Double Chocolate Sourdough Brownies
Sourdough brownies are an ultra fudgy, and rich and delicious dessert that uses your sourdough discard. They are easy and quick to make, so you can enjoy them whenever you have sourdough discard to use. A great recipe to use your sourdough starter!
These sourdough brownies are rich, super fudgy, and melt in your mouth delicious. They are also made with your sourdough starter, which in my mind instantly makes anything that much cooler. The sourdough doesn’t lend its typical sour tang here, but instead helps to cut the sweetness while upping the richness.
These brownies hit me like a tidal wave. They have been in the background of my mind since I first thought of them a few months ago, but suddenly I had to make them this very second.
And oooooh buddy, you need to make them this very second, too.
First of all, they are probably the best brownies I have ever eaten. They have an intense chocolate flavor with a dense, smooth and ultra fudgy texture. The sourdough adds a little tang to it, but mostly helps to increase the richness and intensity of the chocolate.
In fact, it might not be a good idea for me to be home alone with this whole pan tonight… Joel took one bite and backed away, waving a white flag. He said if he ate any more he would eat the whole pan right then and there.
If you have been debating whether to get off your butt and make a starter, let this be your inspiration! (Here is a great article on feeding your sourdough starter!). Yes, you do need a sourdough starter to make this recipe. If you don’t have one, Bless this Mess has a great article on how to make a sourdough starter.
What can you do with sourdough starter? Basically, everything! Check out over 60 great sourdough recipes, including:
Make sure you also check out my top 10 easy recipes that use sourdough discard for more ideas for how to use your sourdough starter in quick ways!
How to Make Sourdough Brownies
These sourdough brownies are easy to make and a fun way to use your sourdough discard. For the full recipe, keep on scrolling, but here is an overview of how to make them:
- Prepare an 8×8 or a 9×9 pan by lining it with parchment paper and smearing it with butter. Do NOT use a 9×13 unless you are doubling the recipe, otherwise the brownies will be too thin and will be over baked.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt on high for 30 seconds. Give it a really good stir and then pop it back into the microwave. Continue melting in 15 second internals and stirring until the chocolate and butter are both melted and everything is smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a large bowl and whisk in the sugar, salt, and vanilla.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
- Sift in the cocoa powder.
- Stir in the sourdough starter gently until everything is just combined and you don’t see streaks of starter.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30- 40 minutes, or until done.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing from the pan to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes: **It is important to not over-bake these sourdough brownies! Bake them just until a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean. After about 20 minutes of baking, check them often!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some great recipes notes to help you get the best brownies you can!
What size pan should I use?
For this recipe I recommend using an 8×8 inch pan. A 9×9 will also work but your brownies will be a little thinner. Please do NOT use a bigger size pan like a 9×13 pan because the brownie will be too thin and will be overbooked. If you use a 9×13 pan you need to double the recipe.
How to store these brownies
These brownies will keep covered on the counter for 2-3 days. They will keep a few days longer in the fridge.
If you store them on the counter they have a more cake like density, but if you store them in the fridge and serve them cold, they have an ultra-fudgey texture.
How do I serve sourdough brownies?
These sourdough brownies are perfect on their own, or serve them with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. They are already rich, so I don’t think they need any frosting. However, you do you, if that’s what you want!
Like I said before, serving these brownies colds gives them a more fudge like density with a really intense flavor! This is how I like to eat them!
Recipe notes:
Your sourdough starter can change the texture of the sourdough brownies.
- As written, this recipe yields a more cake like texture of brownie.
- If you want a denser, chewier brownie, use less sourdough starter (so about ¼ cup).
What kind of sourdough starter should I use?
These brownies should be made with a 100% hydration sourdough starter.
I typically make these with discard from a feed, but you can use it straight out of the fridge or after a feed, too.
How to make variations of this recipe:
You can add in different ingredients to change up your sourdough brownies.
Try adding:
- chopped walnuts or pecans
- dried cranberries
- white chocolate chips
My other favorite brownie recipes:
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
- Amazing Black Bean Brownies
- Chocolate Stout Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirls
- Green Matcha Tea Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
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Mega Chocolate Sourdough Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into pieces (1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 whole eggs room temperature
- ½ cup 100% hydration sourdough starter discard room temperature
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F
- Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper and coat the paper in butter (if you leave some hanging over the edges, it makes it really easy to lift the brownies out of the pan!).
- In a double broiler, saucepan, or the microwave, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir it often so it does not burn.
- Pour the melted chocolate/butter into a large bowl.
- Whisk in the sugar, salt and vanilla.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine each addition.
- Sift the cocoa powder over the chocolate and stir to combine.
- Add the starter and stir gently until it is completely incorporated and you don't see any streaks of starter.
- Place the batter into the prepared pan evenly and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 20 minutes (this is the hardest part), lift the parchment paper out and allow to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.
- When cool completely, cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Sourdough brownies? Sounds delicious!
My chocolate and sour dough loving husband would really like these!
I love the look of these brownies. So dense and decadent!
What an interesting idea to use sourdough in brownies. They certainly do look fudgy. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till Monday night and I'd love it if you'd come by and link your brownies up.
Wow. I just made a batch and these are AMAZING. What an interesting way to use your starter.
Sam, I am so glad you loved them! They are super fudgy and fun! 🙂
So so good! adding cream cheese next time to balance out the tart from my sourdough starter. super fudgy and so good!
