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Gluten-Free Sourdough
Recipe
1 hr

Fudgy Sourdough Brownies

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Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
Author: Aran Goyoaga

Recipe By Aran Goyoaga

Published on September 5, 2025

Use your gluten-free sourdough starter discard to bake up a batch of fudgy brownies with a dense, moist crumb and intense chocolate flavor. Photograph by Aran Goyoaga

Time

1 hr

Yield

Serves 8

Why This Recipe Works

Discard from a gluten-free sourdough starter provided the base for these moist, chocolatey brownies. For a crumb that was fudgy rather than cakey, we opted for whipped eggs instead of chemical leaveners for lift. Using room temperature eggs allowed them to achieve optimal volume; the eggs also added richness and helped bind the brownies together. A mix of dark chocolate (about 70% cacao) and unsweetened cocoa powder added structure and the perfect amount of chocolate, and a few teaspoons of vanilla extract rounded out the flavor. For a thin, shiny crust, we found that superfine sugar was key; using granulated sugar or mixing in brown or coconut sugar added flavor but reduced the shine.

Ingredients

3 large eggs, at room temperature
200 grams granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
180 grams chocolate (70% cacao), coarsely chopped
110 grams unsalted butter
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
150 grams discard from Whole-Grain Brown Rice-Teff Sourdough Starter
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
Flaky sea salt (optional), for topping

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Preheat the oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. Whip the eggs: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and pale in color.
  3. Melt the chocolate: Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan with simmering water. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk the cocoa powder until smooth.
  4. Make the batter: Add the chocolate mixture, sourdough discard, and salt to the egg mixture and whip on high speed until you have a smooth batter, about 30 seconds.
  5. Bake the brownies: Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top cracks.
  6. Cool the brownies: Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.

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Fudgy Sourdough Brownies

Recipe By Aran Goyoaga

Published on September 5, 2025

Time

1 hr

Yield

Serves 8

Fudgy Sourdough Brownies

Ingredients

3 large eggs, at room temperature200 grams granulated sugar2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract180 grams chocolate (70% cacao), coarsely chopped110 grams unsalted butter50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder150 grams discard from Whole-Grain Brown Rice-Teff Sourdough Starter1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher saltFlaky sea salt (optional), for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. Whip the eggs: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and pale in color.
  3. Melt the chocolate: Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan with simmering water. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk the cocoa powder until smooth.
  4. Make the batter: Add the chocolate mixture, sourdough discard, and salt to the egg mixture and whip on high speed until you have a smooth batter, about 30 seconds.
  5. Bake the brownies: Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top cracks.
  6. Cool the brownies: Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.
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