This chocolate sourdough bread is a soft, sweet loaf that’s perfect for beginners, or for a fun change from your everyday sourdough bread. Crispy on the outside with soft, doughy, chocolate on the inside sprinkled with chocolate chips, we love this loaf for special occasions or just toasted with butter for a breakfast treat.
This chocolate sourdough bread is a soft, sweet loaf that’s perfect for beginners, or for a fun change from your everyday sourdough bread. Crispy on the outside with soft, doughy, chocolate on the inside sprinkled with chocolate chips, we love this loaf for special occasions or just toasted with butter for a breakfast treat.
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We recently hosted a party at our house and I had just made this sourdough chocolate bread. I loved getting to pull this out and cut it up. With the crisp outer edges, the chocolately dough inside, and chocolate chips spread throughout, this dough is an instant hit!
Plus, having a treat that is also long fermented and made with healthy grain isn’t a bad idea. With lots of people in the house needing food, I love having something like this around to grab.
This sourdough chocolate bread is a variation of my beginner sourdough bread , only with a little sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips throughout.
I hope your family loves this as much a we do!
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Why We Love This Chocolate Sourdough Bread
Sweet enough to be a treat! Classic sourdough is great, but if you’re craving a little something extra in the morning this will do it for you. Kids need a sweet snack in the afternoon? Here you go!
Beginner friendly. Sourdough doesn’t have to be hard. Adding sugar and chocolate chips to a loaf? Now it’s even more fool proof.
Gut Healthy Treat. Whenever we indulge in a treat in our house I like to make it the least-bad version. Like homemade hot cooca, or this chocolate sourdough bread. At least it is long fermented, making the grain easier to digest, and it’s made with from-scratch ingredients. Can’t do better than that!
Tips for Making Chocolate Sourdough Bread
Add a little water if the dough feels stiff. Cocoa powder tends to soak up moisture.
If the dough feels sticky while shaping, let it rest for 10-15 minutes. A short rest makes it much easier to handle.
Let the bread cool completely before slicing so the crumb sets and the chocolate doesn’t smear.
More Bread Recipes from the Homestead
Einkorn Cranberry Orange Bread
Simple Same Day Sourdough Bread
Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Chocolate Sourdough Bread Ingredient Spotlight
Sourdough starter makes this sourdough chocolate bread a gut-healthy treat. With the long fermented dough, the grain becomes easier to digest. Learn how to start your own sourdough starter here!
Cocoa powder adds a deep chocolate flavor and gives the loaf the beautiful dark color.
Brown sugar (just a little bit!) balances the bitter cocoa and adds a sweet ring to each bite.
Chocolate chips spread throughout the dough melt in your mouth with each bite!
Milk makes this bread chewy and flavorful. But if you don’t have any milk, you can swap it for just water!
Tools Needed
Large bowl
Dutch oven
Plastic, for covering the bowl
Parchment paper
Bread scorer (optional, or use a serrated knife)
Bread slicer
Chocolate Sourdough Bread Ingredients
3/4 cup sourdough starter
3/4 cup water + 3/4 cup milk (or 1.5 cups water)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
3 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips
How to Make Chocolate Sourdough Bread
Here are the five phases to making chocolate sourdough bread. Please do not be intimidated! Each phase takes less than five minutes of your time. All the magic of making bread happens on it’s own with time.
Here’s an example timeline if you wanted to have sourdough chocolate bread with dinner Sunday night:
Saturday morning: Take starter out from the fridge and feed it. Let sit on the counter all day until a spoonful of starter floats in a cup of water (the “float test”).
On Saturday late afternoon: Phase 1 – Make the Dough
Then Saturday evening: Phase 2 – Lift and Tucks (a.k.a. stretch and folds)
Saturday overnight: Phase 3 – Bulk Rise
Sunday morning: Phase 4 – Second Rise
Sunday afternoon: Phase 5 – Bake the Bread
PHASE 1 – MAKE THE DOUGH (3-5 min active time)
Combine the active sourdough starter, water, milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk together with a fork. If you’re not sure if your starter is ready, do the “float test” described above.
Next add the flour and combine (I like to use my hands) until a sticky dough is formed. Stretch and massage the dough for 30 seconds – 1 minute until it becomes somewhat round, but still very sticky. No need to overdo the stretching, just 30-60 seconds is fine here. Note: dough should not be runny, and it also shouldn’t be super stiff.
Let the dough rest. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour.
PHASE 2 – LIFTS AND TUCKS (1-2 min active time)
Sounds like an exercise routine, but it’s just some hand motions on the dough.
Starting from one end of the dough, lift it up and fold it over itself into the center of the dough. Then rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, until all sides have been lifted, tucked and folded. So, four times total.
