Homemade Salted Rye Sourdough Discard Brownies

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For the ultimate chocolate lover, these homemade Salted Dark Chocolate Rye Sourdough Brownies are a must-try. Made with freshly milled rye flour and sourdough discard, these homemade brownies are incredibly fudgey, rich, and decadent.

Brownies have always been a challenge for me to perfect. Sometimes they turn out too fudgey, underbaked, or soggy, while other times they’re too fluffy, cakey, or dry. But these brownies are just right—finally! They strike the perfect balance, making them ideal for satisfying chocolate cravings or serving as a decadent dessert for guests. Enjoy a treat that hits all the right notes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Where To Source Rye Flour

Rye flour is one of the easier flours to source. If you’re living in a city, you can mostly likely find a bakery or fancy grocery store that sells whole grain rye flour. If you’re living in the country and you can source whole grains, you may want to consider milling your own rye flour. You can start without making a large investment by using a powerful coffee grinder or blender that you already own. A step up would be purchasing a KitchenAid grain mill attachment.

If you’re really enjoying working with whole grains and you have a reliable source of grain, you can also consider a Harvest NutriMill which is the one I use almost everyday and love both for its beauty and practicality.

Get your Harvest NutriMill when you’re ready to invest using this link and my discount code BRONSBREAD20 at checkout to get $20 off your order!

What Causes a Chocolate Craving?

One reason you may have a strong chocolate craving is that you’re low in magnesium. Dark chocolate is tasty and rich in magnesium. Most people are magnesium deficient and dark chocolate is an easy way to get some.

Another reason is that sugar in chocolate can provide a temporary mood boost. The need for a mood boost and magnesium is commonly triggered during a woman’s cycle which explains the classic chocolate craving during menstruation.

Choose the darkest chocolate you can handle and enjoy when the mood strikes. This will give you the satisfaction without raising your blood sugar excessively. And the fewer ingredients, the better.

Materials

• Medium sized metal mixing bowl
• A small metal bowl for melting chocolate
• A small saucepan
• Kitchen Scale
• A 8″x 8″ baking dish
• A silicone spatula

Ingredients

• Chocolate: I like to use unsweetened Baker’s chocolate but chocolate chips or plain chocolate bars work too
• Butter: makes everything better
• Brown Sugar: brown sugar adds deep flavour and moisture but plain cane sugar is good too
• Vanilla Extract: of course
• Eggs: any eggies will do
• Sourdough Discard: peaked and fallen sourdough starter
• Rye Flour: whole grain freshly milled or store-bought rye flour
• Cocoa Powder: I use Dutch processed but whatever cocoa powder you got will work
• Baking Soda: obviously
• Salt: always
• Maldon Sea Salt: for extra flare

How To Make Salted Chocolate Rye Sourdough Discard Brownies

The Method

STEP 1: In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Measure the chocolate and butter into a metal mixing bowl and place it over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Stir occasionally until fully melted, then remove from heat.

STEP 2: Whisk the sugar, vanilla, and eggs into the melted chocolate mixture until well incorporated and smooth.

STEP 3: Stir in the sourdough discard. The acidity of the discard will react beautifully with the rye and cocoa for a rich, complex flavor.

STEP 4: Sift in the rye flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Fold the dry ingredients in gently with a spatula until just incorporated; avoid overmixing to keep the brownies fudgy rather than cakey.

STEP 5: The Long Ferment: Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This rest allows the rye flour to hydrate and the sourdough cultures to break down the grains, resulting in a deeper, slightly tangy flavor profile.

STEP 6: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a glass 8″x 8″ baking dish (or line with parchment paper).

STEP 7: Pour the batter into the dish, spreading it evenly. Bake for 30–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Sprinkle with Maldon salt immediately, and allow them to cool completely in the dish to set the structure before slicing.

Salted Chocolate Rye Sourdough Discard Brownies

AuthorAuthor: Bronwyn Case

For the ultimate chocolate lover, these sourdough rye salted dark chocolate brownies are a must-try! Made with sourdough discard, freshly milled rye flour, rich dark chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt, you truly can’t go wrong. These brownies are fudgy, rich, and decadent, boasting a unique depth of flavour from the rye and fermentation. Try this delightful treat that perfectly balances sweetness and saltiness!

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Prep TimePrep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time 35 minutes minutes

Ferment 12 hours hours

Total TimeTotal Time 13 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

ServingsServings 12 Brownies

Equipment

• Medium sized metal mixing bowl
• A small metal bowl for melting chocolate
• A small saucepan
• Kitchen Scale
• A 8″x 8″ baking dish
• A silicone spatula

Ingredients  

• 200 g Chocolate chips or Baker's chocolate
• 100 g Butter or coconut oil
• 200 g Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 100 g Sourdough Discard
• 120 g Rye Flour
• 25 g Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• Maldon Sea Salt

Instructions 

1. Set Up Double Boiler: In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water and place it on high heat.
2. Melt Chocolate and Butter: Measure out the chocolate and butter into a metal mixing bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan of water to create a double boiler. Keep the heat on high until the chocolate is fully melted, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix in Ingredients: Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and add the sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix until well incorporated.
4. Incorporate Sourdough Discard: Add the sourdough discard and mix until fully combined.
5. Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in the rye flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix until everything is incorporated, but be careful not to overmix.
6. Ferment: Cover the mixture and let it ferment for 12+ hours for long fermentation, or proceed to the next step if you're short on time.
7. Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease and flour a glass 8"x 8" baking dish or line with parchment paper.
8. Pour Batter: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
9. Bake: Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs.
10. Cool and Serve: Sprinkle with Maldon salt and allow the brownies to cool in the baking dish before cutting into squares and serving.

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