Sour Cream Brownies are the best way to get super rich and moist brownies without lot of work. This recipe is simple to make and features an easy and delicious frosting that’s ready in just minutes!
If you have some leftover sour cream you are looking to use up, these Sour Cream Brownies are the perfect recipe! One bite of this chewy and moist brownie, and it’ll be your new favorite way to make brownies for sure.
If you’re chocolate obsessed like me and happen to have some ricotta on hand (my other favorite baking product), be sure to try this super moist Chocolate Ricotta Bundt Cake, or this classic Torta Caprese. And, for a delicious twist on a traditional ricotta cake, check out this Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake made with mini chocolate chips.
Why these Brownies are the Best!
If you’re into moist and chocolaty treats, these brownies are for you. Made with melted semi sweet chocolate and sour cream, these brownies give you all of the flavor you love without a lot of work.
Here, the color and flavor of the brownie comes from the combination of melted butter and chocolate, rather than cocoa powder. This helps to keep the brownies nice and light.
The sour cream helps to keep these brownies extra moist. It is also a great way to use up leftover sour cream. Opt for the full fat sour cream if you have it.
Then, the cooled brownie is topped off with a deliciously simple frosting. This is one frosting you definitely don’t want to miss. It’s easy to make and adds so much fudgy flavor.
Give these Sour Cream Brownies a try and you’ll agree that they are they best!
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients to make sour cream brownies: semi sweet chocolate chips, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, and sour cream. For the frosting you will need: butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar.
- Sour Cream: use full fat sour cream if you have it. Low fat works but it won’t give you same texture.
- Butter: use room temperature butter for melting with the chocolate chips. Unsalted or salted works.
- Cocoa Powder: this recipe calls for cocoa powder in the frosting instead of the batter. I like the keep the brownie batter light but give the frosting that dark bite.
- Chocolate Chips: to avoid making the brownies too sweet, opt for semi sweet chocolate chips instead. Dark chocolate chips would work too.
How to Make Sour Cream Brownies
Sour cream brownies are a rich and delicious treat to have on hand. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover sour cream. Here’s how you make them.
Firstly, line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang. I like to spray the pan first so that the parchment sticks better.
Step 1: melt together ½ cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup butter. Place the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50% until the mixture is melted; set aside.
Step 2: Use a handheld mixer to beat together the sugar and eggs until frothy. Add in the vanilla, sour cream, flour, and chocolate mixture. Mix until well combined.
Step 3: Fold in the other ½ cup of chocolate chips into the batter. Be sure to scrape down the walls so that the mixture is well incorporated.
Step 4: Spread the batter into a 9 x 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Easy Brownie Frosting
This recipe for easy brownie frosting comes together in minutes and is the perfect way to top your cooled sour cream brownies. This is also a great to have on hand when you need a delicious chocolate frosting that’s enough to cover at 9 x 9 inch baking pan of treats.
To make the frosting, microwave butter and cocoa powder until the butter is just melted. Whisk together until you get a smooth mixture. Then whisk in the vanilla and milk.
Add in the powdered powdered sugar and whisk until well combined. The mixture will be thick and fudgy. You can add more milk but be sure you are not turning the frosting into a glaze.
Spread the brownie frosting over the cooled Sour Cream Brownies, or whatever 9 x 9 inch treat you are covering. Let set for a couple of minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Be sure to spray and then line your pan before baking so that you easily remove and cut the brownies.
- Let the melted butter and chocolate mixture cool slightly before adding it to the sugar and eggs.
- If you like nuts in your brownies, you can add ½ cup of chopped nuts to the batter when you add in the remaining chocolate chips.
- Make the frosting right before you plan on adding to the brownies. It will harden quickly otherwise.
Sour cream adds a rich flavor and texture to brownies and is often used to replace the oil found in traditional brownie recipes. Use full fat sour cream here.
If you aren’t usually a fan of sour cream, you might be curious if you can taste sour cream in baked goods? You cannot taste the sour cream flavor, but instead just the flavors of the sweet and moist brownies.
Make a simple frosting for a 9 x 9 inch pan of brownies by melting together 3 tablespoons each butter and cocoa powder. Then whisk in 1 ½ tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk in 1 cup of powdered sugar, and you are left with a rich and delicious brownie frosting.
Similar Recipes
Sour Cream Brownies
Equipment
- 9 x 9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Brownie Frosting
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tablespons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt ½ cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup of butter at 50% power until melted; about 90 seconds. Stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the sugar and eggs until well combined and frothy. Mix in the cooled chocolate, flour, sour cream, and vanilla until combined. Fold in the remaining ½ cup of chocolate chips.
- Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the edge of the pan. Remove from oven and cool on rack before adding the frosting.
- To make the frosting, microwave the butter and cocoa powder until the butter is melted. Whisk together and add in the vanilla and milk until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk until you get a thick frosting. Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies and cut into to squares.
Video
Notes
- This is a great recipe to use leftover sour cream. I prefer to use the full fat sour cream for baking.
- The brownie batter will be lighter than normal since you don’t add any cocoa powder to the batter.
- Be sure the brownies are cooled before adding the frosting otherwise you risk the frosting moving around and no hardening on top.
- Store these brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can you freeze after baking and frosting?
yes! I always freeze my leftover brownies, even if they’re frosted 🙂
Super easy and yummy! We didn’t even think it needed any frosting–delicious as is!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for the comment 🙂
Can this recipe be doubled and put in a 13×9 pan?
yes! enjoy 🙂
I made it without the frosting and crushed Oreos as the chocolate chips and it tasted so good
It was fudgy, not too sweet and Delicious
I would make again
Great idea to add the Oreos. YUM!
Although these were tasty, mine sunk a bit and not sure why. And I followed the tips for the frosting, but it was just too hard and unspreadable for me. So I ended up making a different frosting.
I was concerned about the recipe, not having baking powder or soda, and didn’t know if they would rise but they did very nicely the top of the brownies were It rather crusty but it’s OK. The frosting recipe was a little thick, but I just added warm milk and it thinned it out. I put it on the brownies when they were still warm so it’s soaked into the brownies some and it really made them moist and delicious.
Do you need to spray the sides of the baking dish also? Some recipes say only to spray the bottom.
I usually spray the bottom of the pan before putting on the parchment.
Delicious! I had some creme fraiche (which is essentially sour cream with higher fat content) and used that instead and these brownies turned out amazing! They flew off the table before I even had time to make tea! Will double the recipe next time 🙂
So moist and delicious, these brownies are the perfect treat. I love the frosting too.
Wow! Sour Cream brownies were a revelation! They were fudgy, moist and decadent.
I have never made brownies with sour cream but I have done cakes and other treats and it totally makes sense that it would make them extra fudgy and rich. Great recipe!