Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread (with honey!)

Chocolate chip sourdough bread with honey is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. It boasts a delectable combination of chocolate chips and a touch of honey that balances wonderfully with sourdough. Each ingredient adds a lovely texture and flavor that makes this bread perfect to indulge in any time of the day! If you are a sourdough and chocolate lover you must treat yourself to a slice of this pure bliss!

3 ways to enjoy chocolate chip sourdough bread with honey

• Toasted with butter: Slice a piece of the bread and toast it until golden brown. Spread some butter on top and let it melt into the warm bread.

• French toast: Turn this bread into a decadent French toast by whisking together some eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Dip each slice of bread in the mixture until coated, then fry it in a pan until golden brown on both sides. Serve with a drizzle of honey and some fresh berries for a sweet and satisfying breakfast.

• Bread pudding: Cut the bread into cubes and use it to make a rich and creamy bread pudding. Take a look at my Three Recipes for Leftover Sourdough Bread for my bread pudding recipe!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• The addition of honey makes for a lovely sweetness and fragrant dough.

• This method of baking allows for a softer crust, making this a truly delectable treat.

• An active, bubbly starter makes for a hearty rise and delicious-tasting bread.

• The richness that the chocolate chips add to the tangy sourdough is a wonderful balance.

How to make chocolate chip sourdough bread (with honey)

Baker’s schedule: feed your starter the evening before, mix the dough in the morning, and place it in the refrigerator overnight to bake for the following morning.

Fermentation times: The dough requires 7-9 hours of fermentation time around 70 degrees F, If your environment is cooler or warmer than this, some adjustments may need to be made. Watch the dough, not the clock.

Ingredients

• 500 grams of bread flour
• 350 grams of filtered water
• 70 grams active sourdough starter
• 21 grams of honey (optional: add an extra 21 grams for a sweeter dough)
• 10 grams of salt
• 3/4 cup of your desired chocolate chips

Equipment

• dutch oven or cast iron
• food scale
• mixing bowl
• bench scraper
• parchment paper

Mix the dough

• In a mixing bowl add the water and dissolve the honey and sourdough starter in it by mixing it with a fork.

• Next, add the bread flour and mix until all the flour has absorbed the water (intentionally leave the salt out during this step).

• Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 45 minutes.

Add the salt & chocolate chips

• After the dough has rested, add the salt and chocolate chips in.

• To do this, sprinkle the salt first and dimple it in the dough. Next, add your chocolate chips to the center of the dough and fold them in repetitively.

• Lastly, work the dough into a smooth ball by slapping it against the bowl for 3-5 minutes.

• Once complete, cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch & Folds

• After the dough has rested, perform your first stretch and fold to strengthen the dough.

• Gather a portion of the dough, lift it a few inches, and stretch it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and do this to all 4 quadrants of the dough.

• Once complete, cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

• Perform 2 more stretch and folds in 30-minute increments totaling 3 stretch and folds.

• Once complete, allow the dough to rest for the remaining bulk rise.

Pre-shape the dough

• Once the dough has finished its bulk fermentation, place it on a lightly floured surface.

• Using your hands or bench scraper create a round shape. Then, cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

Final Shaping

• After the dough has rested, sprinkle some flour over the surface of the dough and flip the dough over so the flour side is now on the work surface.

• Using the envelope-style shaping method, fold the top of the dough to the center, the left side to the center, the right side over the left side, and the bottom of the dough to the center.

• Flip the dough back over and tighten the shape using your hands. Gently push the dough towards yourself and make circular motions to tighten the seams.

• Once the desired shape has been achieved, place the dough in a linen-lined lightly floured bowl seam side up and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight (8-15 hours).

Score and Bake

• The following morning, 30 minutes before you get ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with the baking pan in the oven.

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and invert the bowl onto a piece of parchment paper.

• Score the dough using a lame or sharp knife. Score 1 line down the middle, and cross it with a second line resembling a cross.

• Place the dough in the pan using the parchment paper and bake covered for 30 minutes. Then decrease the temperature to 425 degrees F and bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes.

• Allow the bread to cool for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing it.

• Chocolate chip sourdough bread with honey lasts for 3 days in an airtight container or bread bag of your choice on the counter.

More sourdough recipes

• Chocolate Sourdough Bread
• Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls
• Sourdough Applesauce Cake
• Sourdough Brownies