The Best Sourdough Discard Brownies You Will Ever Make (with Burnt Butter!)

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These Sourdough Discard Brownies are fudgey in the middle and slightly crinkly on top. They have a rich chocolatey flavour, thanks to the burnt butter and the ratio of cocoa to flour. Adapted from The Little Spoon Farm Sourdough Brownie recipe (because I didn’t have any chocolate on hand), these brownies are cheaper to make but no less delicious!

Why You Need to Make these Sourdough Discard Brownies

• Quick Recipe – unless you want to ferment the batter, this recipe takes about 30 minutes to whip up, with 30 minute baking time. If you’re desperate for dessert, then you will have it in an hour!
• Easy Recipe – no need to cream butter or sugar, no need to stretch and fold, no danger of over-fermenting. This recipe is pretty straightforward, and a gratifying one to pull off.
• Feed your starter – it’s a great recipe to pull out of the bag when you are feeding your sourdough starter. Sourdough bread, AND brownies out of one feeding? Now that’s want I call win-win!
• Cheap to make – this recipe uses only 7 ingredients which are all probably in your pantry anyway. I came up with this recipe when I wanted a dessert but it was too late to go to the shop. I could only use the ingredients I had on hand, i.e pantry staples only. This recipe contains no chocolate nibs or nuts or any other added (and also expensive) garnishes. The flavour and texture are incredible, which just goes to show you need nothing fancy to make a delicious dessert.
• The Burnt Butter makes them taste amazing – burnt butter elevates these brownies and adds that distinctive butterscotch flavour. It’s not necessary, but I am rather addicted to burning butter these days, without regrets!
• Everyone loves them – my kids and my man love these brownies which is handy when it comes to bargaining (“If you eat your dinner….”). This is especially wonderful, seeing as they’re so cheap to make. A cheap treat is something of an anomaly!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients in these brownies are pantry staples, with no odd or expensive items. Unfortunately, they’re not vegan, but they are worth the butter and sugar (because they’re so dang delicious!).

• Butter – this is definitely not a vegan recipe! Browning the butter does not take long and brings a depth of flavour that is sublime (it probably makes up for the lack of melted chocolate). Because the recipe uses butter, do not store these brownies in the fridge, otherwise they will dry out.
• Cocoa – the darker the cocoa, the richer the flavour. If your budget allows, you could sub about a 1/3 of the cocoa for dutch cocoa powder, which adds a luxurious dimension to the brownies.
• Vanilla Essence – Since this recipe does not use chocolate, vanilla essence combines with the cocoa to deliver an authentic chocolatey flavour.
• Eggs – I used 4 small eggs, but if you have larger ones, you could probably reduce that to 3. The eggs help the brownies to rise in the oven and give them a delightful fluffiness.
• Brown Sugar adds more moisture to the mixture, which is why these brownies are so fudgey and gooey. By all means, use regular white sugar, but just keep an eye on it in the oven (they will probably cook faster).
• Sourdough Discard – yes, this is a fantastic recipe when you have sourdough discard on hand! This recipe uses 1/2 a cup. Because of the sourdough discard, you could let the batter rest overnight to make it easier for your digestion. Simply bake in the morning!
• Flour – this recipe uses less flour than cocoa. The flour helps to stabilise the batter and makes it bake beautifully. Sift the flour for a lighter, airier brownie.
• Salt – is incredibly essential in this recipe. A little bit of salt really drives home the chocolate flavour without it seeming too sweet.

Sourdough Discard Brownie Pressure Points

There are a few things you need to take note of to produce the most delicious brownies that eat well.

1. You need to Burn the Butter. Burning the butter adds an amazing flavour dimension to these brownies. As you know, burning the butter brings a caramelly, butterscotchy flavour to baked goods (like these Sourdough Discard Cookies), which is simply divine.
2. You need to whip the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Dissolving the sugar in the eggs means there is no grittiness in the resulting brownie. Plus, the eggs expand in volume, and become incredible thick and luscious. This should take about 7 minutes.
3. You fold the flour in at the end, with minimal strokes. Sifting the flour into the liquid batter and lightly folding it in is a step that should not be compromised. In doing so, you will get a light, airy brownie that is simply divine to eat!
4. Do Not Overbake Brownies – Brownies, by nature, need to be delicately crinkly on top, with a lightly chewy crust and a fudgey centre. I cannot stress enough the importance of not baking the batter too long. There are literally minutes between a perfect brownie and a complete disaster. Keep an eye on it as it gets to the 25 minute mark, and hover until you are satisfied with the result.

How to store Sourdough Discard Brownies

These brownies will keep in an airtight container for up to four days. Do not store them in the fridge, as they will dry out.

If you do not think you will eat them within 4 days, slice and store them in the freezer. Then, you can take out a piece as and when you feel like it. Defrost (or heat in the microwave) and enjoy!

Crazy ways to enjoy these Delicious Brownies

Sourdough Discard Brownies are such a versatile treat that can be enjoyed on their own or as the building block of a decadent dessert. Check out some of these ideas below:

• With Whipped Cream and Raspberry Coulis
• Warm with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce
• In a Trifle, with a Berry Jelly and Vanilla Custard
• Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache, Nuts and Cream
• Chopped up and Swirled through Vanilla Ice Cream
• White Chocolate Covered Cake Pops