Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread
on Jun 15, 2021, Updated Jul 03, 2024
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Two of my greatest loves are bread and chocolate. Tell me a better duo, I’ll wait. Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread is a literal match made in heaven, even if it is a little unexpected.
The first time I heard of adding chocolate to sourdough bread I was skeptical; it just didn’t sound great to me. I was so wrong! This recipe is one of my favorites to make for getting together with friends for morning play dates. It’s perfect with a hot cup of tea, and sharing makes it even sweeter.
When you add a little chocolate to a really nice artisan bread, it’s pure magic. A bit like enjoying chocolate croissants (Pain Au Chocolat), there’s just something so delicious about the bread and chocolate combination. Add a little butter – perfection!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor Combination: The tanginess of the sourdough combined with the sweetness of chocolate chips creates a unique and delicious flavor.
- Homemade Goodness: There’s something incredibly satisfying about making bread from scratch.
- Natural Leavening: Using a sourdough starter to bake is such a fun and rewarding skill. And as a bonus, the natural leavening is easier for some people to digest.
Ingredients
- Active Bubbly Starter
- Water
- Whole Wheat Flour
- All-Purpose Flour
- Fine Sea Salt
- Milk Chocolate Chips
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Nuts and dried fruit are delicious additions to the chocolate chips.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread
Step #1. Make the dough. Cover and let it rest for 30-90 minutes.
Step #3. Gently remove the dough onto a floured surface. Shape it as directed and then place it in a well-floured proofing basket. Cover and let it rise for 1-2 hours until it spreads and looks a bit puffy.
Step #2. Feed and store your starter. After the resting time is over, add the chocolate chips to the bowl with the dough. Pull the dough from the edges to the middle around the bowl, repeating 4-5 times until it forms more of a ball and all the chocolate is incorporated. Cover and let it rise 8-12 hours.
Step #4. Preheat the oven. Turn the dough out onto parchment. Score the top as desired. Place the parchment and dough into a Dutch oven then bake. Allow it to cool 1 hour before slicing.
Recipe FAQs
When sourdough bread is done baking the bread will be dark and sound hollow when tapped.
Weighing ingredients will always provide the most accuracy when baking. Too much or too little of something can wreak havoc on your bread. I suggest buying an inexpensive kitchen scale and it will help you to achieve optimal success in baking all the things.
Sourdough bread is a healthier bread option because it is full of vitamins and minerals. It can also be easier on the digestive system because it has lower phytate levels and contains healthy bacteria.
Sourdough bread is best eaten the day of but, it will stay fresh for about 4 days at room temperature. I really enjoy using the leftovers to make toast because it is just the best toasted and slathered in butter.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you use a super sharp knife to score your bread. You want it to slice without dragging.
- If you’re not sure if the bread is completely done, use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Stick it halfway through the thickest part of the loaf and make sure it is 205-210°F. If not, bake it a few more minutes and check again.
- If you can’t eat the whole loaf in just a couple of days, slice, bag, and freeze the rest.
- You have a lot of flexibility about the kind of chocolate you use. You can chop your own or use chocolate chips. The chocolate can be white, dark, semi-sweet, milk, or a combination of any of those. Use what you like and what you have on hand.
More Sourdough Recipes to Consider
From Scratch Recipes
Overnight Sourdough Muffins
Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Banana Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Hamburger Buns
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Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 50 g ¼ cup active bubbly starter
- 350 g 1 ⅓ cups plus 2 tbsp water
- 100 g 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 400 g 3 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 g 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 175 g 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the dough by adding the starter and the water to a large bowl. Use a fork to whisk them together well.
- Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt, and use the fork to combine well. Stir until the mixture comes together into a rough dough and you’ve incorporated the flour well. You can finish mixing by hand to incorporate all of the flour as needed.
- Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel, and let the dough rest for 30-90 minutes, depending on your schedule.
- While the dough is resting, feed your starter, and store it according to your preference.
- After the dough has rested, add the chocolate chips to the bowl, and use your hands to gently pull the edge of the dough from the side of the bowl and push it down into the middle of the bowl. Do this, rotating around the bowl, until the dough starts to look smooth and comes together in more of a ball. This should take about a minute of going around the bowl 4-5 times, pulling and tucking into the center. This will evenly incorporate the chocolate chips as well.
- Cover the bowl with your damp towel, and allow the dough to rest for 8-12 hours at room temperature, about 70℉ (21℃).
- After the bulk rise, gently remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Tuck the edges of the dough into the center and work around the edges until you’ve tucked them all in. Flip the dough ball over. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Using your hands, cup the side of the dough farthest from you, pinkies against the counter, and gently pull the dough ball towards you, letting its grip on the counter pull it into a tighter ball. Rotate the dough slightly, and repeat around the edges until you’ve formed a tight ball.
- Prepare a bread proofing basket by dusting it well with flour.
- Place your dough ball, smooth top down, into your prepared basket, and cover with a damp towel.
- Let the dough rest for 1-2 hours, at room temperature, or until it’s spread out a bit and looks puffy. It will not double in size.
- Preheat your oven to 425℉ (218℃).
- Gently turn your bread dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. With your hand, gently spread out any flour that has accumulated on top of the dough.
- Score the top of the loaf in a pattern of your choosing or simply make a long slash down the middle.
- Use the corners of the parchment paper to lift the dough into your dutch oven. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
- Place the dutch oven in the hot oven, and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid, and return the dutch oven to the oven, uncovered, for another 20-30 minutes.
- When done, the bread will be dark and sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and then remove the bread from the pan, and let it cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
- Sourdough bread is best eaten the day of, though leftovers make great toast.
Notes
- You have a lot of flexibility about the kind of chocolate you use. You can chop your own or use chocolate chips, and the chocolate can be white, dark, semi-sweet, milk, or a combination of any of those. Use what you like and what you have on hand.
- If you’re not sure if the bread is completely done, check the center with an instant read thermometer.
- Chopped nuts and dried fruit are a yummy addition to the chocolate in this bread.
- This recipe is one of MANY in my sourdough cookbook! You can check out the digital or hardcover version here.
Gorgeous delicious loaf! Super moist and simple to bake! Loved it!
I’ve made a chocolate chip sourdough bread by someone with a big name and let me tell you that your recipe is way better! I got the best tang from yours and plan to try all of your sourdough bread recipes! I do prefer the mini sized chips and that’s my only change!!
I appreciate the compliment Debra! Happy baking!
YUM! This recipe is my favorite sweet sourdough bread that I’ve made so far! It’s the perfect ratio of chocolate chips and super easy to make if you follow the instructions! It turned out perfectly and it’s a BIG hit in our house!
I think this may be our new favorite choc chip bread recipe! I added a generous teaspoon of cinnamon when I added the (semi-sweet) chocolate chips and it added such a nice flavor – subtle and a nice compliment to the chocolate! Thanks for the recipe!