Beautiful friends, there are some days that simply demand a little treat.

Self-care is a buzzword for a reason. And while some people’s version of taking care of themselves might involve a massage, a long bath, or a little retail therapy, for this girl the answer is very often chocolate.

Preferably with bread.

Ivy and I shared a chocolate croissant recently, and somewhere between the flaky crumbs all over the table and the chocolate tucked inside all those buttery layers, I started thinking.

I love a chocolate croissant. Truly. Put one next to my coffee and I am a very happy woman.

But sometimes I want a little more substance. A little bite. A little chew.

And sourdough always hits those notes for me.

So what did I do, you ask?

You totally didn’t ask, but Imma tell you anyway.

I took my basic sourdough loaf—the one I could practically make in my sleep at this point—and tossed in a very generous handful of chocolate chips.

Okay, several handfuls.

And friends, this is one of those ridiculously simple ideas that makes you wonder why you weren’t doing it all along.

Chocolate Chips Are for More Than Cookies

This loaf is still very much bread.

It’s not a chocolate cake pretending to be breakfast. It’s not overwhelmingly sweet. It’s a chewy, crusty sourdough loaf with little pockets of semisweet chocolate scattered throughout.

Basically, we’re joining the “Chocolate Chips Are for More Than Cookies” train.

All aboard.

It’s grown-up adjacent chocolate bread.

You get that wonderfully chewy sourdough crumb and deep, crisp crust, but every few bites there’s a little melted pocket of chocolate waiting for you. And because we’re using semisweet chocolate chips rather than turning the dough itself into something sweet, the chocolate doesn’t completely take over.

Although, let’s be clear, chocolate taking over isn’t exactly the worst problem I’ve ever had.

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Sourdough

If you’re already comfortable making a basic sourdough loaf, there’s really nothing scary happening here.

We’re using a simple dough made with active sourdough starter, water, bread flour, and salt. The chocolate chips get folded in gradually during the stretch-and-fold process so they’re distributed throughout the dough without making shaping a complete circus later.

And there’s no laminating butter, no carefully rolling croissant dough, and no wondering whether you’ve accidentally created butter soup in your kitchen.

You get some of that wonderful bread-and-chocolate satisfaction with considerably less fuss.

I’ll still happily eat the croissant, thankyouverymuch. But this I can make while I’m already making bread.

A Few Things Before You Start

Use an active starter.
You want your sourdough starter bubbly, active, and ready to work. This loaf doesn’t use commercial yeast, so your starter is doing all the heavy lifting.

Let the dough tell you when it’s ready.
My bulk rise took about five hours, but it was warm outside and my kitchen wasn’t exactly chilly. Yours may take longer—or less time. Sourdough doesn’t own a watch.

Instead of staring at the clock, look for dough that’s risen by about 75 percent. It should look airy and alive, with some bubbles around the edges.

Add the chocolate gradually.
Adding half during the second set of stretch and folds and the rest during the third helps distribute those little chocolate treasures throughout the loaf.

Don’t go wild when you’re scoring.
Chocolate chips and a bread lame aren’t exactly best friends. Score gently and work around any chips sitting right on the surface if you can.

And please let it cool.
I know. Rude.

Your kitchen smells like warm bread and chocolate and now I’m standing here telling you not to eat it.

But give your loaf at least an hour on the cooling rack before slicing. The crumb is still setting as it cools, and cutting into it too early can leave the inside gummy.

Future you, eating a beautiful slice of chocolate-studded sourdough, will be grateful for your restraint.

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time: About 30 minutes active time
Fermentation & Proofing: Varies, plus up to 24 hours refrigerated
Bake Time: 60 minutes
Oven Temperature: 450°F

Ingredients

• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 350 grams water
• 10 grams salt
• 500 grams bread flour
• 100–150 grams semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Make the Dough

Add the active sourdough starter and water to a large mixing bowl. Using a dough whisk, stir until the starter is completely incorporated and the mixture looks bubbly.

Add the salt and stir again until combined.

Add the bread flour and use your dough whisk to mix until a shaggy dough forms and there are no dry patches of flour remaining.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Fold

Perform your first set of stretch and folds. Pull one side of the dough gently upward and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat until you’ve worked your way around the dough.

Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.

During the second set of stretch and folds, add half of the chocolate chips, gently folding them into the dough as you work.

Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

During the third set, add the remaining chocolate chips.

Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.

Perform one final set of stretch and folds, then cover the dough for its bulk rise.

Bulk Fermentation

Let the dough rise until it has increased in volume by approximately 75 percent.

In my warm kitchen, this took about 5 hours, but your dough may move faster or slower depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity of your starter.

Let the dough decide when it’s ready rather than relying entirely on the clock.

Shape and Cold Proof

Gently turn the dough onto your work surface and shape it into a ball, being careful not to tear the dough around the chocolate chips.

Transfer the shaped dough to a well-floured proofing basket.

Cover and refrigerate for the second rise for several hours or up to 24 hours.

Bake

After the cold proof, preheat your oven and covered Dutch oven or bread-baking pan to 450°F.

We’re not trying to burn chocolate here.

Turn the cold dough onto a piece of parchment paper that you can use as a sling to lower the loaf into the hot pan.

Score the top gently, trying to avoid any chocolate chips directly in the path of your blade.

Carefully lower the dough into your hot pan and cover.

Bake covered for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue baking for approximately 40 minutes, or until the loaf has a deep brown crust studded with delicious little bits of chocolate.

Transfer the finished loaf to a cooling rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Yes, you have to wait.

I’m sorry.

Mostly.

How to Serve Chocolate Chip Sourdough

Honestly? Start by tearing off a piece and eating it exactly as it is.

This bread doesn’t need much.

But a warm-ish slice with a little salted butter spread over it is downright lovely. Toasting a slice the next morning brings the chocolate back to its melty glory, too, which makes it awfully good next to a cup of coffee.

It’s sweet enough to feel like a treat but substantial enough to feel like you actually ate something.

Exactly what I was craving when that chocolate croissant started this whole thing.

A Little Treat Just Because

There doesn’t have to be an occasion for making something delicious.

Sometimes it’s Wednesday. Sometimes work is calling. Sometimes the laundry has apparently decided reproduction is its primary purpose in life.

And sometimes you were already making sourdough anyway, so you throw some chocolate chips into it because that sounds like a nice thing to do for yourself.

That’s enough of a reason.

So come join me on the Chocolate Chips Are for More Than Cookies train. We’ll slice our bread thick, spread a little butter on top, pour ourselves something warm to drink, and be delightfully grown-up adjacent together.

Because maybe self-care doesn’t always need an appointment.

Sometimes it just needs 150 grams of chocolate chips.