I still remember the first time I tasted chocolate sourdough bread.
The crust cracked like a brownie.
Inside: deep cocoa darkness, pockets of molten chocolate, and that perfect tangy sourdough kiss.
My husband ate half the loaf warm.
This is the final chocolate sourdough bread recipe that went viral on TikTok and Reddit — best chocolate sourdough bread recipe, simple chocolate sourdough bread recipe, double chocolate sourdough bread recipe, and chocolate sourdough bread recipe with chocolate starter all in one post.

Read for More Bread Recipes.

Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe (Measurements in Cups AND Grams)

Levain / Chocolate Sourdough Starter (build 8–12 hours before)

Cups version

• ½ cup active sourdough starter
• ½ cup bread flour
• ½ cup water

Grams version (for precision)

• 100 g active sourdough starter
• 100 g bread flour
• 100 g water

Pro twist: For chocolate sourdough starter, feed with 10 g cocoa powder + extra 10 g water — makes the loaf darker and richer.

Main Dough

Cups version

• 3½ cups bread flour (420 g)
• ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (50 g)
• 1½ cups + 2 Tbsp water (375 g total – 70 % hydration)
• ½ cup levain (100 g)
• 2 tsp salt (12 g)
• ¼ cup sugar (50 g – optional but recommended)
• 1 tsp espresso powder (optional but deepens the chocolate)
• ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate (100 g – 70 % works best)

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Banneton
• Lame or sharp knife

Step-by-Step Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe

1. Build levain (or chocolate sourdough starter) 8–12 hours before.
2. Autolyse: Mix flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and 300g of water (reserve 75g). Rest for 1 hour.
3. Add levain, sugar, salt, and remaining water. Knead 8–10 min — sticky and dark.
4. Bulk ferment for 4–6 hours, with 3 stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours.
5. Add chopped chocolate when the dough is 50 % risen. Fold gently.
6. Pre-shape, rest 20 min, final shape into a tight boule.
7. Cold proof 12–36 hours in fridge (longer = better flavor).
8. Preheat the Dutch oven to 500°F for 1 hour.
9. Score deeply. Bake covered 20 min → uncover → 450 °F 20–25 min until 205 °F internal.
10. Cool, 3 hours minimum.

Why This Is the Best Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe

• Chocolate sourdough starter option = deeper flavor
• Cups + grams = works for everyone
• 70 % hydration + long cold proof = open, fudgy crumb
• Espresso + Dutch cocoa = intense chocolate taste
• Chopped chunks = molten pockets

8 Genius Chocolate Sourdough Bread Twists

1. Double Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe – extra ¼ cup cocoa + 1 cup chips
2. Cherry Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe – ¾ cup dried tart cherries
3. White Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe – swap dark for white chocolate
4. Strawberry White Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe – freeze-dried strawberries + white chips
5. Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread Recipe – 1 cup mini chips folded in
6. Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread Recipe – cherries + dark chips
7. Chocolate Espresso Sourdough Bread Recipe – double espresso powder
8. Chocolate Swirl Sourdough Bread Recipe – layer with melted chocolate before shaping

What to Put on Chocolate Sourdough Bread

• Sea salt butter
• Whipped cream cheese
• Peanut butter + banana
• Mascarpone + honey
• Straight from the board (my favorite)

FAQs – Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe

What is a chocolate sourdough starter?

Regular starter fed with cocoa powder — darker, richer loaves.

Best chocolate sourdough bread recipe with coffee?

This one — espresso powder deepens flavor without tasting coffee.

Can I make a chocolate sourdough bread recipe no sugar?

Yes — skip sugar, still delicious.

Chocolate sourdough bread recipe, King Arthur?

Yes — uses King Arthur bread flour in grams version.

Chocolate sourdough bread recipe, Reddit favorite?

This exact one — viral on r/Sourdough 2025.

Chocolate sourdough bread recipe UK measurements?

Cups version works perfectly with UK cups.

Gluten-free chocolate sourdough bread recipe possible?

No — sourdough needs gluten structure.

Make this chocolate sourdough bread recipe this weekend.
Your kitchen will smell like a Parisian bakery and a chocolate factory had a baby.
You’ll never buy grocery bread again.