Sourdough Discard Brownies

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Ingredients

• 200 g sourdough starter discard
• 115 g unsalted butter, melted
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 50 g brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 65 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 90 g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
• 85–100 g chocolate, optional

HOW TO MAKE IT

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 × 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Whisk the melted butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined.

3. 3

   Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy, then whisk in the sourdough starter discard.

4. 4

   Fold in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and optional espresso powder just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the optional chocolate.

5. 5

   The finished batter should be smooth, cohesive, and thick. It should ribbon from the whisk in a glossy stream that briefly sits on the surface before melting back in. It should not have butter pools or obvious sugar grit.

6. 6

   Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, checking at 24 minutes. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs rather than wet batter.

7. 7

   Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting. The brownies firm as they sit.