These Sourdough Discard Brownies are super thick, chewy, and fudgy with a beautifully flaky top. Made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, the techniques and ingredients used in this recipe guarantee better-than-box brownies every time.
As someone who loves making everything from scratch, I could never quite nail homemade brownies. They often turned out dry, crumbly, and just not good. So for a while, I gave up and thought maybe the boxed ones were simply better.
But, then I got into sourdough. And, well, you know how that goes.
I began adding sourdough starter or discard to almost every recipe that uses flour. And when it came to sourdough brownies, I knew I needed to give them a try.
Cue tons of recipe testing and research into how to make my ideal brownie - thick and chewy with a gooey, fudgy texture and perfectly crispy, flaky top. I also knew I wanted them to be made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips for a rich, balanced chocolate flavor.
These sourdough discard brownies check all those boxes and more. Plus, you make the batter all in one pot, so cleanup is easy!
I used a few special tricks and ingredients to make these brownies perfect (see details below), like baking in an aluminum pan and dissolving the sugar in the butter. The result was everything I've always wanted homemade brownies to be.
Believe me, once you try these sourdough discard brownies, you won't want store-bought ones ever again!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Sourdough Discard- Brownies have a strong chocolate taste so the tangy sourdough flavor isn't super noticeable. Still, using sourdough discard in brownies is a great way to reduce food waste.
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa- Dutch-processed cocoa is less acidic, has a darker color, and a more balanced chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder. Stick with Dutch-processed cocoa powder; swapping it for natural cocoa powder can mess with the brownie texture due to differences in acidity.
- Chocolate Chips- Partially melting the chocolate chips into the batter helps achieve a crispy, flaky brownie top. Feel free to swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for an equal amount of baking chocolate if preferred.
- Butter & Sugar- Partially dissolving the granulated sugar into the melted butter helps create a shiny, crackly top on the brownies.
- Eggs & Egg Yolks- Swapping out some of the whole eggs for egg yolks gives these brownies a rich, fudgy texture.
- Coffee- Enhances the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. It's optional, but recommended!
- Kosher Salt- Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the brownies.
Choosing the Right Pan: Aluminum vs. Glass and Other Materials
If your brownies always seem undercooked in the middle, your pan might be the problem.
The type of pan you use really matters when baking brownies. Brownie batter is thick, meaning it can take a long time for it to fully cook through. Pans that don't conduct heat well, like glass or ceramic, can lead to burnt edges and raw centers.
On the other hand, aluminum pans heat evenly and quickly, so your brownies bake through without burning. Using aluminum means there's less of a risk of undercooking or overcooking your brownies.
So, if you want to achieve perfect brownies every time, opt for an aluminum pan.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Brownies
Here is how to make my fudgy sourdough brownie recipe.
Step 1: Preparation. Preheat oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and line an 8-inch aluminum square baking pan with parchment paper. Using an aluminum pan is critical for the brownies to cook through evenly.
Step 2: Mix the batter. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the sugar and whisk until well combined and shiny (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time until smooth. Then add cocoa powder, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, coffee (if using), baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined.
Step 3: Finish the batter. Add chocolate chips to the mixture and fold until mostly melted. Then gently fold in the flour until just combined.
Step 4: Bake the brownies. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to get too dark before the brownies are finished baking, loosely cover them with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
Step 5: Cool and serve. Let the brownies cool in the pan for 1 hour before removing them. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice into 16 squares and serve.
Tips for Success
- Use an aluminum pan so that the brownies cook through evenly.
- Weigh ingredients using a food scale for the most accurate results.
- Line the pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make the brownies easier to remove.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent the brownies from becoming tough and dense.
- Let the brownies cool completely before slicing to ensure they set properly and hold their shape when cut.
- Use a wet knife to cut the brownies, rinsing between each pass-through, for cleaner slices with less sticking.
Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?
It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!
Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.
No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.
Let's Connect!
Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams or 2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 ⅓ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 2 large (36 grams) egg yolks
- 1 cup (106 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa
- ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon brewed coffee optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (360 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (130 grams) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and line an 8-inch aluminum square baking pan with parchment paper. Using an aluminum pan is critical for the brownies to cook through evenly.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the sugar and whisk until well combined and shiny (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time until smooth. Then add cocoa powder, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, coffee (if using), baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined.1 cup (227 grams or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, 2 ⅓ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar, 2 large (100 grams) eggs, 2 large (36 grams) egg yolks, 1 cup (106 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa, ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon brewed coffee, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add chocolate chips to the mixture and fold until mostly melted. Then gently fold in the flour until just combined.2 cups (360 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to get too dark before the brownies are finished baking, loosely cover them with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan for 1 hour before removing them. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- Weigh ingredients using a food scale for the most accurate results.
- Let the brownies cool completely before slicing to ensure they set properly and hold their shape when cut.
- If using a larger pan, they will need to bake for less time.
- Storage: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Jen says
I followed instructions and the top of mine got kinda burned and I only bake them for an hour and 10.
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi Jen! So sorry they burnt a bit on top for you! Did you bake them in an aluminum pan? Loosely covering them with foil for the last few minutes of baking can help prevent them from getting too dark on top.
Amanda says
Absolutely loved the way these turned out! I halved the recipe due to not having enough cocoa on hand. Still used a 8x8. Baked for about 35-40 minutes @350. Taste and texture are amazing! Possibly the best brownies I’ve ever had! Thank you!
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi Amanda! Yay!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 I'm so glad you loved them and that they turned out well for you!
Deb Underhill says
These brownies are amazing! They. One out awesome every time I make them.
Big hit with family and friends. Thank you!
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi Deb! It makes me so happy to hear that you and your family and friends enjoyed these brownies. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jms says
Not. Sure where I went wrong but these turned out very dry for me.
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Oh no! I'm so sorry that happened. If no ingredient substitutions were made, a few possible thoughts include overmeasuring the flour or cocoa powder (I recommended weighing them in grams or spooning gently into a measuring cup and leveling it off) or overbaking the brownies if a different size or non-aluminum pan was used. I hope this helps!
Whitnie says
Wanting to make these but don’t have any chocolate chips on hand. Do you think this would still turn out if i omitted the chocolate chips ? Thanks!
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi Whitnie! I've never made these without using the chocolate chips, so I can't say for sure how they might turn out. The chocolate chips add some fat and sugar to the brownies as well as contribute to the chocolate flavor, so it might affect the final texture slightly. Hope this helps!