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Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe

Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Rich chocolate flavor meets classic sourdough in this loaf, combining cocoa, coffee, and two types of chocolate chips for a unique, indulgent artisan bread experience.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course baking, bread
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven Preheated with the oven for baking
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 Proofing basket or bowl, for final dough proofing
  • 1 Spatula or hands for mixing dough
  • 1 Sharp knife or blade for scoring the loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 50 grams
  • 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee 100 grams
  • 2/3 cup active sourdough starter 150 grams, well-fed and bubbly
  • 1 1/2 cups room-temperature water 350 grams
  • 4 cups bread flour 550 grams
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar 60 grams
  • 2 teaspoons salt 10 grams
  • 3/4 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips amount as desired
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Bloom the cocoa by stirring the hot brewed coffee into the cocoa powder until smooth and paste-like.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the bloomed cocoa, sourdough starter, and room-temperature water.
  • Add bread flour, brown sugar, and salt to the bowl. Mix with a spatula or by hand until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to hydrate and relax gluten.
  • Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 2 to 2.5 hours, gently folding in mini semi-sweet chocolate chips during the second and third sets.
  • Cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment at room temperature for 6 to 7 hours until nearly doubled and airy.
  • Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into a round or oval loaf, pressing milk chocolate chips evenly into the dough.
  • Place the shaped dough into a well-floured proofing basket or bowl and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour until slightly puffy.
  • Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside. Transfer the loaf into the hot Dutch oven, score the top, cover with the lid, and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the lid and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until crusty and baked through.
  • Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

  • Bloom cocoa in hot coffee for richer chocolate flavor and smoother dough.
  • Use two types of chocolate chips for varied texture and melt.
  • Do not overproof the dough to prevent collapse.
  • No cold proof required; suitable for beginner sourdough bakers.
  • Store bread in an airtight container to maintain freshness.