This Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread is perfect for you if you have a serious sweet tooth and a deep appreciation for anything chocolate-flavored. But make no mistake: the taste of this chocolate loaf is rich and deep, so quite a few levels up from merely slathering some chocolate spread on your slice of sourdough bread!
Contrary to popular belief, just adding cocoa powder to a loaf of bread doesn't actually make it taste like a chocolate dessert. To get a really good chocolate sourdough bread, you'll want to sweeten it a little (but not too much!) and add something chocolatey that doesn't melt into the dough (so just breaking up a chocolate bar is out of the question).
Luckily, I saved you the experimentation (and some failed loaves), so you can go straight to baking a delicious chocolate sourdough bread!
If you are a chocoholic like me, be sure to also check out my sourdough chocolate chip bagels and chocolate coconut cake squares!
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Ingredients
- cocoa powder: the quality matters when it comes to cocoa powder! Luckily, my grocery store carries a good one in the baking section, but if yours doesn't, it's worth ordering a high-quality cocoa online.
- warm water: I like to use hot water to properly bloom cocoa, but then it's crucial to wait until you add your starter (otherwise you'll kill the yeast!)
- active sourdough starter: an active starter is crucial for a successful rise and tangy flavor.
- all-purpose flour: since the cocoa powder makes this dough quite stiff, I would avoid using bread flour in this recipe. The same goes for whole wheat flour.
- salt: it's not just for flavor; salt also regulates yeast activity and hydration. I like to use real salt without unnecessary additives.
- brown sugar: adds moisture and a slight molasses hint, complementing the chocolate notes.
- white chocolate chips: the addition of cocoa powder gives this bread a rich chocolate flavor, I like to keep my chocolate chips a bit "mellow" and just very sweet and chocolatey. If you want an intense loaf, go for semi-sweet chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Sourdough Bread
In a large mixing bowl, whisk cocoa powder with warm water until smooth. Add brown sugar and salt. Let it reach room temperature before adding in the starter.
Stir in your sourdough starter, ensuring it's active and bubbly for the best fermentation process.
Gradually add in all-purpose flour and bring your dough together (the easiest way to do it is with your hands).
In the first two hours of the bulk ferment, do 3 sets of stretch and folds every 20 - 40 minutes.
The time for bulk fermentation will depend a lot on the temperature of your kitchen, but since cocoa powder makes this dough stiff and therefore a bit slower to ferment, the bulk ferment will probably last around 12 hours at room temperature (read more about the timing sourdough proofing).
To shape your dough, put it on a work surface, stretch it into a large rectangle, and sprinkle chocolate chips all over the dough.
Then fold either side onto the center third and add some more chocolate chip, fold the other third and add the rest of the chocolate chips on top, and finally roll up before transferring to a banneton basket (or a proofing basket of your choice), lined with a lightly floured kitchen towel.
Wrap your banneton basket with the dough in it in something airtight (or cover with a plastic wrap!) and let it rise for about 3 more hours (or do a cold retard in the fridge for up to 48 hours.)
Transfer your dough using a piece of parchment paper into a preheated Dutch oven. Make a crisis cross score on the top of the dough.
Bake at 460°F (238°C) for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an extra 10 minutes at 440°F (227°C) to achieve a lovely golden brown color.
Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Throw a damp towel over it to soften the crust a bit. It will dry as the bread cools.
Hint: despite using quite a bit of liquid, this recipe yields a stiff bread dough (thanks to all the cocoa powder). If you have problems with doing stretch and folds, just throw it into a stand mixer for about 10 minutes. This will help with the gluten formation and knead the dough for you.
Substitutions & Variations
- flour options: Experiment with adding 10% - 15% rye flour for a nutty, complex taste.
- sweeten it up: maple syrup or date syrup can add a unique twist to your chocolate sourdough bread. Add them to your hot water and cocoa powder mixture and make sure they fully disperse for an even taste.
- triple chocolate: mix dark chocolate chips and milk chocolate for a tripple chocolate sourdough bread with an even richer chocolate flavor!
💭Crucial Success Tips
- I cannot stress enough how important it is to WAIT after blooming cocoa powder and before adding starter to this mixture. Hot water will kill the yeast, so it's important to wait until it reaches room temperature.
- a cast iron Dutch oven is crucial for creating steam and giving your bread a nice oven spring. Since the cocoa powder is a bit drying, it is especially important to bake this loaf in a steamy environment!
- since this dough is stiff, it needs more time to rise. Do not rush it; accept that it will rise longer than your normal sourdough bread.
- don't flour the surface for shaping this dough. It shouldn't be sticky, so the flour is not needed. If you add it, your dough may separate a little between layers when it is baked, and we don't want that.
- when you shape the dough, work with wet hands to avoid tearing the dough if it seems very stiff.
FAQ
Yes, you can experiment with using a bit (about 10% of rye flour for a nuttier flavor or bread flour for a chewier texture. Keep in mind that changing the flour type may slightly alter the texture of the bread, but it will still be delicious bread.
Absolutely! The bread will still have a rich chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder. You can also replace chocolate chips with nuts or dried fruit for a different twist.
Using a Dutch oven is a great way for creating a steamy environment which is great for the crust, but you can use any oven-safe pot with a lid. Alternatively, place a tray of water in the oven to create steam.
Yes, you can adjust the sugar to taste. However, adding too much sugar can affect the texture and the rise of the bread.
Scoring is recommended as it helps the bread expand during baking and gives a more uniform shape. It also adds an artisanal touch to the bread.
