Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
The perfect fudgy brownie with a crackly top is made even better with a dash of sourdough discard. Can a brownie be both fudgy and airy at the same time? Yep!
A brownie can be both fudgy and airy if you add a cup of sourdough discard to the batter. These brownies are nice and rich, but with a surprisingly light crumb thanks to a little lift from the natural yeast in the sourdough starter.
But wait, there’s more…
The discard also enhances the flavor of the brownie. There’s a slight background tang that somehow makes the chocolate flavor even more chocolatey. It’s so, so good.
If you don’t have one, check out my post to learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then check out my system to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter.
If you’re still craving chocolate but want something a little lighter than a brownie, you can make Sourdough Chocolate Cake too.
Scroll through the step by step photos to see how to make fudgy Sourdough Brownies:
Tips for making and storing Sourdough Brownies:
- The recipe can be halved and baked in an 8″ or 9″ square pan.
- Unfed sourdough starter will add a tangy flavor to the batter. I got great results with a starter that had been in the refrigerator, unfed, for about a week.
- Butter the pan and line with parchment paper. This not only prevents sticking, it makes it much easier to lift the brownies out of the pan.
- Stirring the batter vigorously after adding the eggs will incorporate air into the batter. This will help form a crust on the top of the brownies. If you prefer a soft top on your brownies, you can skip that step.
- Cool the brownies in the pan then use the parchment to transfer them to a cutting board.
- To appreciate the subtle tangy flavor, I prefer to serve these spectacular brownies without any frosting
- The Brownies will keep at room temperature for several days.
- Leftover brownies can be frozen. Layer them with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together. They’re delicious straight from the freezer or defrosted.
You might like these other fabulous brownie recipes: Classic Fudgy Brownies, Habanero Brownies, Chocolate Cherry Brownies, Malted Milk Brownies, Roasted Beet Brownies, and White Chocolate Raspberry Brownies.
You might also like these recipes for the brownies’ cousin, Butterscotch Ripple Blondies and Malted Milk Blondies
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.
You might also want to try Sourdough Shortbread or Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies made with sourdough powder.
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Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
Ingredients
- 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
- 8 oz unsalted butter (cut into 1″ chunks)
- 8 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 4 oz brown sugar (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 8 oz sourdough discard (1 cup)
- 2 ½ oz all purpose flour (½ cup, see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Butter a 13"x9" inch baking pan. Line the pan in one direction with parchment paper.
- Combine 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate and 8 oz unsalted butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir to combine. Microwave in 30 second increments (stirring between) until all the chocolate is melted.
- Add 8 oz granulated sugar, 4 oz brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, stir to combine. Add 3 large eggs, stir until combined then stir vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Fold in8 oz sourdough discard. Add 2 ½ oz all purpose flour and stir just until combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake until the brownies puff up a bit and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (30 minutes).
- Cool in the pan to room temperature then refrigerate until the brownies are firm. Use the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan onto a cutting board.
- Cut into 24 portions.
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I normally make bite-sized Nutella brownies for all of the football gatherings we host or attend. But since I received a gift starter a few weeks ago, I really wanted to try out some of your discard recipes because I hated throwing it out when I fed the starter, and I just don’t let myself bake as often as I’d l. My husband was quite upset with me until he tasted these. These.Are. Amazing! Flavor was so nice without being too overly sweet like some brownies can be. Definitely in the rotation! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Thank you for the recipe! I think my discard was a little too active because the brownies rose quite a bit. They are like a light but very chocolatey spongy cake. I prefer a dense fudgy brownie but these were a wonderful change of pace and a great way to use discard.
Yes, I’ve made these several times and the texture will depend on your starter. I love these made with really ripe starter. Next time you can leave the discard at room temp for a day or two before making the brownies to get a real tang without any rise.
Could I leave the batter to ferment overnight? My stomach isn’t good with grains unless they’re fermented… But these look delicious!
I wouldn’t leave a batter with eggs overnight at room temperature. You could leave the batter in the refrigerator.
Just made the sourdough brownies. I’m not sure they are done in the center. My toothpick keeps coming out looking wet. In even cooked them 10 minutes longer. I am going to let them cool and see what they are like in the morning.
How long would you recommend baking these if I only trust myself with a half recipe?
The times listed in a recipe are always just an estimate since there are many factors that contribute to the exact number of minutes. But I would start checking the brownies at 15 minutes and take them out of the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes away with a few wet crumbs.
Hi Eileen,
Can I put refrigerate the batter and bake it next day – for gluten sensitivity.