Sourdough Brownie Muffins

Sourdough Brownie Muffins—a brilliant way to use your sourdough discard. They have the deep, rich chocolate flavor of a brownie, the perfect portable shape of a muffin, and just a subtle tang from the sourdough that intensifies the chocolate without making them taste sour.

This is a no-wait, same-day recipe that uses discard purely for flavor and moisture (not leavening), so there’s no rising time required.

Sourdough Brownie Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 22-25 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

• ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed for deepest flavor, natural is fine)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional, but it makes chocolate taste intensely richer)

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ½ cup (120g) sourdough discard (unfed, straight from the fridge is fine)

• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

Mix-Ins

• 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, plus extra for topping

• Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional, but excellent)

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously with butter and cocoa powder (cocoa powder prevents white residue on chocolate muffins, unlike flour).

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder if using. Make sure the cocoa powder is thoroughly mixed with no lumps.

3. Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together vigorously until smooth and combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the sourdough discard until fully incorporated and the mixture looks glossy.

4. Alternate Wet and Dry: Add one-third of the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a spatula. Pour in half of the milk and fold. Repeat, ending with the final third of dry ingredients. Fold just until no streaks of flour remain—overmixing will make the muffins tough. The batter will be thick but scoopable.

5. Add Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the 1 cup of chocolate chips, reserving a few for the tops.

6. Fill and Top: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups; they will be nearly full. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin and a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if you’re using it.

7. Bake: Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). For a fudgier texture, aim for the lower end of the time and a few moist crumbs on the toothpick.

8. Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They’re magnificent warm, when the chocolate chips are still molten, but they also hold their fudgy-brownie texture beautifully at room temperature.

Tips for Success

• Sourdough Discard Straight from the Fridge is Fine: You don’t need to bring it to room temperature, but if it’s very cold, just ensure your melted butter and milk are warm enough to bring the batter back to a comfortable room temperature so it bakes evenly.

• For an Even Richer “Brownie” Texture: Substitute ¼ cup of the butter with ¼ cup of melted dark chocolate. This pushes the texture firmly into brownie territory.

• The Day-After Magic: These muffins are spectacular the day they’re made, but resting overnight in an airtight container deepens the chocolate flavor and softens the crust slightly, making them taste even more like a true brownie.

• Make Them Gluten-Free: Use a quality 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. No other changes needed if your sourdough discard is also from a GF starter.

Enjoy your richly chocolatey, slightly tangy, perfectly portable sourdough brownie muffins!