I also like to just pick up the whole thing, stretch it out, and fold it into itself. Either way works or a combination of the two.
Cover the bowl and let sit on the counter. Then, repeat the lifts and tucks 3 more times (for a total of 4 times), each about 1-2 hours apart. Now, don’t get too obsessed with this part. This is just creating nice volume in your bread. If you skip one or let 3-4 hours go by instead of 1-2, it’s totally okay. It’s not a rigid timeline, and the more time that goes by the better!
PHASE 3 – BULK FERMENT (30 SEC)
The easiest (and most important) phase!
Cover the bowl with saran wrap and then a tea towel on top. Place in the fridge and let sit overnight.
PHASE 4 – SECOND RISE (5 MIN)
The morning of baking, pull the dough out of the fridge. I like to let it sit on the counter for an hour or so to come to room temp (these next steps are easier if it’s warmer, but that’s not necessary if you don’t have the time).
Clear a spot on your countertop. On half the counter, sprinkle some flour and leave the other half clean with no flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the flour side. Stretch the dough out in all directions, creating a large circle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips all over the bread, gently pressing them into the dough.
Fold each corner of the dough into the center, folding over the chocolate chips.
Then add the remaining chocolate chips and gently press those into the folded portions of the dough. (see photo for visual illustration)
Once again fold all 4 corners of the dough into the center, using your finger to pinch it together.
Flip the dough over onto the non-floured countertop space, and with your hands in a C position, rotate the dough in a circle, creating tension on the bottom of the dough. Push the dough away from you and pull it back, repeating this rotation and push-pull sequence several times until a tight dough ball is formed.
Grab a sheet of parchment paper and set the dough on the parchment paper.
Pick up the parchment paper and set the dough back in a dutch oven. Cover with a tea towel and let sit on the counter for 2 hours or so (this timing is not rigid – I’ve gone for 6 hours before too. Just be careful, especially if your house is warm, because eventually the dough will rise so big and then deflate back down and you don’t want that. General rule of thumb is if your house is 70 degrees F or warmer, then go no more than 2 hours. If it’s 65 degrees or so, then 6 hours would likely be fine.)
PHASE 5 – BAKE THE BREAD (FINALLY!)
First, take your dough that has risen out of the dutch oven.
Turn your oven on to 450 degrees F and place the dutch oven (empty) into the oven to preheat with it.
Once the oven is preheated, score your dough. Scoring is the process of creating a slit in the dough so that it can breath and rise in the oven. You can buy a special scoring knife to do this (I love this one), or just use a serrated knife from your kitchen.
Create one or two slits in the dough to score it. If you have a scorer, you can do 1 half moon, curved slit on one side with several tiny slits on the other side (that’s what I did here).
Carefully place the parchment paper with the bread on it inside of the preheated dutch oven.
Cover the dutch oven and, with the bread inside, place it in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on, and then another 15-20 minutes with the lid off (15 minutes for a softer crust and 20 for a crunchier crust).
If you’re new to bread making, watch me make bread in this YouTube Bread Tutorial. Sometimes it’s just easier to watch rather than read!
THE LAST STEP IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
WHEN THE BREAD IS DONE, DO NOT CUT IT. You will be tempted to cut it open right away and devour it. We’ve done it. Don’t do it!
The bread needs to sit for an hour in order to finish cooking. If you place your ear right next to the bread, you can hear it crackling. Transfer it to a cooling rack so it can properly cool. Don’t worry, it will still be hot inside after an hour!
Then, finally, dive in! I like slicing the bread with this slicing knife, or you can use a serrated knife from your kitchen. Top with a big slice of butter for a comfort-filled, mouth-watering chocolate sourdough bread.
FAQs
Is chocolate sourdough bread sweet?
It’s only lightly sweet. This recipe is more like a rich bread than a dessert, making it perfect for toast or sandwiches.
Can I use sourdough discard for chocolate sourdough bread?
For best rise and texture, active starter is recommended, but discard can work especially if it’s been fed recently.
How do you store chocolate sourdough bread?
Store it at room temperature for 4-5 days or slice and freeze for longer storage.
What do you serve with chocolate sourdough bread?
It’s delicious with butter, cream cheese, nut butter, or even toasted for breakfast with a drizzle of honey.
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More Sourdough Recipes From the Homestead
Einkorn Sourdough French Bread
Chocolate Sourdough Bread
Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, this sourdough chocolate bread is the perfect lightly sweetened beginner bread recipe made with cocoa powder, a little brown sugar, and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup starter
- 3/4 cup water + 3/4 cup milk (or 1.5 cups water)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
PHASE 1 – MAKE THE DOUGH (3-5 min active time): Combine the active sourdough starter, water, milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk together with a fork. If you’re not sure if your starter is ready, do the “float test” described above.