So I just made these brownies and I have to say they are nothing like what has been described. They were not fudgy at all. They were so dry they fell apart when cutting – I cooked them for only 35 minutes too. The 9×13 pan made them thinner than what I expected, but about an inch thick, so maybe they would have been better in a 9×9 pan, but not sure about that either. I probably will not be trying these again. Not sure what went wrong. I was so looking forward to having yummy sourdough brownies.
Hi Kat! I am sorry to hear that your brownies did not turn out as expected! They should have been very fudgey and should not have given you that much trouble. I will update this recipe with better process photos so you can see! What hydration was your sourdough starter at?
Hi there — thanks for the recipe! I did it in a 9 by 9 pan but noticed the batter didn’t really cover the whole pan and the brownies came out pretty thin (like 1” or so) Is this due to my starter? I used unfed discard (1/2 cup). Would you suggest adding baking soda or powder in addition to ensure rise? Thank you
Mine was the same result. Roughly 1” in a 9×9 and more cake like than fudge. But I think I’ll try again with an extra egg as I used “large” vs “extra-large” eggs.
My brownies turned out a bit like Kat’s. I too used a lgr pan (11″x9″) because I don’t have a 9×9, so mine were thin. But they were somewhat fudgey, somewhat sweet, a bit sour from the sour starter, but decent flavor. I suspect the other problem I had may be my hydration level. But, I don’t know what that means. What is 100% vs 50% hydration??
Hydration refers to how you feed your starter. 100% hydration means that you feed it equal parts water and flour. I do mine just under so I do 90g flour and 80g water.
The recipe calls for 9×9 pan … that is probably what went wrong for you, as you used 13×9. Sorry!
Directions called for 9 by 9 pan. Maybe that’s the difference?
I love the sourdough to make these brownies over the top delicious! So moist and flavorful.
I’ve never heard about sourdough in a brownie but as someone who loves dark chocolate, this brownie sounds so heavenly!
These are my kind of fudgy brownies!
I made these in an 8×8 pan and they came out AMAZING!!!!!
Just made these…Delicious!!!Wondering if I can double the recipe. I may try that next time because they are so good, my family is gonna devour them too quickly:)
Hi Monica! You can definitely double the recipe! Just make sure you have enough starter on hand!
Would love to make these, but have only unsweetened baking chocolate in the house right now. Any suggestion as to how I could adjust sugar content for this?
Hi Erin! I would go ahead and give it a try as the recipe is written. The brownies are fairly rich as is, so the reduced sugar in the chocolate shouldn’t be that big of a deal. And if they end up not being as sweet as you like – add some frosting! 🙂
Thank you— I will!!
I doubled this recipe and put them in a 9X13 pan. Very yummy. Mine turned out cake-like and I only baked them for 35 minutes, but my husband prefers brownies that way, so it’s a win. I’ll definitely make them again- it is a great use of discarded starter, which I just keep collecting in the fridge until I use it for something like this. I will probably reduce the amount of salt slightly next time.
Yum. Thanks for this recipe.
My first batch are in the oven now. They smell so good, and I love that the prep was so easy.
Thanks for the recipe.
These are so yummy, I keep them in the fridge and they are so fudgey. I cut them small so I can enjoy a small taste now and then. Although the two batches I have made both only needed 20 minutes in the oven cooking time. Thank you for a great recipe.
I used a 9×9 pan and it did not rise at all. I kept thinking I was missing something as there’s no baking powder/soda or additional flour besides the starter?
Hi Theresa! These brownies don’t rise very much – they are more fudgey than cake like.
Very spongy… not good
Hi there – what can I use instead of the chocolate, more cocoa powder? Thanks
I have made these 3… maybe 4 times since March – they are one of my favorite discard recipes, and exactly what I want in a brownie!
Today I made them for an event that is in 3 days. Do you have any recommendations on how to store them until then?
Thanks!
Hi Jenni,
Thank you so much for this recipe, it’s such a great use for my abundant discard! I doubled the recipe and cooked in a mini muffin tin to make brownie bites, just reduced baking time to 18 minutes, otherwise followed your recipe. They turned out delicious, very fudgey and moist! The whole family loved them. I had some extra batter so my daughter suggested baking it in the regular sized muffin tin with a bit of cream cheese “surprise” in the middle. Amazing!
Will be making this again for sure!
Oh, that sounds like a great idea! So glad your family is enjoying them!
Hey Jenni,
These are by far the best brownies I’ve made!! I no longer have any starter going, do you think replacing with milk or maybe cream work?
I made this recipe with half the sourdough as recommended. They were fudgy but too salty and not sweet enough.
The first ingredient reads, “¾ CUP of bittersweet chocolate, chopped.” I’m wondering if that should be “¾ LB. (i.e., 12 oz.) of bittersweet chocolate.”
3/4 CUP of bittersweet chocolate, chopped is correct!
Or do you mean ¾ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate? I’ve always understood the format “measurement ingredient, chopped” to mean that you measure out the ingredient and then chop it, whereas “measurement chopped ingredient” means to measure the ingredient after chopping it.
@Jenni, I’m still confused. Baking chocolate usually comes in bar form. Are you referring to chocolate chips?
Hi Cathy, Thanks so much for being so concerned about proper notation. You are right, the CORRECT way to label it should be “3/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate”, however this is the way that my recipe card prints it and I can’t change that. You can find bittersweet chocolate in both bar and chip form, so please feel free to use whatever form you can find and measure out 3/4 cup of it.
These brownies are fudgy but still light and fluffy. Perfect combination!!! So quick to make and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream.
These brownies are amazing ! Thank you for a wonderful sourdough discard recipe. I made the recipe exactly as written and LOVED it ! My whole family thinks they’re great