Sourdough Discard Brownies Sea Salt (Printable Version)

Fudgy sourdough discard brownies with chocolate chips and flaky sea salt topping 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 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 thoroughly after each addition until the mixture becomes 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. Avoid overmixing.
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.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally has a purpose beyond guilt and the trash bin.
  • These brownies taste like they've been developing flavor for weeks, but they take less than an hour from start to finish.
  • That sea salt flakes moment hits different—it's the kind of finishing touch that makes people ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Overbaking these by even two minutes shifts them from fudgy to cakey—start checking at 28 minutes and trust the toothpick test.
  • Room temperature eggs and melted butter create a totally different texture than cold ingredients whisked together, so don't skip the small details.
03 -
  • Use unfed sourdough discard at its tangiest for maximum flavor impact—the starter doesn't need to be active or bubbly.
  • Invest in good flaky sea salt for topping; the coarser crystals taste like intentional contrast rather than just salt dissolving into the crumb.
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