Sourdough Discard Brownies Sea Salt (Printable)

Fudgy brownies enhanced with sourdough discard and a touch of flaky sea salt for balanced sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup sourdough discard, unfed at 100% hydration
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Mix-ins and Topping

10 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
11 - 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until glossy and well combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until the mixture is thick and lighter in color.
03 - Stir in sourdough discard and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and fine sea salt.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt.
08 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
09 - Let brownies cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Sourdough discard adds subtle tang and moisture that makes these brownies taste more complex than they should.
  • They're fudgy without being dense, and the sea salt on top keeps them from feeling cloyingly sweet.
  • You get to use your starter without guilt, turning waste into something your guests actually ask for the recipe to.
02 -
  • Don't skip the room temperature eggs; cold eggs won't incorporate smoothly and create a grainy batter that bakes into tough brownies instead of fudgy ones.
  • The sourdough discard actually requires less mixing than regular brownie batter because the acidity means gluten development isn't as much of a concern, so you can be even gentler with the folding.
  • Underbaking by a few minutes makes a huge difference; fudgy brownies come from residual heat finishing the cooking as they cool, not from the oven alone.
03 -
  • If your brownies came out too cakey, your sourdough discard was probably too young or too old; aim for that sweet spot when it's been fed a few hours prior but not actively rising.
  • The flaky sea salt is worth buying a small jar of on its own; it transforms not just brownies but also chocolate chip cookies, salted caramel, and even vanilla ice cream.
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