Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread is as delicious as it is beautiful. Enjoy the same lovely texture as classic sourdough bread with rich chocolate flavor and just the right touch of sweetness.

Jump to Recipe

Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread is a favorite sourdough variation in our home anytime, but especially around the holidays. It’s an eye-catching loaf with its rich chocolate brown color, and even more noteworthy flavor.

Expect the texture to be similar to classic sourdough bread. Crusty exterior with a lovely open crumb and a soft, chewy texture on the inside. Where it really gets interesting is the rich chocolate flavor with just the right touch of sweetness. Not too sweet to make it a dessert, but just sweet enough to make it decadent. With a sweet surprise of a chocolate chip here and there, you’ll be delighted with this bread.

I highly recommend enjoying double chocolate sourdough bread toasted. The warmed, crispy bread with slightly melted chocolate chips is something special. Enjoy simply with butter, or dress it up with cream cheese and a drizzle of honey.

Find More Delicious Sourdough Variations at Quail Creek Homestead:

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Large mixing bowl – you can use a stand mixer for initially mixing the dough if you’d like. I prefer mixing by hand.

Wooden spoon

Kitchen scale

Banneton basket

Dutch oven

Wire rack

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Water – use non-chlorinated water if possible.

Leaven – see below for how to make a leaven for this recipe.

Maple syrup – the maple syrup gives the bread a slightly softer texture.

Bread flour – I like to use King Arthur Organic Bread Flour

Unsweetened cocoa powder – natural or Dutch-processed both work. I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder.

Granulated sugar

Salt

Chocolate chips – I prefer semisweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate also work.

How to Make a Leaven for This Recipe

This recipe calls for 100 grams of leaven. This ratio will make 110 grams total, which accounts for a few grams that will stick to the sides of the jar.

In a glass jar, mix the following ingredients. Cover with a non-airtight lid and place in a warm spot to activate, usually anywhere from 6-12 hours. When it’s ready to use, it will be about doubled in size, puffy and full of air bubbles.

50 grams non-chlorinated water
50 grams bread flour
10 grams active starter

How to Make Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread

In a large mixing bowl, add 375 grams of water. Gently whisk in the leaven, then the maple syrup. Add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar. Mix until a stiff, shaggy dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest in autolyse for 30 minutes.

Add the salt, 10 grams of water, and chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly with a wet hand until smooth and incorporated well. Coil fold the dough under itself to form back into a ball. Cover and let rest another 30 minutes.

Perform 3 rounds of stretch and folds over the next hour, 20 minutes apart. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Cover and place in a warm spot to bulk ferment 4-6 hours, or until the dough has risen. It should be puffed up, not quite doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and shape the dough. Let the dough bench rest 10 minutes, then final shape and place in a banneton basket. Cover the basket and refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat a Dutch oven in the oven to 450 degrees. Turn the dough out onto parchment paper or a bread mat and score the loaf. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees, remove lid, and bake another 8 minutes.

Transfer loaf to wire rack to cool completely before cutting.