Okay, go to your refrigerator and check for sour cream. Got it? Good. I know you’ve got chocolate, so scroll down to the recipe and start baking.
These, my friends, are my new favorite brownie.
It all started when I was working on a cake recipe. One of my favorite cake ingredients is sour cream. I then began to wonder what would happen if I added sour cream to brownies. Seemed like a good idea, so that’s just what I did.
I wanted a big, thick, significant brownie, so I made a bit more batter than I’d normally put into an 8-inch square pan. I used dark chocolate (72%) for the batter and added some milk chocolate chips for some contrast and extra interest.
The result is an amazingly delicious brownie that lies in that mystical area somewhere between cakey and fudgy. They’re delicate like cakey brownies yet still a little dense and chewy like fudgy brownies. Actually, I think we need a new name for these besides brownies. They are undoubtedly in a class of their own.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (about 1 & 2/3 cups)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips*
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave at half power in 30-second increments until butter has melted and chocolate melts when stirred. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well-blended. Add chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Gradually mix in flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Stir in sour cream just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Spread evenly.
Bake 38-42 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.
Notes
*Feel free to substitute a combination of milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or your favorite brownie add-in.
January 28th, 2013 at 1:52 pm
My husband would love these. I’ll be making these really soon! Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your blog!
January 28th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Oh I bet sour cream makes these simply divine. Ive tried it in chocolate cakes before and loved it. These look scrumptious
January 28th, 2013 at 3:26 pm
I always want fudgy brownies, but sometimes I need a cakey brownie for whatever I’m working on. These look fantastic, I can’t wait to try.
January 28th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I’m sure these are delicious Jennifer! Can’t wait to try as I’m always in the mood for brownies!
January 28th, 2013 at 6:47 pm
I have yet to make that elusive fudgy, dense brownie as opposed to cakey. I can’t wait to try this. I agree with you – sour cream is one of my favourite baking ingredients too. It always makes baked good so moist, cutting the sweetness with its subtle tang. These brownies look amazing!
January 28th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
I love sour cream in cakes as well, so I’m positive I’ll be into these. Question…I normally always have buttermilk but not always sour cream. I’ve successfully substituted buttermilk for sour cream in cakes. Do you think this would be a safe substitution here? I think I’ll just try it and let you know how it comes out! Thanks for another brownie recipe I can add to my stack of faves!
January 28th, 2013 at 9:27 pm
i’m a super fudgy brownie lover but i am so intrigued…and i love baking with sour cream! definitely trying these soon!
January 28th, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Na now I wish I wasn’t in a hotel room!
January 29th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
I don’t buy sour cream unless I have planned really well what I am going to do with it.. So I guess I will have to plan these brownies!
January 29th, 2013 at 7:44 pm
So I made them today and by far those are the best brownies recepie I have ever made. Almost all been eaten in 2 hours by 3 adults and 4 children. Thank you!
January 30th, 2013 at 11:45 am
Sour cream in a brownie is a Fantastic Idea!! I need to try this one!
January 31st, 2013 at 11:39 am
Could I use light sour cream or you think it would change the recipe too much? These look awesome!
January 31st, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Stacie, light sour cream will likely make a difference. In my experience, I don’t like to make those kinds of substitutions when the ingredient is a main part of the recipe. If you should try it, please let me know how it goes.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:07 am
I love sour cream ANYthing so was anxious to try this. What could be better than brownies with sour cream? I was skeptical, 10 ounces of bittersweet chocolate going into an 8 X 8 square pan, with an extra douse of one cup of milk chocolate chips. I am so sorry because I love, love your blog, but this recipe is just nasty. I followed it to the letter. I know anyone on any cooking/baking blog whatsoever is thought a troll if they don’t like something, even if just in some small way, but I can’t lie about this. I was looking forward to it: cakey, yet fudgy and chewy. My husband, a total brownie slut, is not even into these. There are crumbs where there shouldn’t be (and they tested done in eight minutes less than the least amount of time suggested in the recipe), there’s bitterness where there’s supposed to be sweetness, and just an overall terrible brownie experience.
February 10th, 2013 at 5:26 pm
I Love reading your blog! I’m not really one to leave comments but I was compelled to write something as I haven’t stopped thinking about these brownies!!! These are amazing!!! hands down the best brownies I’ve ever had! Deep dark fudgy awesomeness!!!! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!!!
February 15th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
WOW! This mystical fudge cake brownie is definitely getting tested out in my kitchen in the near future.
Half the fun in baking is testing and trying out new things for better or worse. This seems like it worked out amazingly!
Thanks for the share!
Come say hi to Kat from a girl & her food at
http://www.agirlandherfood.com
xx Pilar
a girl and her food rep
February 22nd, 2013 at 4:17 pm
I ended up buying regular sour cream before making them. They turned out really good, especially if you are the deep dark chocolate type. I thought they were a bit dryer than they could have been. The edges espeically, which is typical, but I may try them in a larger pan next time so they are not soooo thick and so they bake quicker and maybe the dry edges don’t go too deep into the middle so the outcome is more fudgy brownie and doesn’t have too much dry crumbly parts. But overall a nice tasting brownie!
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:10 pm
I made these tonight, and if you like very dense, very chocolatey brownies, you’ll probably like them… but since I like things a bit lighter, I’m buying vanilla ice cream tomorrow. A la mode will be the only way I can really enjoy them (but I will enjoy them.)
April 3rd, 2013 at 5:15 pm
With ice cream, these suit me fine, although they’re SO rich a little goes a long way. And my husband, who isn’t a big chocolate nut AND is not eating carbs, couldn’t help but eat 2 brownies and say they’re the best he’s ever tasted! (He especially liked that I had them in the fridge, so they were like fudge.)