These sour cream brownies strike the perfect balance between fudgy and cakey, with a velvety crumb, deep chocolate flavor, and an incredibly moist texture thanks to a generous scoop of sour cream.
If you’re looking for a brownie that’s somewhere between fudgy and cakey, these sour cream brownies hit that sweet spot perfectly.
The sour cream is the secret ingredient. It doesn’t add a tangy flavor — instead, it creates an incredibly moist, velvety texture that stays soft for days. Combined with a blend of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate and plenty of chocolate chips, these brownies are rich, deeply chocolatey, and wonderfully satisfying.
They’re simple to make in just one bowl, making them just as perfect for an everyday chocolate craving as they are for sharing with friends and family.
Why You’ll Love These Sour Cream Brownies
- The best of both worlds. These brownies strike a delicious balance between fudgy and cakey, with a dense, velvety crumb.
- Rich chocolate flavor. A blend of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate creates deep, balanced chocolate flavor in every bite.
- Wonderfully moist. Sour cream keeps these brownies soft, tender, and delicious for days.
- One-bowl recipe. Everything comes together in a single bowl for easy mixing and cleanup.
- Chocolate in every bite. A mix of milk and semisweet chocolate chips adds melty pockets of chocolate throughout.
Key Ingredients
- Semisweet & bittersweet chocolate – Using a blend of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate gives these brownies a rich, balanced chocolate flavor with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Sour cream – The secret to these brownies’ incredibly moist, velvety texture. It adds richness and tenderness without making the brownies taste like sour cream.
- Egg + egg yolk – The extra yolk adds richness and helps create the dense, soft texture that makes these brownies so satisfying.
- Chocolate chips – A mix of semisweet and milk chocolate chips adds melty pockets of chocolate throughout the brownies. Feel free to use all of one kind if you prefer.
How to Make Sour Cream Brownies
Melt the chocolate and butter.
Heat them together gently until smooth and glossy. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes so it doesn’t cook the eggs.
Whisk in the sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla.
Add the sugar and salt first, then whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla until the batter is smooth and well combined.
Fold in the flour.
Mix just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Over-mixing can make brownies less tender.
Stir in the sour cream.
Mix just until incorporated. The batter will become thick, creamy, and silky.
Add the chocolate chips.
Fold them in gently so they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs. The center should be set but not dry.
Tips for Success
- Use good-quality chocolate. Because melted chocolate is the foundation of these brownies, choose chocolate you enjoy eating. A combination of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate creates a rich, balanced flavor.
- Don’t over-mix. Once you add the flour, mix only until it’s incorporated. Over-mixing can make brownies less tender.
- Use room-temperature sour cream. It blends more easily into the batter and helps create a smooth, even texture.
- Don’t over-bake. For the best texture, remove the brownies when a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool before slicing. It’s tempting to dig in while they’re warm, but letting the brownies cool completely gives them time to set for cleaner slices and the best texture. If you want especially neat squares, chill them for 30 to 60 minutes before cutting.
Variations
- Use one kind of chocolate chip. Prefer all milk chocolate or all semisweet? Either works well in place of the combination.
- Add nuts. Stir 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter along with the chocolate chips.
- Try different chocolate. Use all semisweet chocolate for a slightly sweeter brownie or increase the bittersweet chocolate for an even deeper chocolate flavor.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt. A light sprinkle just after baking adds a nice contrast to the rich chocolate.
Storage
Room temperature: Store the cooled brownies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They stay wonderfully moist and develop an even richer texture after the first day.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temperature before serving, or enjoy them chilled for an extra-dense, fudgy texture.
Freezer: Wrap the brownies individually or place them in layers separated by parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a couple of hours at room temperature.
Common Recipe Questions
Do sour cream brownies taste like sour cream?
No. The sour cream doesn’t add a noticeable tangy flavor. Instead, it makes the brownies incredibly moist, tender, and rich while letting the chocolate flavor shine. It has a similar effect here as it does in chocolate sour cream Bundt cake.
