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. 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 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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.
Let's Connect!
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📖 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. 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 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 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.
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