Seasoned with robust cocoa powder and studded with tart dried fruits, this not-too-sweet recipe is a superb twist on artisanal sourdough bread. Here’s how to make chocolate sourdough bread at home.

Dark Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe and Baking Tips

Chocolate sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread flavored with cocoa powder. Many breads have a neutral flavor, but there are plenty of sweet breads worldwide: Think Japanese [milk bread](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/milk-bread-recipe), Irish soda bread, Italian [panettone](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-panettone), or comforting cinnamon raisin toast. Chocolate sourdough is a stellar addition to this list, and it’s an unexpected way to use your [levain](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-levain-starter-with-chef-dominique-ansel) (fresh sourdough starter). The levain’s natural ferment plays off the complex, almost savory depth of dark chocolate flavor, while the crust takes on an attractive dark caramel brown color. 

The loaf is as good fresh from the oven and slathered in cream cheese as it is egg-battered and butter-fried in a chocolatey twist on [French toast](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/french-toast-recipe).

Sourdough baking requires a bit of a time commitment, but the reward for your efforts is a thick, chewy crust and airy crumb. Here are some tips for amplifying the flavor and texture of your chocolate sourdough bread:

1. __Use the starter when it's most active__. For a refrigerated starter, plan on feeding it about three times before baking. To test your starter’s readiness, drop a spoonful in a cup of room-temperature water: If it floats, it’s ready. If you haven’t yet made a [sourdough starter](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apollonia-poilane-sourdough-starter-recipe), budget a few extra days in your baking timeline to allow your new starter to develop a healthy community of wild yeasts.
2. __Add fillings to your taste__. Highlight the cocoa powder’s deep flavors with creative, complementary fillings. Together with the cocoa, toasted hazelnuts give the bread a smooth, gianduja-like flavor. For earthiness and crunch, try pecans—candied, plain roasted, or dusted with cinnamon. Dried cherries (or other dried fruits like currants or cranberries) lend a pleasant chew and tang. Alternatively, fold a handful of mini chocolate chips into the dough. 
3. __Control the sugar__. Milk chocolate cocoa powder can make the dough overly sweet, especially if you add sugary fillings, like chocolate chips or candied nuts. Stick to one hundred percent cocoa powder. Using unsweetened cocoa powder lets you control the amount of sweetness in the bread, and you can then add brown sugar for balance. 
4. __Flour the fruits__. Toss any dried-fruit filling in a light dusting of flour. Flouring the fruits will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the dough and ensure their even distribution throughout the sourdough loaf.

Investing in these five tools will make the baking process more manageable. Here is a list of the tools, in order of when you’ll need them:

- __Kitchen scale__: Although it’s possible to measure bread ingredients with cups, the accuracy of a scale helps keep things consistent.
- __Dough scraper__: The deep, wide blade of a scraper helps divide your bread dough and gently move it from one surface to another.
- __Dutch oven or combo cooker__: Baking bread in a Dutch oven lets you steam the bread at the beginning of the bake, getting the best rise and forming a nice crust. Some bakers prefer a cast iron “combo cooker,” which features a Dutch oven and a lid that doubles as a pan.
- __Proofing or banneton baskets__: Banneton baskets, made with cane, have ridges that support the dough. Their design lets the dough rise while giving loaves a consistent shape. Alternatively, use mixing bowls lined with a clean cloth for [proofing bread](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods).
- __Razor blade__: You’ll need a very sharp tool to successfully create a slit in the top of the dough, which will allow it to expand during baking. While you can find tools explicitly made for this purpose (called lames), a razor blade or very sharp knife will work fine. When scoring, take care not to over-manipulate your bread. Here’s [how to score sourdough bread](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-score-sourdough-bread) properly.

Seasoned with robust cocoa powder and studded with tart dried fruits, this not-too-sweet recipe is a superb twist on artisanal sourdough bread. Here’s how to make chocolate sourdough bread at home.

