Triple Chocolate Sourdough Brownies (Printable version)

Fudgy brownies blending three chocolates and tangy sourdough discard for deep flavor and chew.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 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 intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Whisk sourdough discard into the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated.
05 - Add the chocolate mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and blend gently until combined.
06 - Sift flour and salt together. Fold gently into batter using a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
07 - Gently fold chocolate chips or chunks into the batter.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
09 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly. Do not overbake to maintain chewy texture.
10 - Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before lifting out and cutting into squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard transforms ordinary brownies into something unexpectedly complex, with a tang that makes the chocolate sing without tasting sour.
  • Three chocolates mean you get bittersweet depth, milk chocolate richness, and cocoa intensity all working together in a way that single-chocolate brownies just can't match.
  • That slightly wobbly center stays chewy even after cooling, giving you that bakery-quality texture that requires zero special technique.
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy here—those brownies will firm up as they cool, and pulling them out when the center still looks slightly underdone is the only way to get that signature fudgy texture.
  • Sourdough discard strength varies wildly depending on how old it is and what you've been feeding it; if your sourdough is very active, use slightly less and taste the batter if you're nervous about it overpowering the chocolate.
03 -
  • Don't skip sifting the flour and cocoa—it breaks up any lumps and creates a finer, more tender crumb than mixing them in loose.
  • If your sourdough discard is separated with liquid on top, stir it back together before measuring; that liquid is part of what makes the batter work.
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