Let’s be honest, that jar of sourdough discard sitting in your fridge is judging you a little.
It knows it’s destined for more than just the compost bin, and I’m here to prove it. This recipe is a beautiful little pact between you and your starter: you give it purpose, and it gives you the most intensely fudgy, deeply chocolatey brownies you’ve maybe ever had.
They’re rich without being overly sweet, with a subtle complexity that makes that 3 p.m. slump feel like a celebration. It’s a clever, almost magical, way to use something you were going to toss, turning everyday staples into something extraordinary.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Gather these simple ingredients. Each one plays a specific, important role in creating that perfect fudgy texture and shiny top.
- Unsalted Butter: Browning it deepens the flavor and removes excess water, keeping the brownies moist but not wet.
- Dutch-process or Natural Cocoa Powder: This is our main chocolate flavor and provides structure without making the brownies tough.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the deal and, when dissolved in the warm butter, is the secret to that classic shiny, crackly brownie crust.
- Eggs: They bind everything together and help create that rich, fudgy interior.
- Sourdough Starter Discard (100% hydration): The star of the show! It adds the perfect amount of flour and moisture without needing extra water, and gives a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: Chopped up and folded in, it creates molten pockets and boosts the chocolate intensity to the max.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: The essential flavor enhancers that make the chocolate sing and keep things from tasting one-dimensional.
The Simple Magic of Fudgy Brownies
What makes these brownies so special isn’t a complex technique, it’s a few smart choices. First, we brown the butter. This isn’t just for a nutty aroma, though that’s a wonderful bonus. It actively cooks off water from the butter, which is crucial because we’re adding hydration back via the wet starter discard. We want moisture, not sogginess.
Then, we skip all dry flour and chemical leaveners like baking powder. The only flour here comes from the starter itself, which means minimal gluten development. The result is a dense, rich, and fudgy bite, much closer to a flourless chocolate cake than a box-mix brownie.
The final trick is dissolving the sugar fully into the warm butter and eggs, which gives you that professional, glossy paper-like top everyone craves.
How to make Fudgy Sourdough Discard Brownies?
Step 1: Prep Your Pan
Heat your oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center. Grab an 8×8-inch metal pan—it conducts heat better than glass for crisp edges.
Give it a light spray with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Cutting a 12-inch square and snipping the corners in lets it fit like a dream, or just criss-cross two strips for easy lifting later.
Step 2: Brown the Butter
Cut your butter into pieces and melt it in a saucepan over medium heat. It will foam and sputter as the water cooks off.
Keep whisking frequently until the butter turns a deep golden brown and smells wonderfully nutty. Pour it immediately, scraping every browned bit, into a large heat-safe bowl.
Step 3: Build the Batter
Whisk the cocoa powder and vanilla directly into the warm brown butter. The heat “blooms” the cocoa, intensifying its flavor beautifully.
Next, whisk in the sugar and salt until combined. Now, beat in the eggs, one at a time, whisking really vigorously for about a minute after each. This is where the magic happens for that shiny top.
Step 4: Fold and Pour
Gently fold in your sourdough starter discard until just combined. No heavy mixing here.
Now, fold in most of your chopped bittersweet chocolate, saving a small handful for the top. Pour the thick, glorious batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out.
Step 5: Bake and Cool
Scatter the reserved chocolate chunks over the top. Bake for 29 to 32 minutes.
A toothpick inserted should come out with some moist crumbs, not clean. Sprinkle with flaky salt right out of the oven, then let them cool completely—this is non-negotiable for the perfect fudgy set.
Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps
Out of something? Don’t panic. You can use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder here without adjusting other ingredients. For the chocolate, any good-quality bittersweet or semisweet bar or chips will work wonders.
If you need a dairy-free version, a plant-based butter that browns (like one with coconut oil) can work, or use 113g of refined coconut oil, heated until warm. For the eggs, a reliable store-bought egg replacer is your best bet for a similar texture.
Tips
- Weigh your ingredients. Especially for the starter and butter, a kitchen scale guarantees perfect results every single time.
- Don’t overbake. The brownies will continue to set as they cool. You want those moist crumbs on the tester.
- Chill for clean cuts. For absolutely perfect, crumb-free squares, pop the cooled pan in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Use any discard. Fresh, ripe discard from the counter or old discard from the fridge both work perfectly here.
Serving and Storing Your Creation
These brownies are a dream on their own, but a cold glass of milk or a cup of black tea turns them into an event. For a fancy twist, warm a square slightly and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Personally, I adore them straight from the fridge—they become even fudgier and more intense. They also freeze beautifully for up to 4 months; just wrap them tightly. You’ll thank yourself later.
Sourdough Discard Brownies Recipe
Description
The easiest rich, fudgy, and glossy brownies using your ripe sourdough starter.
ingredients
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center. Spray an 8×8-inch metal square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all four sides.
-
Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt until foamy, then continue cooking, whisking often, until deeply golden brown and nutty-smelling (3–5 minutes). Immediately pour into a large heat-safe bowl (scraping in all browned bits). You should have about 113g of browned butter.
-
Whisk cocoa powder and vanilla into the warm brown butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Beat in eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously for about 1 minute until glossy. Fold in sourdough discard, then fold in 59g (2 oz) of the chopped chocolate.
-
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle remaining chopped chocolate on top. Bake 29–32 minutes, until a tester comes out with moist crumbs (not gooey). Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool at room temp for 15 minutes, then chill in fridge for at least 20 more minutes (ideally 1 hour).
-
Lift brownies out using parchment overhang. Cut into 9 large, 12 medium, or 16 bite-sized pieces. Store airtight at room temp up to 5 days, in fridge up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 16
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 180kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12g19%
- Saturated Fat 7g35%
- Cholesterol 35mg12%
- Sodium 125mg6%
- Potassium 120mg4%
- Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 18g
- Protein 3g6%
- Calcium 20 mg
- Iron 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Parchment tip: Cut a 12×12-inch square, then cut 2-inch squares from each corner to fit an 8×8-inch pan perfectly.
- For extra fudginess: Chill brownies before slicing—cold = cleaner cuts and denser texture.
- Starter note: Discard can be cold from the fridge or ripe/active—both work!
- Gluten-free option: Not truly GF due to sourdough flour, but can substitute with GF sourdough discard if needed.
