Vegan Sourdough Brownies

These vegan sourdough discard brownies are a delicious, fudgy vegan variation of my classic sourdough discard brownie recipe. This recipe is completely egg-free and dairy-free, making it perfect for people with dairy or egg allergies and vegans alike. You will love the rich chocolate flavor of these brownies that comes from both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. 

I crafted this recipe because I tried making my original sourdough brownie recipe by simply substituting vegan butter and egg replacers. It was a total fail! Brownies are a tricky recipe to get right and substituting vegan ingredients for the eggs and butter alters the chemistry of the brownies too much. I made several tweaks to my original recipe to perfect this vegan brownie recipe and I think you are going to love it.

Ingredients: 

Fats: Vegan butter, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate all contribute to the fat content of this recipe. Vegan butters are typically oil based and result in brownies that are oily if you try to substitute it for regular butter. This is why I do not recommend trying to make a regular brownie recipe vegan. It’s better to find a recipe (like this one) that already adjusts the ingredients to compensate for their different chemistries. 

Flour: use regular all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you want to add some whole wheat flour, you can substitute 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour for the regular flour. I wouldn’t add more than this or it will make your brownies dry. 

Salt

Sourdough Discard: You can use either active sourdough starter, or unfed starter in this recipe. Because there is no rest time before baking, active starter doesn’t have time to act as a leavening agent. 

Whether you use active starter or sourdough starter discard will affect the taste of these brownies. Sourdough discard usually has a more sour taste compared to active starter. This is because sourdough discard has has used up all its food and fermented longer than the active starter. If you don’t want a strong tangy taste in your brownies, you are better off using active starter or pouring off the hooch on your starter. 

Sugar: This recipe contains only granulated sugar (aka white sugar). Brown sugar is often used in baked goods because it has a richer flavor and adds moisture, but with the sourdough starter and vegan egg replacer, these brownies are moist enough. 

Vegan Egg Replacer: This recipe is special in that it uses aquafaba as the vegan egg replacer. Aquafaba literally translates to “bean water,”  and that’s exactly what it is. Aquafaba is the water that beans sit in. You can make it yourself by pouring the liquid off of cooked beans, or by using a can of garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas). Simply pour out the liquid to use in this recipe and save the beans for eating later. 

Although seemingly strange, aquafaba works well as an egg replacer because it has proteins that allow it to thicken and whip up similar to whipped egg whites. It can be used to make vegan meringues, macarons, and mousses. We use aquafaba in this recipe to lighten the batter slightly and act as a binder. 

Vanilla Extract 

Finishing Touches: Extra chocolate chips are mixed directly into the brownie batter so you get an extra rich chocolate experience with every bite.

How to Make Sourdough Brownies with Discard

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Pan

Prepare a 9 x9 inch metal baking pan. I highly recommend using a metal pan rather than a glass pan. Glass pans take longer to heat up in the oven but then hold their temperature better. This results in the edges getting over-cooked, and an overall longer bake time. 

Spray the baking pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Leave a little bit longer on two sides of the pan so it goes up to the edge. This makes it much easier to remove the brownies when they are done baking. 

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 3: Melt the Butter and Chocolate

Melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then, remove from the microwave and stir. Continue to microwave for 15 second intervals until the butter and chocolate is just melted and smooth. Make sure you stir between each interval.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Then, add the aquafaba. Use a whisk to beat the mixture until it gets slightly fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes of continuous whisking. 

Add the sourdough starter and mix until smooth.

Step 5: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until well incorporated and only small lumps of flour remain. It’s okay for the batter to be slightly lumpy. You don’t want to over-mix the batter!

Finally, stir in the reserved chocolate chips.

Step 6: Pour Into Pan 

Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan.  

Step 7: Bake

Bake the brownies for about 30-35 minutes. I recommend doing the “toothpick test” after 30 minutes. If you insert the toothpick into the batter and it is completely coated in raw batter, they need more time. I like to add another 5 minutes and check again. They brownies are done when the toothpick only has a few moist crumbs when removed from the brownies. They should also have a shiny layer on top that is slightly crinkly.

How to Serve Vegan Sourdough Brownies

You can serve these brownies at room temperature or reheat them in the microwave for 10 seconds.

 I also love eating these with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top. You can add a drizzle of dairy-free hot fudge and caramel sauce and chopped toasted pecans for a turtle brownie sundae. It’s so good!

How to Store

Store these brownies in an airtight container or on a plate covered with plastic wrap. Try to eat these within 3-4 days for best results. To extend their freshness, store them in the refrigerator.  You can also freeze them ahead of time in a gallon freezer bag. 

Are Vegan Sourdough Brownies Healthy?

Vegan sourdough brownies are not any healthier than regular brownies because they still have a high amount of sugar and fat. That being said, brownies are usually thought of as a treat rather than a health food. 

I hope you enjoyed this sourdough discard recipe. These are some of the best brownies I’ve ever made and I hope you think so too. 

If you loved these vegan sourdough aquafaba brownies, check out these other discard recipes: