Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe with Chocolate Chunks

This chocolate sourdough bread recipe is rich, soft, and studded with chunks of dark chocolate. Naturally leavened with sourdough starter, it’s an easy artisan loaf perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting.

On Chasing Our Simple, I love taking classic sourdough recipes and adding a cozy, homemade twist. This chocolate sourdough bread is one of those bakes—soft, rich, and naturally sweetened with sourdough’s signature tang. The melty chocolate chunks make every slice feel special, whether you’re enjoying it fresh from the oven or sharing it with family over coffee.

This loaf is what I call a chocolate lover’s dream. The deep cocoa base, paired with glossy pockets of melted chocolate, tastes like dessert dressed up as breakfast. It’s indulgent but not overly sweet—beautifully balanced with the depth of coffee, the warmth of fermented dough, and the comforting aroma that fills your kitchen as it bakes.

If you’ve ever wanted to take your sourdough baking to the next level, this double chocolate sourdough bread is the best way to do it. You’ll use simple ingredients—flour, water, cocoa powder, and your own sourdough starter—to create something truly special.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

This recipe combines everything I love about slow, intentional baking:

• Naturally leavened with an active sourdough starter, so there’s no commercial yeast required.
• Filled with chocolate chunks that melt beautifully into the dough.
• Rich, soft, and full of deep chocolate flavor thanks to cocoa powder and brewed coffee.
• Perfect for breakfast toast, gifting to a friend, or transforming into chocolate bread pudding or french toast the next day.

It’s a bread that looks impressive but feels doable—especially once you understand the rhythm of sourdough.

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Key Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour – The base of this chocolate sourdough bread. It provides structure while keeping the crumb soft and tender.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Deepens the rich chocolate flavor and gives the loaf its beautiful dark color. 
• Sugar – A small touch of sweetness that balances the sourdough’s tang and the bitterness of the cocoa.
• Brewed Coffee – Hot and strong, coffee brings out the depth in chocolate without making the bread taste like coffee.
• Active Sourdough Starter – The natural leavening agent that gives your loaf rise, character, and that subtle tang.
• Dark Chocolate Chunks – The star of the show! These melty pockets of chocolate create a luxurious texture and rich, indulgent taste. You can also mix in semi-sweet or milk chocolate chunks for a softer, sweeter loaf.

What Is a Sweet Levain?

A sweet levain (or sweet starter) is a type of sourdough preferment that’s built using sugar and warm temperatures to create a milder, less acidic flavor. It’s commonly used in enriched or sweet sourdough bakes—like brioche, chocolate bread, or holiday loaves—where you want a soft crumb and subtle tang rather than a strong sour flavor.

Because the sugar slows the activity of wild yeast just enough, the fermentation process produces gentle notes of sweetness instead of the sharp tang of a traditional levain. This makes it perfect for recipes where you want the rich chocolate flavor to shine through.

How to Make a Sweet Levain

You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons active sourdough starter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons warm water

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest in a warm spot . It should double in 4–6 hours and smell lightly sweet, not sour.

Once it’s bubbly and at its peak, it’s ready to use. This levain will add mild flavor, lift, and softness to your chocolate sourdough bread recipe.

How to Make Chocolate Sourdough Bread with Chocolate Chunks

Below, I’ll walk you through the full process—from mixing to baking—so you can confidently make this indulgent bread from start to finish.

Step 1: Build the Levain

Combine your active sourdough starter, flour, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl or jar. Let it rest until doubled and bubbly (around 4–5 hours). You’ll know it’s ready when a spoonful gently floats in water and it smells slightly sweet.

This step is essential to building strong wild yeast activity, which will carry your bread through the long fermentation.

Step 2: Bloom the Cocoa

This step might seem small, but it’s what brings that next level rich chocolate flavor.

In another bowl, whisk together your cocoa powder and sugar, then pour in brewed coffee. Stir until it forms a smooth paste—this is called “blooming.” It wakes up the cocoa powder and enhances its flavor, giving you that deep, decadent chocolate base that makes this loaf taste like a mix between chocolate cake and artisan bread—I mean who wouldn’t want this?!

Step 3: Mix the Dough 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, the cocoa mixture, warm water, and levain. Use a dough whisk or your hands to stir until there’s no dry flour left. The dough will look shaggy and sticky—don’t worry, that’s exactly how it should be.

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes. 

Step 4: Add Salt & Begin Bulk Fermentation

Sprinkle in the salt and mix gently until incorporated. Then cover the bowl and set it aside to bulk ferment at room temperature for 4–6 hours.

