Chocolate Cobbler with Sourdough Discard
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.Chocolate lovers have got to try this chocolate cobbler with sourdough discard. We love cobbler around here, and this chocolate cobbler is out-of-this-world yummy. The moist chocolate cobbler rises up and bakes nestled in a decadent chocolate sauce. Chocolate cobbler with sourdough discard will hit all the notes for a sweet chocolate dessert. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream and you’ve got a pretty perfect evening.
Important Ingredients in Chocolate Cobbler with Sourdough Discard
- Sourdough Discard: I always use 100% hydration sourdough discard. If you don’t mind a more pronounced sourdough flavor, you can use refrigerated discard from up to a week or two old. You can also use fresh, bubbly sourdough starter instead of discard if you want.
- Butter: I always bake with unsalted butter when possible. This allows me to adjust the salt in the recipe to my preference.
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: Using a dark/Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives this sourdough chocolate cobbler a rich chocolate flavor.
- Flour: Use an all-purpose flour that is about 11.5% protein content.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar in this recipe brings the sweetness to the cobbler.
- Chocolate Chips: I like the rich flavor semi-sweet chocolate chips give to this chocolate cobbler with sourdough discard.
- Milk: I use 2% or whole milk in this recipe. You could also substitute an almond or oat milk.
How to Make Chocolate Cobbler with Sourdough Discard
Mix the Cobbler Batter
Before mixing up the cobbler: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter to an 8 by 8 glass baking dish. Melt the butter. Be careful when pulling the dish out of the oven. If the butter is too hot, it can splatter.
Mix Up the Cobbler Batter: While the oven preheats, to a small bowl whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, vanilla and sourdough discard. Whisk until completely combined. Add the chocolate chips and gently combine. This is the main cobbler mixture. Set aside while you prepare the cobbler sauce.
Cobbler Sauce
This cobbler sauce is made in a very unique way. It requires sugar and cocoa powder to be mixed together and then sprinkled on top of the cobbler batter. Then boiling water is poured over the top of the entire thing. It seems a little crazy, but it works!
Assemble and Bake the Chocolate Cobbler with Sourdough Discard
Assemble: Take the pan out of the oven. Be careful, since the melted butter could splatter a little. Spoon the cobbler batter into the pan. Pour the chocolate/sugar mixture over the top of the cobbler. Then pour the boiling water over the top of the cobbler. While the cobbler bakes, the chocolate/sugar/boiling water makes the most delicious sauce for the fudgy cobbler.
Bake: Bake the cobbler for about 30-35 minutes until the top of the cobbler is puffed up and set. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving with ice cream. Make sure to scoop a little extra chocolate sauce over the cobbler as you serve it. Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Chocolate cobbler with sourdough discard can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Warm it up again before serving. It can also be frozen in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and re-heat in the oven (cover with foil and bake about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F) or in the microwave before serving.
No. This is not a sour recipe. This is meant to be a sweet discard recipe. Use discard that is more active, thicker and not as runny if you don’t want any sour flavor. If you want more sour tang coming through, use a runny/old/well-fermented discard.
I am a big believer in working with what you have and using substitutions when necessary. With that said, the Dutch cocoa powder gives the chocolate cobbler with sourdough discard a deep/rich chocolate flavor that I prefer in this recipe. However, you could substitute for regular cocoa powder if needed or desired.
Chocolate Cobbler with Sourdough Discard
Ingredients
For melting the butter in the pan
- 55 grams unsalted butter about 1/4 cup
Cobbler
- 170 grams granulated sugar about 3/4 cup
- 20 grams cocoa powder see recipe notes, about 3 Tablespoons
- 115 grams all-purpose flour about 3/4 cup
- 8 grams baking powder about 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt about 1/2 teaspoon
- 120 grams milk 2% or whole
- 4 grams vanilla extract about 1 teaspoon
- 100 grams sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 85 grams chocolate chips semi-sweet, about 1/2 cup
Cobbler Sauce
- 200 grams granulated sugar about 1 cup
- 30 grams cocoa powder about 1/4 cup
- 350 grams boiling water about 1.5 cups
Instructions
Melt the Butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter to an 8 by 8 glass baking dish. Melt the butter. Be careful when pulling the dish out of the oven. If the butter is too hot, it can splatter.
Mixing the Cobbler
- To a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, vanilla and sourdough discard. Whisk until completely combined. Add the chocolate chips and gently combine. This is the cobbler mixture. Set aside.
- To a different small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Prepare boiling water on the stove or in an electric kettle.
Assembling the Cobbler
- Take the pan out of the oven with the melted butter. Spoon the cobbler mixture into the hot pan. Spread the mixture so it's in an even layer in the pan. Pour the sugar/cocoa mixture on top of the cobbler in a layer covering the entire cobbler. Pour the boiling water on top of the entire cobbler.
Baking the Cobbler
- Bake the cobbler at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until the top of the cobbler is puffed up and set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!
Oooh! I would love to try this! Thank you!! 👩🏼🍳🍫😋
I made this dessert on our last night staying with the inlaws. It happily served all 6 of us and was deliciously saucy!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
OMG I made this and it so good!
Ooey, gooey goodness!
Better than Carnival lava cake!
So glad you loved this! Thanks for sharing.
Crazy decadent, amazingly simple and delicious! Vanilla ice cream is necessary to break up the richness of the oowey gooey chocolate.
Thanks for the comment! This is definitely a very chocolate-y dessert. So glad you enjoyed it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!