You might have never thought to put chocolate in sourdough, but this chocolate sourdough bread recipe is such a fun way to use your sourdough starter.
This recipe makes two loaves, so you can enjoy one with your family and share the other with a friend.
Even if you’re new to sourdough, the process is simple. I’ll walk you through every step so you can make this delicious, rich chocolate mocha bread at home.
What Makes This Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe Unique?
The secret to making the best chocolate sourdough bread is bringing out the delicious chocolate flavor. Instead of just adding cocoa to the recipe, I like to use warm coffee to bloom the cocoa powder. This gives the bread dough a deep, bakery-style chocolate taste.
What’s fun about chocolate sourdough bread is that it just mixes two simple things—chocolate and sourdough—but the result is really special. People are always surprised by it, and it’s fun to bring to a potluck or share at a get-together. I like adding it to my mini loaf samplers at the farmers market. If you want to make minis, this recipe makes four!
How to Eat Chocolate Sourdough Bread
This bread is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a chocolate treat without making a whole chocolate cake. It’s delicious served just warm with a pat of butter. Here are a few other ways to eat chocolate sourdough bread:
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Toasted with butter and sea salt: Try it toasted and buttered, then sprinkled with sea salt for a rich and decadent experience.
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Hot honey: Drizzle with hot honey for a little sweet heat.
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Cream cheese: Spread with cream cheese for a chocolate breakfast treat.
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Nutella: For chocolate lovers, a thick layer of Nutella takes it to the next level!
Equipment for Making Chocolate Sourdough Bread
You don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to make great sourdough recipes. Most of the tools you need, you probably already have in your kitchen. The most important items are:
- Kitchen scale: Weighing your ingredients is the best way to get consistent results in sourdough baking.
- Bench scraper: Helps you move the bread dough around your work surface and keeps your hands clean.
- Razor blade or sharp knife: For scoring the top of the dough before baking. This lets your bread expand and creates that beautiful artisan look.
- Large mixing bowl: For mixing and fermenting the dough.
- Banneton proofing basket: This helps your loaf keep its shape during the final rise, but you can easily substitute a small bowl lined with a kitchen towel dusted with rice flour or all-purpose flour.
- Cast iron Dutch oven: This is the best way to bake bread at home because it traps steam and gives your loaf a crispy crust while keeping the inside tender. Click here to learn how to bake sourdough without a Dutch oven.
- Piece of parchment paper: For lifting your dough in and out of the Dutch oven. If you're going to bake sourdough often, consider buting a dough sling. It makes placing dough into the dutch oven so easy!
Ingredients for Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make this chocolate sourdough bread recipe:
Active sourdough starter:
Make sure to feed your starter the night before you want to bake, so it’s bubbly and active in the morning. You’ll need about ¾ cup (150 grams) for this recipe.
Warm coffee:
Use leftover coffee from the morning (just reheat it), or brew a fresh cup just for this loaf.
Dutch cocoa powder:
I recommend Ghirardelli Dutch cocoa for a rich chocolate color and flavor.
Warm water:
Warm water helps bloom the cocoa powder.
Brown sugar:
This keeps the loaf soft and adds a subtle sweetness.
Vanilla extract:
Brings out the best in the chocolate and makes the bread taste like a bakery treat.
Salt:
I use non-iodized table salt, but you can use whatever kind you like.
Bread flour:
Bread flour will give your loaf a chewy texture and a good rise in the oven. You can substitute all-purpose flour if needed, but your bread won’t be quite as lofty.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips:
These melt into chocolatey pockets throughout the loaf. Milk, dark, or white chocolate chips will also work if you want to change up the flavor!
Mixing the Dough for Chocolate Sourdough Bread
First, bloom the cocoa powder in warm coffee. This step helps the chocolate flavor come through. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm coffee and cocoa powder until smooth. Let it sit for a minute or two.
Add the active sourdough starter, warm water, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt to the bowl. Mix well until everything is combined. Now add the bread flour and stir with a dough whisk, sturdy spoon, or your clean hands. The dough will look shaggy and sticky, but that’s normal for sourdough bread.
Don’t worry about getting it perfectly smooth, just make sure all the flour is hydrated.
What Is a Stretch and Fold? Why Do We Do It?
This is one of my favorite sourdough techniques, and it’s the best way to develop gluten without kneading. A stretch and fold means you reach into the center of the dough with a wet hand, grab a side, stretch it up, and fold it over the center of the dough. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat, working your way around until you’ve done all four sides.
You’ll do a set of stretch and folds every 30 to 45 minutes for about 2 to 3 hours. You want to do at least 3 sets, up to 4 sets. This helps build surface tension and gives your loaf a beautiful rise later on.
When you’ve finished your last stretch and fold, cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for the bulk fermentation. This is called the first rise.