During this time, perform a series of stretch and folds every 30–45 minutes. To do this, wet your hand, reach under the side of the dough, and stretch it upward before folding it over the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat on all sides—this helps build gluten structure and surface tension without kneading.

The dough should become smoother and more elastic after each set of stretch and fold.

Step 5: Add the Chocolate Chunks

After your second stretch and fold, begin folding in the chocolate chunks a little at a time. You can use a mix of dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or chopped chocolate bar pieces. The different types of chocolate melt into beautiful pockets throughout the bread, creating layers of sweetness in every bite.

If you’re a chocolate lover, this step will make you swoon. I like to save a few chunks of chocolate to press into the top of the dough right before baking—it gives the loaf a rustic, artisan look.

Step 6: Shape the Dough & Cold Proof

Once the bulk fermentation is complete, your dough should look puffy and domed, with visible air bubbles near the bottom of the dough. Lightly flour your work surface and use a bench scraper to turn the dough out gently.

Shape it into a round loaf by tucking the edges underneath, tightening the surface tension as you go. Place it seam-side up in a floured banneton or proofing basket dusted with rice flour to prevent sticking.

Cover with a damp towel, then refrigerate overnight for a long fermentation of 8-12 hours.

Step 7: Bake

The next day, preheat your oven and Dutch oven to 500°F. I like to cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to cradle the loaf.

Turn the dough out onto the parchment, smooth side up. Use a sharp knife or razor blade to score the top of the dough—this allows it to expand beautifully in the oven.

Carefully transfer the loaf (using the parchment as a sling) into the hot Dutch oven. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 450°F, uncover, and bake another 15–20 minutes until the crust is deeply browned.

Transfer to a cooling rack or wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. (I know it’s tempting, but slicing too soon can cause a gummy texture!)

Tips for Success

• Don’t rush the fermentation process. Sourdough thrives on time, and this bread’s depth of flavor depends on the long fermentation and those gentle sets of stretch and folds.
• Use quality cocoa powder. A dark, unsweetened cocoa will give you that signature rich chocolate flavor.
• Try different chocolates. Mix in semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or even a chopped peanut butter cup for a fun twist.
• Use parchment paper when transferring to your Dutch oven—it’s the best way to avoid burns or collapsed loaves.

Variations

If you want to experiment once you’ve mastered this recipe, here are some cozy twists:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Sourdough: Add a handful of chopped hazelnuts for texture and a nutty finish.
• Whole Wheat Flour Version: Swap half of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour to add heartiness and depth.
• Cream Cheese Swirl: Gently fold in a sweetened cream cheese filling during shaping for a dessert-like loaf.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl: Spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the bread dough before rolling it into shape.

Each version keeps the same core method but adds a personal touch that makes sourdough baking so rewarding.  My family loves trying different variations! 

Baking Tips & Storage

• Store your cooled loaf wrapped in plastic wrap or a plastic bag at room temperature for up to three days.
• For longer storage, slice and freeze, then reheat in the toaster or oven for a fresh-baked taste.
• If your loaf dries out, repurpose it! Try it in chocolate bread pudding or make decadent french toast.  I love how you can use this loaf so many ways!

Recipe FAQs

More Sourdough Recipes

If you loved this chocolate sourdough bread recipe, you’ll enjoy these other cozy sourdough recipes:

• Overnight Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Chocolate Cake–Easy Sheet Pan Recipe
• Sourdough Popovers

Each one combines wholesome ingredients with that touch of homemade comfort we all crave.

A Sweet Ending

Baking this chocolate sourdough bread feels like a small act of creativity and courage rolled into one. You take simple ingredients—flour, water, cocoa powder—and trust your own sourdough starter to do the work. There’s something so grounding about that process: the waiting, the folding, the transformation that happens overnight.

When you pull this loaf from the oven, the scent of rich chocolate and freshly baked bread fills your kitchen. The crackle of the crust as it cools, the melty chocolate chunks tucked inside—it all comes together as a gentle reminder that even the most complex-looking recipes are possible when you take them one step at a time.

So whether it’s your first time baking sourdough or your hundredth, I hope this recipe brings a bit of joy and confidence to your kitchen. Try something new, let go of perfection, and watch your creativity rise right along with the dough.

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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating on the recipe card below! I’d also love for you to tag me @autumn.chasingoursimple on Instagram so I can see what you’ve been baking!