Chocolate sourdough bread is a naturally leavened bread flavored with cocoa powder. Many breads have a neutral flavor, but there are plenty of sweet breads worldwide: Think Japanese <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/milk-bread-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/milk-bread-recipe","linkCopy":"milk bread","category":null}'>milk bread</a>, Irish soda bread, Italian <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-panettone' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-homemade-panettone","linkCopy":"panettone","category":null}'>panettone</a>, or comforting cinnamon raisin toast. Chocolate sourdough is a stellar addition to this list, and it’s an unexpected way to use your <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-levain-starter-with-chef-dominique-ansel' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-levain-starter-with-chef-dominique-ansel","linkCopy":"levain","category":null}'>levain</a> (fresh sourdough starter). The levain’s natural ferment plays off the complex, almost savory depth of dark chocolate flavor, while the crust takes on an attractive dark caramel brown color. The loaf is as good fresh from the oven and slathered in cream cheese as it is egg-battered and butter-fried in a chocolatey twist on <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/french-toast-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/french-toast-recipe","linkCopy":"French toast","category":null}'>French toast</a>.

What Is Chocolate Sourdough Bread?

Sourdough baking requires a bit of a time commitment, but the reward for your efforts is a thick, chewy crust and airy crumb. Here are some tips for amplifying the flavor and texture of your chocolate sourdough bread:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use the starter when it&#39;s most active. For a refrigerated starter, plan on feeding it about three times before baking. To test your starter’s readiness, drop a spoonful in a cup of room-temperature water: If it floats, it’s ready. If you haven’t yet made a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apollonia-poilane-sourdough-starter-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/apollonia-poilane-sourdough-starter-recipe","linkCopy":"sourdough starter","category":null}'>sourdough starter</a>, budget a few extra days in your baking timeline to allow your new starter to develop a healthy community of wild yeasts. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Add fillings to your taste. Highlight the cocoa powder’s deep flavors with creative, complementary fillings. Together with the cocoa, toasted hazelnuts give the bread a smooth, gianduja-like flavor. For earthiness and crunch, try pecans—candied, plain roasted, or dusted with cinnamon. Dried cherries (or other dried fruits like currants or cranberries) lend a pleasant chew and tang. Alternatively, fold a handful of mini chocolate chips into the dough. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Control the sugar. Milk chocolate cocoa powder can make the dough overly sweet, especially if you add sugary fillings, like chocolate chips or candied nuts. Stick to one hundred percent cocoa powder. Using unsweetened cocoa powder lets you control the amount of sweetness in the bread, and you can then add brown sugar for balance. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Flour the fruits. Toss any dried-fruit filling in a light dusting of flour. Flouring the fruits will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the dough and ensure their even distribution throughout the sourdough loaf. </li></ol>

4 Tips for Making Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Investing in these five tools will make the baking process more manageable. Here is a list of the tools, in order of when you’ll need them:<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Kitchen scale: Although it’s possible to measure bread ingredients with cups, the accuracy of a scale helps keep things consistent. </li><li class="">Dough scraper: The deep, wide blade of a scraper helps divide your bread dough and gently move it from one surface to another. </li><li class="">Dutch oven or combo cooker: Baking bread in a Dutch oven lets you steam the bread at the beginning of the bake, getting the best rise and forming a nice crust. Some bakers prefer a cast iron “combo cooker,” which features a Dutch oven and a lid that doubles as a pan. </li><li class="">Proofing or banneton baskets: Banneton baskets, made with cane, have ridges that support the dough. Their design lets the dough rise while giving loaves a consistent shape. Alternatively, use mixing bowls lined with a clean cloth for <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods","linkCopy":"proofing bread","category":null}'>proofing bread</a>. </li><li class="">Razor blade: You’ll need a very sharp tool to successfully create a slit in the top of the dough, which will allow it to expand during baking. While you can find tools explicitly made for this purpose (called lames), a razor blade or very sharp knife will work fine. When scoring, take care not to over-manipulate your bread. Here’s <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-score-sourdough-bread' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-score-sourdough-bread","linkCopy":"how to score sourdough bread","category":null}'>how to score sourdough bread</a> properly. </li></ul>

What Tools Do You Need to Bake Chocolate Sourdough Bread?

Dark Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe

Seasoned with robust cocoa powder and studded with tart dried fruits, this not-too-sweet recipe is a superb twist on artisanal sourdough bread. Here’s how to make chocolate sourdough bread at home.

Seasoned with robust cocoa powder and studded with tart dried fruits, this not-too-sweet recipe is a superb twist on artisanal sourdough bread. Here’s how to make chocolate sourdough bread at home.