Bulk Fermentation Process
Bulk fermentation is when the dough sits and develops flavor, texture, and all those signature sourdough bubbles. Let your dough rest in a warm spot in your kitchen. The temperature of your kitchen will affect how long this takes. Aim for around 75°F (24°C), but if it’s cooler, just allow a bit more time.
Your dough is ready when it’s about doubled in size and looks airy. This usually takes 4–6 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature.
Adding Chocolate Chips and Shaping the Loaf
This is the fun part! After the first rise, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Now is when you add the chocolate chips. Sprinkle them evenly over the dough, then fold and gently knead to distribute them throughout the bread dough.
To shape, gather the edges toward the center of the dough and flip it over so the seam side is down. Use your hands or a bench scraper to pull the dough toward you, creating surface tension across the top of the dough. Shape it into a round or oval loaf, depending on your proofing basket or bowl.
Dust your banneton basket or small bowl with rice flour or all-purpose flour to prevent sticking. Place the loaf seam side up in the basket.
Second Rise (Overnight Cold Proof)
Cover the dough with a damp towel or a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator for the second rise (this is called a cold proof). The cold temperature slows the fermentation process, making the flavors more complex and making your dough easier to score and bake the next day. Let it chill overnight, or at least 8–12 hours.
Baking Chocolate Sourdough Bread
In the morning, place a piece of parchment paper over your loaf and gently turn it out onto your work surface. The seam side will now be down. Use a sharp razor blade or knife to score the top of the dough. A deep slash in the center of the dough will help the loaf expand as it bakes.
Lift the loaf into a preheated cast iron Dutch oven using the parchment paper as a sling. I recommend leaving the lid on for the entire bake. This traps steam, keeps the loaf soft, and prevents the chocolate chips from burning.
Bake at 450°F (232°C) for 35–40 minutes, until the loaf is set and golden brown. The bread should sound hollow when you tap the top. If you have a probe thermometer, the loaf is ready when it reaches 205°F (96°C) inside.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing. This helps the crumb set and keeps the chocolate chips from smearing.
What Kind of Chocolate Chips Work Best?
This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate chips, which give a nice balance between sweet and rich chocolate flavor. You can use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter loaf, or dark chocolate chips for a more intense flavor. White chocolate chips are fun if you want a different twist!
If you want your chocolate chips to stay whole, use the larger “baking” chips. For a more melted texture, try mini chips or chopped chocolate.
Storage and Serving Ideas
Chocolate sourdough bread will keep at room temperature in a plastic bag or wrapped in a kitchen towel for 2–3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze it in a zip-top bag, then pop a piece in the toaster when you want a treat.
I love serving this bread warm with butter, honey, or hot honey and a sprinkle of sea salt. It’s also great with cream cheese or Nutella, or just as is for a quick snack.
Sourdough Chocolate Mocha Bread: Double Batch
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon warm coffee 100g
- ½ cup Dutch cocoa powder 60g
- ¾ cup active sourdough starter 150g
- 1¼ cups warm water 300g
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar 75g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5g
- 1¾ teaspoons salt 10g
- 4¼ cups bread flour 525g
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 170g
Instructions
Bloom the Cocoa:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm coffee and Dutch cocoa powder until smooth. Let sit for 1–2 minutes.
Mix Wet Ingredients:
- Add the active sourdough starter, warm water, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well combined.
Add the Flour:
- Stir in the bread flour until you have a shaggy, sticky dough and no dry spots remain.
First Rest:
- Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30–45 minutes.
Stretch and Folds:
- With wet hands, perform a set of stretch and folds by pulling the edge of the dough up and folding it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat for all four sides. Do 3–4 sets of stretch and folds, spacing them 30–45 minutes apart.
Bulk Fermentation:
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 4–6 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature).
Add Chocolate Chips & Shape:
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the dough and gently fold them in. Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf, pulling the surface tight.
Proof:
- Place the shaped loaf seam-side up in a floured banneton basket or a small bowl lined with a floured towel. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours).
Bake:
- Lay a piece of parchment paper over the loaf and invert onto your work surface. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade. Lift the dough using the parchment and place it in a preheated Dutch oven.
- Bake at 450°F (232°C), lid on, for 35–40 minutes, until set and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
Slice and freeze extra bread for easy toasting later.
Serve warm with butter, honey, hot honey, cream cheese, or Nutella!
More Sourdough Recipes
Looking for more ways to use your active starter? Try my favorite sourdough recipes:
Ready to Try This Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe?
I hope this chocolate sourdough bread recipe inspires you to bake something new and delicious! If you try it, please leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. And don’t forget to tag @BetterBakerClub on Instagram—nothing makes me happier than seeing your bakes!
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