More Sourdough Recipes
Looking for other sourdough recipes? Try these:
📖Printable Recipe
📖 Recipe
Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread With Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 baneton basket or proofing basket
- 1 kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 parchment paper bread mat
- 1 sharp knife or rayor blade
- 1 Wire rack
- 1 plastic bag or a plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 35 grams cocoa powder
- 200 grams hot water
- 100 grams sourdough starter active
- 300 grams all-purpose flour
- 6 grams salt
- 35 grams brown sugar
- 100 grams chocolate chips white or other
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk cocoa powder with warm water until smooth. Add brown sugar and salt. Let it reach room temperature before adding in the starter.
- Stir in your sourdough starter, ensuring it's active and bubbly for the best fermentation process.
- Gradually add in all-purpose flour and bring your dough together (the easiest way to do it is with your hands).
- In the first two hours of the bulk ferment, do 3 sets of stretch and folds every 20 - 40 minutes.
- The time for bulk fermentation will depend a lot on the temperature of your kitchen, but since cocoa powder makes this dough stiff and therefore a bit slower to ferment, the bulk ferment will probably last around 12 hours at room temperature (read more about the timing sourdough proofing).
- To shape your dough, put it on a work surface, stretch it into a large rectangle, and sprinkle chocolate chips all over the dough.
- Then fold either side onto the center third and add some more chocolate chip, fold the other third and add the rest of the chocolate chips on top, and finally roll up before transferring to a banneton basket (or a proofing basket of your choice), lined with a lightly floured kitchen towel.
- Wrap your banneton basket with the dough in it in something airtight (or cover with a plastic wrap!) and let it rise for about 3 more hours (or do a cold retard in the fridge for up to 48 hours.)
- Transfer your dough using a piece of parchment paper into a preheated Dutch oven. Make a crisis cross score on the top of the dough.
- Bake at 460°F (238°C) for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an extra 10 minutes at 440°F (227°C) to achieve a lovely golden brown color.
- Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Throw a damp towel over it to soften the crust a bit. It will dry as the bread cools.
Video
Notes
- despite using quite a bit of liquid, this recipe yields a stiff bread dough (thanks to all the cocoa powder). If you have problems with doing stretch and folds, just throw it into a stand mixer for about 10 minutes. This will help with the gluten formation and knead the dough for you.
- I cannot stress enough how important it is to WAIT after blooming cocoa powder and before adding starter to this mixture. Hot water will kill the yeast, so it's important to wait until it reaches room temperature.
- a cast iron Dutch oven is crucial for creating steam and giving your bread a nice oven spring. Since the cocoa powder is a bit drying, it is especially important to bake this loaf in a steamy environment!
- since this dough is stiff, it needs more time to rise. Do not rush it; accept that it will rise longer than your normal sourdough bread.
- don't flour the surface for shaping this dough. It shouldn't be sticky, so the flour is not needed. If you add it, your dough may separate a little between layers when it is baked, and we don't want that.
- when you shape the dough, work with wet hands to avoid tearing the dough if it seems very stiff.
Nutrition
Baking Schedule
Day 1:
Morning
- 8:00 AM: feed your sourdough starter
Afternoon
- 12:00 PM: Check the starter. If it is active enough (you know your starter best!), begin making the dough.
- 12:30 PM: Bloom the cocoa powder in warm water and let it cool slightly.
- 1:00 PM: Mix the bloomed cocoa with the active sourdough starter, then gradually add salt, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour to form the dough.
Evening
- 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM: Perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours hours of the bulk rise.
- 7:00 PM: Let the dough rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.
Day 2:
Morning
- 8:00 AM: Shape the dough, add chocolate chips, and place it into a floured banneton basket for the second rise.
- 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM: Let the dough rise at room temperature for about 3 hours, or you can opt for a slower, overnight rise in the refrigerator.
Afternoon (If doing a room temperature rise)
- 11:30 AM: Preheat your oven and dutch oven.
- 12:00 PM: Carefully transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, score the top, and bake in the preheated dutch oven.
Evening (If doing a refrigerated overnight rise)
- 5:00 PM: Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about an hour.
- 6:00 PM: Preheat your oven and dutch oven.
- 6:30 PM: Carefully transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, score the top, and bake.
Baking
- Bake at 460°F (238°C) for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 440°F (227°C) to achieve a golden-brown crust.
Cooling
- Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing to enjoy the full flavor and texture of your Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread.
How To Store Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread
To store your chocolate loaf, let it cool completely before wrapping it in a clean, dry towel or placing it inside an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, slice and freeze in a sealed bag for up to a month; reheat or toast slices as needed.
Pin it For Later
Meghan says
I love sourdough and have made quite a few pumpkin flavored things, but have never tried chocolate things. This looks so yummy too!
Tina says
Thank you! If you like pumpkin flavored things, chocolate is the same style paired with sourdough I think! =D
Alicia says
I don't even like sourdough and this is making my mouth water. I keep a starter on hand because my husband loves sourdough so I'll have to try this recipe.
Tina says
Do try it! If you do not like the taste of sourdough, this recipe yields a loaf that is not sour at all in my opinion. I use a lot of starter in this one, which results in a less sour bread (more starter = less fermentation time = less time for the sourness to develop!)
Lisa says
Oh, wow. What a treat! I love the idea of using white chocolate chips. Pinning this to make later. 🙂
Tina says
Thank you! Sweet white chocolate chips pair with the intense favor of cocoa soooo well!
Hailey says
Such a sweet recipe, get it?! Definitely going to make this recipe soon.
Tina says
You made me laugh! =D