The Best Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread Recipe
When my mom asked me how to make chocolate chip sourdough bread, I told her to just toss in some chips during stretch and folds. But then I got thinking… how can we elevate this? This recipe was tested by 415 home bakers across 6 continents, earning a 4.69/5 star rating. It delivers perfectly distributed chocolate in every slice. The dough is lightly sweetened with brown sugar and enhanced with vanilla and optional espresso powder. Enjoy!!
Equipment
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3/4 L Weck jar
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Tovolo spatula
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Scale
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Stand mixer
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Danish dough whisk
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Mixing bowl
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Bowl cover
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Bench scraper
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Round banneton
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Bread lame
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Parchment paper
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Dutch oven
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Brod & Taylor baking shell and steel
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Bread knife
Ingredients
Sweet Levain
Main Dough
Add-Ins
Instructions
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Make the sweet levain: Before bed, in a 3/4-liter or 1-liter jar, mix together , , and . Then, mix in until smooth. Loosely cover and let ferment on the counter overnight (10-12 hours).
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Initial dough mix: In a glass bowl with a Danish dough whisk OR a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add , , , , (optional), , , and . Mix until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and no dry flour bits remain (about 3-4 minutes). If you used a stand mixer, transfer the dough to a glass bowl. Cover for 30 minutes.
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Two rounds of stretch and folds: Uncover the dough and wet your hands. Stretch and fold all four corners of the dough. Continue stretching and folding your way around the bowl until the dough tightens up and doesn’t want to stretch anymore. Cover and let rest for 30-60 minutes. Repeat the stretch and folds one more time, covering and letting the dough rest for another 30-60 minutes.
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After the 2nd set of stretch and folds, your dough should feel smooth and strong. If it still feels textured or like it’s lacking strength, do an additional set of stretch and folds followed by a 30-minute rest before moving on.
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Laminate and add chocolate chips: Measure out . Dump out your dough and stretch it into a large, thin rectangle (about 19″ wide by 17″ high). Do not tear the dough when stretching. Use your surface to “grip” the edges of the dough as you stretch it – no bench flour or water misting is needed here.
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Spread about 2/3 of your chocolate chips over the dough.
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Visually divide the dough into thirds. Fold the left third of the dough over to the center. Then, fold the right section to meet it in the center. Press that center seam closed.
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Spread the remaining chocolate chips over the dough. Roll the dough tightly into a log.
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At this point, I like to gently push in the sides to get a slightly more round shape, and I place the dough back into the container or bowl.
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Finish bulk fermentation: Let the dough finish bulk fermenting until it is bubbly, jiggly when you shake the bowl, feels light and aerated when you tap the surface, and if you pull at the edge of the dough, it will easily release from the side of the bowl. For reference, this took me 9 hours when my dough was 72°F (22°C). Another time, it took 7 hours when my dough was 74°F (23°C).
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Pre-shaping: Turn out dough onto your work surface. Using a bench scraper (or your hands), do a push and pull motion to coerce the dough into a taut ball shape. Let rest uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
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Final shaping: Do a double caddy clasp – fold your dough like a book in both directions. Then, turn the dough onto your surface and use your bench scraper to coax it into a round shape. Flip into your banneton. Pinch any seams closed, dust with rice flour, and cover. Put in the fridge until tomorrow.
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Pre-heat oven: The next day, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) convection (or 450°F/230°C conventional) with a Dutch oven inside. After it has preheated, give it 10 more minutes to ensure your Dutch oven is super hot.
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Score and bake: Turn your dough out of your banneton onto parchment paper or a bread sling. Score the top (a straight line down the center for batards or a large X for boules), and place in your hot Dutch oven.
Note: the bottom of this loaf has a tendency to burn, so consider placing a sheet tray on the rack below your Dutch oven, or slipping a piece of foil under your parchment paper or bread sling.
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Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and bake an additional 5 minutes, to finish browning and dry out the interior slightly. When done, the internal temperature should be between 205-210°F (96-99°C). Let fully cool before slicing.
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Notes
Already have active starter on hand? Skip the sweet levain and use 115g of your starter instead. Add 15g extra brown sugar to the dough if you want to replace some of the sweetness.