Next add the flour and combine (I like to use my hands) until a sticky dough is formed. Stretch and massage the dough for 30 seconds – 1 minute until it becomes somewhat round, but still very sticky. No need to overdo the stretching, just 30-60 seconds is fine here. Note: dough should not be runny, and it also shouldn’t be super stiff.
Let the dough rest. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour.
PHASE 2 – LIFTS AND TUCKS (1-2 min active time) Sounds like an exercise routine, but it’s just some hand motions on the dough.
Starting from one end of the dough, lift it up and fold it over itself into the center of the dough. Then rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, until all sides have been lifted, tucked and folded. So, four times total.
I also like to just pick up the whole thing, stretch it out, and fold it into itself. Either way works or a combination of the two.
Cover the bowl and let sit on the counter. Then, repeat the lifts and tucks 3 more times (for a total of 4 times), each about 1-2 hours apart. Now, don’t get too obsessed with this part. This is just creating nice volume in your bread. If you skip one or let 3-4 hours go by instead of 1-2, it’s totally okay. It’s not a rigid timeline, and the more time that goes by the better!
PHASE 3 – BULK FERMENT (30 SEC) The easiest (and most important) phase! Cover the bowl with saran wrap and then a tea towel on top. Place in the fridge and let sit overnight.
PHASE 4 - SECOND RISE (5 MIN) The morning of baking, pull the dough out of the fridge. I like to let it sit on the counter for an hour or so to come to room temp (these next steps are easier if it’s warmer, but that’s not necessary if you don’t have the time).
Clear a spot on your countertop. On half the counter, sprinkle some flour and leave the other half clean with no flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the flour side. Stretch the dough out in all directions, creating a large circle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips all over the bread, gently pressing them into the dough.
Fold each corner of the dough into the center, folding over the chocolate chips.
Then add the remaining chocolate chips and gently press those into the folded portions of the dough. (see photo for visual illustration)
Once again fold all 4 corners of the dough into the center, using your finger to pinch it together.
Flip the dough over onto the non-floured countertop space, and with your hands in a C position, rotate the dough in a circle, creating tension on the bottom of the dough. Push the dough away from you and pull it back, repeating this rotation and push-pull sequence several times until a tight dough ball is formed.
Grab a sheet of parchment paper and set the dough on the parchment paper.
Pick up the parchment paper and set the dough back in a dutch oven. Cover with a tea towel and let sit on the counter for 2 hours or so (this timing is not rigid - I’ve gone for 6 hours before too. Just be careful, especially if your house is warm, because eventually the dough will rise so big and then deflate back down and you don’t want that. General rule of thumb is if your house is 70 degrees F or warmer, then go no more than 2 hours. If it's 65 degrees or so, then 6 hours would likely be fine.)
PHASE 5 – BAKE THE BREAD (FINALLY!) First, take your dough that has risen out of the dutch oven.
Turn your oven on to 450 degrees F and place the dutch oven (empty) into the oven to preheat with it.
Once the oven is preheated, score your dough. Scoring is the process of creating a slit in the dough so that it can breath and rise in the oven. You can buy a special scoring knife to do this (I love this one), or just use a serrated knife from your kitchen.
Create one or two slits in the dough to score it. If you have a scorer, you can do 1 half moon, curved slit on one side with several tiny slits on the other side (that's what I did here).
Carefully place the parchment paper with the bread on it inside of the preheated dutch oven.
Cover the dutch oven and, with the bread inside, place it in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on, and then another 15-20 minutes with the lid off (15 minutes for a softer crust and 20 for a crunchier crust).
If you’re new to bread making, watch me make bread in this YouTube Bread Tutorial. Sometimes it’s just easier to watch rather than read!
Notes
THE BREAD MAKING PROCESS
Here are the five phases to making sourdough bread. Please do not be intimidated! Each phase takes less than five minutes of your time. All the magic of making bread happens on it’s own with time.
We love having sourdough bread for Sunday night’s dinner. To do this, follow the below timeline:
Saturday morning: Take starter out from the fridge and feed it. Let sit on the counter all day until a spoonful of starter floats in a cup of water (the “float test”)
On Saturday late afternoon: Phase 1 – Make the Dough
Then Saturday evening: Phase 2 – Lift and Tucks (a.k.a. stretch and folds)
Saturday overnight: Phase 3 – Bulk Rise
Sunday morning: Phase 4 – Second Rise
Sunday afternoon: Phase 5 – Bake the Bread
If you're new to bread making, watch me make bread in this YouTube Bread Tutorial. Sometimes it's just easier to watch rather than read!
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