Triple Chocolate Sourdough Brownies (Print version)

Fudgy brownies packed with bittersweet, milk, and semi-sweet chocolate plus sourdough discard for texture.

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate & Cocoa

01 - 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 2 oz milk chocolate, chopped
03 - 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

→ Fats

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Sugar

05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

→ Sourdough & Liquids

07 - 1/2 cup sourdough discard, unfed
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

10 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Chocolate Mix-ins

12 - 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa powder, and butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt over simmering water or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Whisk sourdough discard into the cooled chocolate mixture until fully incorporated.
05 - Add chocolate mixture to egg-sugar mixture and mix gently until combined.
06 - Sift flour and salt together, then fold into batter gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
07 - Gently fold chocolate chips or chunks into the batter.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface evenly.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly. Avoid overbaking to maintain chewy texture.
10 - Cool completely in pan on wire rack before lifting out and cutting into squares.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • Sourdough discard transforms ordinary brownies into something with a fudgy, almost toffee-like complexity that store-bought versions can't touch.
  • Three types of chocolate create layers of flavor that reveal themselves with each bite, from bright cocoa notes to rich, creamy milk chocolate.
  • These actually get better after chilling, so you can bake them guilt-free on a weeknight and enjoy them even more the next day.
02 -
  • Overbaking brownies by even 2-3 minutes turns them cakey instead of fudgy; set a timer and don't trust your eyes alone, because the center will seem raw even when it's perfect.
  • The sourdough discard must be unfed, not recently fed; a freshly fed starter is too active and can throw off both the texture and the acidity balance.
  • Chilling these brownies for at least an hour, or even overnight, makes them significantly chewier and easier to slice cleanly, so plan ahead if you can.
03 -
  • If your sourdough discard smells vinegary and sharp, it's more likely to produce an intensely flavorful brownie; a milder discard will give you a subtler effect.
  • Room temperature eggs are non-negotiable here because they whisk into a stable foam that gives the brownies their structure; cold eggs will never ribbon properly and your brownies will be denser.
  • Line your pan generously with parchment, using the overhang to lift the entire slab out instead of trying to navigate it with spatulas; this is the easiest way to get clean edges.
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