Can I use all semisweet or all milk chocolate chips?
Absolutely. I like using a combination of semisweet and milk chocolate chips for a balance of rich chocolate flavor and creamy sweetness, but you can use all of either one if you prefer.
Can I use different chocolate?
Yes. I like the combination of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate for a rich, balanced flavor, but you can use all semisweet for a sweeter brownie or all bittersweet for a deeper chocolate flavor. Just stay in the 60% to 72% cacao range for the best results.
Why did my brownies turn out dry?
The most common culprit is over-baking. Remove the brownies from the oven when a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs rather than clean. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
The Perfect Middle Ground for Brownie Lovers
If you’ve ever found yourself choosing between a fudgy brownie and a cakey one, these sour cream brownies offer the best of both worlds. They’re rich, deeply chocolatey, wonderfully moist, and have a soft, velvety texture that’s hard to resist.
Whether you’re baking them for a party, packing them for a picnic, or simply treating yourself to a chocolate craving, this easy one-bowl recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again.
More Brownie Recipes
Editor’s Note: I retested and updated this recipe in July 2026 with a one-bowl method and several improvements for an even richer chocolate flavor and a softer, more velvety texture.
Sour Cream Brownies
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170 g) semisweet chocolate (about 60% cacao), roughly chopped
- 4 ounces (113 g) bittersweet chocolate (70-72% cacao), roughly chopped
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (150 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (85 g) milk chocolate chips
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. If you like, line with parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at half power in 30-second bursts until melted and mostly smooth. Stir until fully smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk in the sugar and salt until combined and the mixture looks glossy.
- Next, whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour and fold or gently whisk just until incorporated. Don’t over-mix.
- Stir in the sour cream just until blended and the batter is evenly thick and creamy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 32–36 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist, fudgy crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan. Chill briefly for cleaner slices and an extra-fudgy texture.
Notes
- Chocolate: I recommend using a combination of semisweet (60%) and bittersweet (70–72%) chocolate for the best balance of flavor. You can use all of one kind if you prefer.
- Chocolate chips: I like a mix of semisweet and milk chocolate chips, but you can use all of either one or omit them.
- Don’t over-mix: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined for the most tender brownies.
- Don’t over-bake: Bake until a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.
26 Comments on “Sour Cream Brownies”
My husband would love these. I’ll be making these really soon! Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your blog!
Oh I bet sour cream makes these simply divine. Ive tried it in chocolate cakes before and loved it. These look scrumptious 😀
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.
I’m sure these are delicious Jennifer! Can’t wait to try as I’m always in the mood for brownies! 🙂
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!
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!
i’m a super fudgy brownie lover but i am so intrigued…and i love baking with sour cream! definitely trying these soon!
Na now I wish I wasn’t in a hotel room!
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!
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!
Sour cream in a brownie is a Fantastic Idea!! I need to try this one!
Could I use light sour cream or you think it would change the recipe too much? These look awesome!
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.
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.
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!!!
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!
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!
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.)
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.)
Made these last night for a big party today, and doubled the recipe. They came out so moist and fudgey that I thought maybe I hadn’t let them bake long enough. But, that’s how I like lots of things, a bit underbaked. I’m extremely pleased with the flavor and texture, and I’m sure everyone else will be, as well!
Enjoy, Kendall!
We certainly did! Not a crumb left over!
dumb question. if i’m adding the milk chocolate. am i doing 1 & 2/3 cup semi sweet AND 1 cup of milk chocolate? think that’s how I’m reading this
Hi, Donna. The bittersweet chocolate is melted with the butter (step 2). The milk chocolate is chocolate chips that are stirred into the batter (step 4).
Do these brownies taste like sour cream? Just wondering before I take a chance.
Hi, Ella. They taste like sour cream in the way that a cake or muffins made with sour cream does. If you’d rather bake without sour cream, then I have many more brownie recipes you can try. Enjoy!