The Best Fudgy Sourdough Discard Brownies Recipe

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Treat yourself to the most decadent sourdough discard brownies you’ll ever taste! Our easy-to-follow recipe delivers irresistibly thick, fudgy brownies with rich chocolate flavors and gooey centers. Don’t let your sourdough discard go to waste – transform it into mouthwatering delights with this foolproof recipe. Get ready for a chocolatey experience like no other!

Throw out that box mix! These brownies are so easy to make, they come together in just a few minutes and are made with real ingredients.

These delicious brownies will surly satisfy any chocolate cravings you have! Just like Discard Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Focaccia Bread, or Sourdough Banana Bread, this is a great way to use up excess sourdough starter.

Sourdough Brownies vs Regular Brownies?

 If this is your first time making sourdough discard brownies, you’re in for something special. Sourdough brownies are made by adding sourdough discard which flavors your brownies with that traditional sourdough tang that regular brownies don’t have.

While both will have shiny crackly tops, the real difference is within.  The sourdough flavor is just enough to know it’s there without being overpowering. Long ferment for additional health benefits that regular brownies lack. This will quickly become your favorite brownie recipe!

Equipment

• Large bowl or Stand mixer
• Offset spatula
• Wooden Spoon
• Parchment paper
• 9 X 9 baking dish
• Cooling rack

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• Melted butter – I use unsalted butter to make these brownies. If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
• Brown sugar – Adds depth of flavor as well helps to keep the brownies fudgy. Both light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe.
• Granulated sugar –
• Vanilla extract – Store bought or homemade vanilla extract pairs perfectly with chocolate.
• Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature for easy mixing. If you need to warm them up quickly, add the eggs to a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
• Sourdough starter discard – Discard is sourdough starter that hasn’t been fed recently. You can use active sourdough starter, but the tangy flavor won’t be as strong.

Dry Ingredients

• Flour – Use all-purpose or whole wheat flour.
• Salt – Helps to flavor baked goods.
• Cocoa powder – You will want to use Dutch-processed cocoa and not natural cocoa powder for this recipe
• (Optional) Semi-sweet chocolate chip – Gives a nice balance without making the brownies too sweet.

Fudgy Sourdough Discard Brownies Instructions

This sourdough brownie recipe is easy to make mixing by hand, with an electric hand mixer, or stand mixer.

Prepare

Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

Line a 9 X 9 pan with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving enough hanging over the sides of pan to use as handles to easily lift the brownies out of the pan.

Spray foil with cooking spray or grease with a little pat of butter. 

Mixing the Batter

Add melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated to a large bowl and mix to combine.

Next, add the sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and eggs, whisking until all of the ingredients are incorporated. 

In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Pour brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. 

Bake

Place the pan into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. The brownies are done if it’s done insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies comes out clean. It’s ok if there are a few moist crumbs, but if the toothpick comes out full of brownie batter, they aren’t done and will need a few additional minutes.

Cool

Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting. The brownies are delicate while still hot and will set up as they cool.

However, there is nothing like a warm brownie topped with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. It’s the best! Just use a spoon instead of a spatula to serve the brownies.

Storing Brownies

Store the leftover sourdough brownies in an airtight container or place a piece of plastic wrap over the pan and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator they’ll keep longer, up to five days.

To freeze brownies, place them into a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container, removing as much of the air as possible. Label with the date and place into the freezer. Best used within 3 months. 

Can I Make Sourdough Brownies Without Chocolate Chips?

Absolutely! Sourdough discard brownies without chocolate chips are fudgy and full of chocolate flavor. Chocolate chips are added for extra bits of gooey chocolate throughout the brownies, but aren’t needed. Feel free to leave them out and still have a delicious tasting brownie.

Are Sourdough Brownies Healthy?

With just a few simple tweaks, you can improve the health of these sourdough brownies. If you want to use unrefined sugar, swap coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar and white sugar. In addition, swap the all-purpose flour for whole grain flour. Doing a long ferment will help to break down the phytic acid, reduce the gluten content, and makes the nutrients more bioavailable. You guys know how much I love any chance I get to add fermented foods to our diet-even if it’s for a dessert.

Long Fermented Brownies Option

To long ferment you will need two days, so plan accordingly.

Day 1

Combine the flour, sourdough starter, sugars, and half a cup of melted butter in a bowl the night before you plan to bake the brownies. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Day 2

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of fermented brownie batter, stirring to mix well. Continue with baking directions above.

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Tips

• If you want cake-like brownies rather than fudgy brownies, add an extra egg and 1 tsp of baking soda to the batter. Continue baking as stated.
• To make rocky road sourdough brownies omit the chocolate chips from the batter. Toss the chocolate chips, a cup of miniature marshmallows, and a 1/2 cup of peanuts in a bowl to combine. Add over the top of the brownies the last 5 minutes of the bake time.
• Use an 8X8 square pan for thicker brownies.
• Use whatever kind of chocolate chip you love! Milk chocolate chips will add a sweetness to the brownies, while semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips will add a nice contrast to the sweet brownie flavor.

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and rate the recipe. Tag photos #Lockremhomestead over on Instagram to share your Sourdough Discard Brownies! I can’t wait to see them!