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If you’ve been looking for a rich, gooey way to use up your sourdough discard, these easy sourdough brownies are exactly what you need. They’re dense and fudgy with a shiny, crackly top, just the way a brownie should be, and the addition of sourdough starter gives them deeper flavor and keeps them moist for days (if they even last that long).
If you don’t have a sourdough starter, our condensed milk brownies are extra fudgy and so simple. Or, check out our post for how to make a Sourdough Starter.
Why This Sourdough Brownie Recipe Works
Great Use for Sourdough Discard: Don’t toss that starter! These brownies turn your discard into rich, chocolatey goodness. No fermentation or rise time required.
Fudgy, Gooey Texture: With plenty of butter, eggs, and just the right amount of flour, you get that chewy center and soft bite every brownie should have.
Shiny, Crackly Top: Heating the butter with sugar helps dissolve some of the sugar crystals, giving you that bakery-style glossy top without any extra steps.
Big Chocolate Flavor: Cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and optional chocolate chips bring layers of chocolate intensity in every bite. And if you’re into extra-rich brownies, don’t miss my brownies with cream cheese frosting.
If you’re building a collection of sourdough discard recipes, don’t miss our sourdough cake donuts.
Recipe Tips
Use fresh discard for milder flavor: The older your sourdough discard is, the more sour and acidic it will taste. For brownies that don’t lean tangy, try to use discard that’s no more than a week old and kept in the fridge.
Weigh your flour: Measuring by weight helps avoid adding too much flour, which can make the brownies dry or cakey. If you’re using measuring cups, spoon the flour in lightly and level it off.
Don’t skip the stovetop step: Heating the butter and sugar together is one of the best tricks for getting that shiny, crackly brownie crust you see in bakery-style brownies.
Check early and use a thermometer if you can: Brownies can go from fudgy to overbaked fast. Start checking around 22 minutes. The center should look slightly underdone, but the edges should be set. If you’re using a thermometer, look for a center temp between 185°F and 198°F.
These freeze well: Let the brownies cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. You can thaw them at room temp or warm them gently for that fresh-baked texture.
Enjoy them plain or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They’re also epic served up brownie sundae style, topped with Butterscotch Sauce or homemade Salted Caramel.
Want cookies instead of bars? These sourdough chocolate cookies are just as rich and chocolaty, with that same deep flavor from the discard.
The Best Sourdough Discard Brownies
These sourdough brownies are one of our favorite ways to use up discard. They are easy to make, loaded with rich chocolate flavor, and perfect for anyone who loves a dense, fudgy brownie with a crackly top. This is an easy sourdough dessert that will keep your starter waste to a minimum.
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Sourdough Brownies
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, (16 tablespoons, 227 grams)
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar, (450 grams)
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (56 grams)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (85 grams)
- ½ cup sourdough discard, (120 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with non stick spray.
- Place the butter and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the better melts. Continue to cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes (this will help some of the sugar dissolve and give the brownies a shiny top).
- Remove from heat and toss in the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Stir until all the chocolate melts.
- Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir for a few minutes until it cools down slightly. Stir in the sourdough starter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Place a sifter over the bowl and sift the flour, salt, espresso powder, and baking powder over the batter. Stir until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter into the 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 22 to 28 minutes or until the edges look set. If you have an instant read thermometer the center of the brownies will be 185°F to 198°F when done.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Do I use active sourdough or discard?
Use your discard for this recipe. Thanks for the question, I will clarify that in the recipe card.
This is the brownie recipe I’ve been searching for. Wow! I’ll never make them another way. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
That’s the best compliment I could hope for. Thanks so much for trying it and letting me know how it turned out!
Finally, the shiny top!!! These are so light and fluffy and chocolately delicious.
Yes! That shiny top is always a win! So happy you loved the brownies, thanks for the comment.
I made this recipe today!! I swapped all the dairy ingredients for non diary and it turned out perfectly!! I used dairy free chocolate chips and dairy free butter and you can’t even tell!
I’m so glad to hear that this recipe worked well with non-dairy ingredients. Thanks for the comment.
These are THE ONLY brownies I will make now. Made them 4 times with different variations like peanut butter swirl, walnuts, pecans. My extended family asks for them all the time.
Connie, we are so pleased that this brownie recipe works for you. I love your creative ideas!
What are the measurements for everything?
There is a printable recipe card just above this section where you left a comment.
Would this recipe still work with cocoa powder only? I just realized I have no chocolate in the whole house! 🤦🏻♀️
I haven’t tested the recipe with cocoa powder only.
Made these last night and I AM OBSESSED! SOOO GOOD!
I was just wondering if I could do less sugar.. or do you think it would ruin the recipe/ consistency.. ?
Thank you, that makes my day. I haven’t tested these with less sugar. The sugar plays an important roll in the texture, fudginess, and moisture. I’m sure you can cut back a bit, but probably not by much without making a difference in that ultra rich texture.
The edges of brownes baked nicely . I baked them for 28 min. I let them cool. When I cut them all but the edges were totally raw even though my thermometer read 198 f. So I put them back in oven for another ten min. Still not done. Trying another 20 minutes. Hopefully they won’t be a waste of expensive ingredients and my time. They do smell delicious.
Brownies can trick you. Even after they seem cool, the chocolate needs more time to set and firm up. If you cut into them and they were too gooey, you probably needed to let them sit longer to let the melted chocolate to set. If your thermometer is accurate, they were done the first time. This recipe is extra fudgy so they will need some time to cool and set up.
I like to use sourdough discard to the baked sweets too. These brownies look terrific!
angiesrecipes
Thanks Angie. They sure do disappear fast!