Chocolate Soft Sourdough Bread | Soft & Fluffy
Chocolate Soft Sourdough Bread (with Sweet Stiff Starter)
This Chocolate Soft Sourdough Bread is a rich, indulgent twist on classic sourdough. Made with a sweet stiff starter, it bakes up soft, tender, and fragrant with deep cocoa flavour—perfect for breakfast, dessert, or anytime you need a comforting slice of chocolatey goodness.
Unlike traditional lean sourdough loaves, this bread is enriched and low in tang, with a fine, moist crumb and a featherlight texture thanks to the use of whipping cream, and cocoa powder. The dough is a pleasure to work with, and the result is a loaf that’s beautifully soft, aromatic, and chocolate-rich without being overly sweet.
What Makes This Chocolate Sourdough Bread Special?
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Sweet Stiff Starter – Using a sweet stiff starter results in a bread that is naturally leavened yet mild in flavour, without the tanginess that’s typical of many sourdoughs.
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Soft & Rich Texture – With added butter and milk, the bread has a pillowy crumb, much like brioche but with a subtle chocolate twist.
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Balanced Chocolate Flavour – Cocoa powder provides depth, while just a hint of sugar keeps it from being too sweet.
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No Commercial Yeast – 100% naturally leavened, slow-fermented for flavour and digestibility.
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Versatile Use – Enjoy it plain, toasted, or spread with hazelnut butter, jam, or even cream cheese.
What Is a Sweet Stiff Starter?
A sweet stiff starter is a lower hydration sourdough starter that is firm, mildly sweetened, and often used in enriched doughs. It’s especially useful for breads like brioche, milk bread, and this chocolate loaf—where a clean flavour and strong rise are important.
Unlike liquid starters, stiff starters:
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Are easier to handle in rich dough
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Provide more controlled fermentation
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Reduce sourness in the final bread
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Support better oven spring
You can learn more about this technique in my Sourdough Shokupan post.
Key Benefits of This Bread
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Very Soft and Moist – Ideal for those who love fluffy, cake-like bread.
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Low Tang – Mild taste, even children enjoy it.
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Better Oven Spring – Thanks to the sweet stiff starter and good gluten development.
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Longer Freshness – Stays soft for 2–3 days at room temperature; freezes well, too.
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Beautiful Colour – Rich chocolate hue that looks just as good as it tastes.
Let’s Talk About Cocoa Powder
When it comes to chocolate bread, the quality of your cocoa powder matters just as much as your flour or starter. It’s the star ingredient that defines the depth, aroma, and richness of the loaf—so don’t settle for just any cocoa.
I always use pure, high-quality cocoa powder for the best flavour and colour. Two of my go-to brands are:
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Callebaut – Deep, rich, and beautifully balanced with a warm chocolate aroma.
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Valrhona – Intensely fragrant and slightly more bitter, giving a luxurious, dark finish.
Both are unsweetened, high-fat cocoa powders, which yield a more velvety texture and deeper chocolate taste in baked goods. If you use a lower quality or alkalized (Dutch-processed) cocoa with low fat content, the result may be drier and less flavourful.
👉 Tip: Always sift the cocoa powder before mixing it into your dough to avoid clumps and ensure even distribution.
How To Make Chocolate Soft Sourdough Bread
Ingredients You'll Need (Yield: 1 loaf)
1 egg + 1 tbsp water
Step-By-Step Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the starter with water and stir in the sugar. Add the bread flour and mix using the paddle attachment until everything is well incorporated and forms a cohesive dough. You can also mix by hand if you prefer—just knead gently until combined.
- Cover the bowl and let the starter ferment until it triples in size. I usually prepare it the night before and leave it to ferment overnight in an air-conditioned room at around 24°C–25°C, which takes about 8–9 hours, depending on your starter's activity.
- At a warmer room temperature of 28°C–30°C, the starter should triple in approximately 4–6 hours.
- You can choose to ferment the starter either in a mixing bowl or in a jar. Using the bowl makes it easier to incorporate directly into the final dough, though you’ll need to visually judge when it has peaked, as there's no jar marker to measure volume increase.
2. Kneading Main Dough
- Put all ingredients (except butter) into the stand mixer bowl. Include all the stiff starter.
- Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix for 1 minute or until all incorporated.
- Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 (approx.) minutes or until the dough comes together and become elastic. The dough at this stage is sticky and wet. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until dough comes together and reach window pane stage. Once achieved window pane stage, add in dried cranberries and knead for another minute to incorporate the berries evenly into the dough. During the whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. The dough did not rise a lot in 60 minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 3 equal portions, approximately 223g each (total dough weight: 669.6g).
- Shape each portion into a ball. Using a rolling pin, gently flatten each ball into an oval or disc shape.
- Next, fold the right side toward the center, then fold the left side to overlap. Roll out the folded dough into a long rectangle using the rolling pin.
- Starting from the short end, roll the dough up like a Swiss roll to form a tight log.
- Repeat with the remaining portions, then place all three shaped logs side by side into the prepared loaf pan.
- Let the dough proof in a warm place until it rises to the height of the loaf pan. At a room temperature of 28°C–30°C, this may take around 3 hours. However, the proofing time can vary depending on your ambient temperature and the strength of your starter, so keep an eye on the dough rather than the clock.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C using top and bottom heat, or 170°C if using a fan-forced (convection) oven, about 10–15 minutes before baking.
- Gently brush the proofed dough with egg wash for a shiny, golden finish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the loaf is beautifully golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing to preserve its soft texture.
Key Tips for Soft, Fluffy Bread
1. Sourdough Starter Health
A strong and active sourdough starter is the foundation of well-risen, flavorful bread. Feed your starter regularly and always use it (as a levain) at its peak activity. Even if the levain looks ready, an underfed or weak mother starter can still result in poor rise.
👉Learn more: How To Make a Sourdough Starter | Sourdough Maintenance
2. Gluten Development
Well-developed gluten is essential for a soft, airy texture. Hydrating flour initiates gluten formation, and this is strengthened through kneading or autolyse. Perform the windowpane test to check: the dough should stretch thin like paper without tearing.
Tip: High-hydration doughs with a higher fat content stretch more easily and reach a fine, translucent windowpane stage with less resistance.
3. Proper Kneading
Kneading time varies depending on the flour type and mixer used. The timing in recipes is just a guide—adjust as needed.
For enriched doughs with higher fat, knead longer (about 18–20 minutes) until the dough is elastic and passes the windowpane test.
4. Flour & Hydration Balance
Use high-protein bread flour for better gluten strength and structure. Always hold back a small amount of liquid during mixing so you can fine-tune the dough consistency.
If the dough feels too dry, gradually add the reserved liquid one tablespoon at a time until it becomes smooth and pliable
5. Dough Temperature Control
Maintaining the right dough temperature during mixing is critical for achieving a fine and even crumb. Overheating can cause a loose structure and large, uneven holes.
🌡 To manage dough temperature:
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Use cold water, milk, or eggs
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Chill your mixing bowl or dough hook before mixing
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Mix on low speed
6. Proofing: Timing & Visual Cues
Proofing time depends on room temperature and dough activity. Use the finger poke test:
Bounces back instantly: under-proofed
Indentation stays: over-proofed
Slowly springs back: perfectly proofed
Remember, the dough also expands in the oven—a stage called oven spring, which gives the loaf its final rise and height.If your kitchen is warm, proof in a cooler area
7. Preventing Wrinkle Tops or Collapsing
If your loaf shrinks or wrinkles after baking, it's likely over-proofed during the second rise. For best results, aim for the dough to rise to 80–90% of its final volume, just below the rim of the pan before baking. Over-proofing weakens the dough structure and causes collapse.
8. Baking & Oven Temperature
The suggested oven temperatures and bake times are based on my oven and are provided as a guide. Since every oven behaves differently, you may need to adjust the temperature or position in your oven to achieve consistent results. Monitor your first few bakes and make adjustments as needed.
More Sourdough Recipes to Try
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Final Thoughts
This Chocolate Soft Sourdough Bread is one of my favourites—simple, luxurious, and deeply satisfying. Whether you serve it on its own or dress it up with a spread, it's sure to become a staple for chocolate lovers and sourdough bakers alike.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to see your bakes!
Tag me on Instagram at @bakewithpaws and leave a comment below with your feedback or questions.
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