Chocolate Sourdough Brownie Bites Recipe for Fudgy Mini Treats

These chocolate sourdough discard brownie bites are a decadent, bite-sized fix for any chocolate craving. Made in mini muffin pans—no parchment required—they produce fudgy centers, crackly tops and chewy edges. This version uses 200 g of sourdough starter, making these brownies rich and uniquely textured.

If you love chocolate and have extra sourdough discard, these bites are a great option. They pair well with other sourdough chocolate recipes and are an excellent way to use leftover starter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bite-sized indulgence – All the deep chocolate flavor of sourdough brownies in a small, sharable form. These are ideal for potlucks, lunchboxes or a simple treat.

Crackly tops and chewy edges – The texture is where these shine: shiny, crinkled tops with lightly crispy, chewy edges and a gooey interior.

More edge, less fuss – Because they’re baked in mini pans, every piece has satisfying edges—perfect for anyone who prefers the perimeter of a brownie.

Sourdough Discard or Active Starter?

Either sourdough discard or an active sourdough starter will work. For sweet recipes, avoid overly sour or very old discard, as that can affect the flavor. Aim for a starter at roughly 100% hydration—thicker starter gives a better texture for brownie batter.

How To Make Chocolate Sourdough Brownie Bites

This recipe adapts a classic sourdough brownie to mini portions, preserving the rich chocolate flavor while creating convenient, shareable bites. Semi-sweet chocolate chips melt smoothly here, and reserving some chips to fold in creates little pockets of melted chocolate throughout.

Let’s Make Them

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease two 24-hole mini muffin pans with butter or cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, melt 350 g of the semi-sweet chocolate chips with 150 g butter. I melt them in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth and glossy. Reserve the remaining 100 g chocolate chips for later.

In a separate jug or bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 10 g vanilla extract, 120 g dark brown sugar and 180 g granulated sugar until glossy and fluid, about the consistency of runny caramel.

Add the cocoa powder, 150 g all-purpose flour, 200 g sourdough starter (at least 100% hydration), a pinch of salt and 3 g baking soda to the melted chocolate and butter. Pour in the egg-and-sugar mixture and fold everything together with a spatula until thick and glossy. Fold in the reserved 100 g chocolate chips. The batter may look slightly marshmallowy due to the starter.

Portion the batter evenly into the prepared mini muffin pans—fill each cavity about half to three-quarters full. A disposable piping bag, cookie scoop or spoon makes this easy and tidy.

Bake for 15 minutes. The tops should be set and crackly while the centers remain soft and gooey. They will firm as they cool, so avoid overbaking. Let the bites cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing to avoid breaking them. As they cool, the tops become crackly and the edges stay delectably chewy.

Serve dusted with icing sugar or topped with a spoonful of whipped cream. These are hard to stop eating—single servings make them irresistible.

Ingredient Notes

Sugar: This recipe uses both granulated and brown sugar for sweetness and moisture. Dark brown sugar increases depth of flavor and fudginess.

Sourdough starter: Either discard or active starter is fine, but use one that’s at least 100% hydration and not overly runny or tangy. A thicker starter gives better batter texture.

Eggs: The recipe calls for 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk. Sizes can vary, so adjust slightly if your eggs are much smaller or larger than typical large eggs.

Storage and Freezing

Store the bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days (omit whipped cream if storing). Refrigerate for up to 1 week; many prefer the slightly firmer texture from the fridge. These brownie bites also freeze well—place in a zip-top bag and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before serving.