have unsalted so I used regular and left out the salt. THANKS FOR SHARING 😊
Kathi says
WOW!!! I made these yesterday for company we had over and they were AMAZING!!!! Best brownies I ever had, box, recipe, or store bought! They baked beautifully, never sank in the middle, perfectly flat across the top. The taste...out of this this world. I have always loved brownies, tried many recipes, but this is the all time winner!!!
I know I have a lot of exclamation points...BUT THESE BROWNIES DESERVE IT!!
Marlene welch says
Magnificent!!!!!!!
Kara says
Can you use stored discard from the fridge or should it fresh?
Amy says
It can come straight from the fridge!
Kavanah Salatino says
Can I put zucchini in these? How much?
Amy says
You could get away with a cup of shredded zucchini but I would definitely strain as much excess water as possible before adding it to the batter!
Rachel L says
These are now my go-to brownies. Better than all others I’ve tried, both non-sourdough and sourdough. Thank you for your wonderful sourdough recipes — your cinnamon rolls are best I’ve ever had, as are your waffles. And I’ve made a lot of all of them!
VINESH says
Hello - Can I half the recipe by using half measurements for all the ingredients , in this recipe ? It really help to know this please . They look divine - but would be lovely to have a smaller batch recipe for the same sourdough brownies . 😊
Amy says
Yes you can. You will also need to use a smaller baking dish as well. If you don't, the brownies will be thin and you will need to make sure you don't over bake them.
Melissa says
First time ever making homemade brownies ever. These are amazing. My entire house loved them and my little ones complemented again after 15 minutes had passed. I’m new to sourdough, a friend from church gave me some stater and shared your website with me during VBS. So I’m getting the hang of this new thing. Brownies will always be homemade never boxed again always will be this recipe. Pizza dough is next for this house. Thank you so much for sharing.