These Sourdough Discard Mango Bars are fun, fruity, and packed with summer flavor! They have a shortbread-style base layer topped with a jammy mango mixture and sprinkled with additional shortbread crumbles. They're not overly sweet, full of ripe summer fruit, and are delicious as an afternoon snack or dessert!
Why you'll love this recipe
- These mango bars come together with just 20 minutes of hands-on time. You'll have a delicious dessert ready in about an hour! Looking for another easy summer dessert? Try this Sourdough Peach Cobbler!
- This recipe uses sourdough discard, but can easily be modified to use active sourdough starter if you prefer.
- This is a great way to use fresh or frozen mangos (even if they're a bit under- or over-ripe).
- Use whatever kind of mango you prefer. I used Ataulfo mangos.
- Looking for other summer fruit recipes? Try this Sourdough Discard Strawberry Cake and this Sourdough Discard Strawberry Galette!
Jump to:
Ingredients
There are only a few simple ingredients you'll need to bring this recipe together.
- Mangos: I like to use fresh mangos, but frozen will work, too. Any type of mango will work, but I recommend Ataulfo mangos for their beautiful color and flavor.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and can either be cold, straight from the fridge, or at room temperature. This recipe is designed to be made with a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a homemade sourdough starter.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - If you'd like to use active sourdough starter in place of the discard, you can. You would not need to make any other modifications to the recipe if you're using that substitution.
- Add shredded coconut - If you want a little tropical flavor, add ¼ cup shredded coconut to the dough mixture. If the dough seems a bit too dry, you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of water to help it hold together.
- You might also love these Coconut Marshmallows.
- Add nuts - If you want to add a bit of nutty flavor, add chopped nuts into the crust and crumble mixture! ¼ cup of chopped macadamia nuts would be delicious.
- Use more mango - Do you love a really thick layer of mango in your bars? Double the mango filling for a thicker layer!
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Mango Bars
This recipe comes together in a few easy steps! The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Peel and dice your mango (large slices will work, too, if you prefer!).
- Step 2: In a saucepan, combine the mango, granulated sugar, and lime juice. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, then add the cornstarch and water mixture to create a thick jam. Set aside to cool.
- Step 3: Combine the ingredients for the crust and crumbs in a large bowl.
- Step 4: Use a fork or a pastry cutter to mix until a dough forms. It will be crumbly, but should not be dry. It will hold together when pressed into the baking pan.
- Step 5: Press half the dough into the base of your 8x8-inch baking pan. Spread the jammy mango layer on top.
- Step 6: Sprinkle with the remaining crust on top, making sure you can still see some of the mango layer. Bake 40-45 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool, then slice and serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- The dough for the crust will seem cumbly - this is ok! As long as it presses together when you put it into the pan, it's the perfect texture. The butter in the dough will help it really come together as it bakes.
- Cut the mangos any way you like. Big pieces, small pieces, whatever you prefer! I like to use a small dice, since that helps the mangos break down a bit more as you're making the filling. But big slices would work, too!
- Spread the jammy mango mixture so you don't see any more of the crust. For the crumble layer on top, you'll want to see a bit of the mango sticking through!
- Let the mango bars cool before slicing. If you want to speed up the cooling, cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Then, slice and serve.
- You might also love these Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies and these homemade Strawberry Marshmallows!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Refrigerator Storage: Store the cooled bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer Storage: Store the cooled bars in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between layers of bars to keep them from sticking to each other. Thaw to room temperature, then serve.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any kind of mango you like! Personally, I like Ataulfo mangos the best for their flavor and color. This recipe is also very forgiving, so if your fruit is a little over-ripe, it will still work well here.
If you like a really thick jammy layer on your bars, make a double batch of the mango filling!
Yes, you can! This recipe uses sourdough discard, but you could easily replace the discard with active sourdough starter. You don't need to change any of the other ingredients in the recipe.
New to sourdough? Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
I highly recommend measuring your sourdough discard in grams with a kitchen scale (rather than cups). I also recommend doing so for the flour in the recipe (even if you're using US customary measurments for the other ingredients).
Those two ingredients can vary a lot depending on the cups you're using, the way you fill, how runny the discard is, etc. Using a metric measurement (grams) rather than cups gives you much more accuracy.
More Summer Dessert Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Mango Bars or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Mango Bars
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 cups diced mangos
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons water
Crust & Crumbs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest of one lime
- ¾ cup cold, unsalted butter cut into chunks
- 150 grams (about ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) sourdough discard
- 1 egg
- 1-2 Tablespoons Turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the filling: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine diced mangos, granulated sugar, and lime juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. When the mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Whisk together cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons water in a small bowl. Add to the mango mixture, and stir to combine until a thick jam forms, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lime zest. Add the cubed butter, sourdough discard, and egg. Use a fork or pastry cutter to mix the ingredients together. The dough will be crumbly (we love those butter chunks!) but not dry. Press half the dough into the prepared baking pan.
- Spread the mango mixture evenly on top of the base crust layer. Crumble the remaining crust mixture on top, making sure you can still see some of the mango layer. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Let cool at least 1-2 hours before serving. (If you want to speed up the cooling, let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then 30 minutes in the refrigerator).
Jessica Vogl says
I love how these are not overly sweet and the layers are just so beautiful!