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If croissant dough and sourdough bread had a baby — and that baby had an obsession with chocolate — this would be it. This chocolate chip sourdough croissant bread brings together the best of all worlds: the buttery, flaky layers of a croissant, the hearty structure of a sourdough loaf, and those melty pockets of chocolate you usually find in classic pain au chocolat. 

Instead of laminating a whole butter block (which can feel intimidating), this recipe leans on a rough-puff-style technique using grated frozen butter. It folds right into the dough during your stretch-and-folds, naturally creating those dreamy croissant layers without the stress. Then, during the final fold, we sprinkle in mini chocolate chips so they stay intact and don’t melt into the dough.

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The loaf bakes inside a hot Dutch oven, giving you gorgeous oven spring, a crackly golden crust, and layered interior you can actually peel apart. The result tastes like a bakery chocolate croissant — but made in your own kitchen, with simple sourdough techniques. This is a fun spin on my regular sourdough croissant bread!

Why This Recipe Works

• Uses active sourdough starter instead of yeast
• Creates croissant-style layers without laminating a butter block
• Mini chocolate chips get perfectly distributed in the third stretch-and-fold
• Works in both warm and cool kitchens — just keep your butter cold
• Beginner-friendly but still looks super impressive

Ingredients for sourdough chocolate chip croissant bread

Levain

• 25g active starter
• 50g water
• 50g all-purpose flour
  Use 120g of the levain once it doubles and becomes bubbly.

Dough

• 325g water
• 120g active sourdough starter
• 500g bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 10g salt
• 1 stick frozen butter (½ cup), grated
• 5 oz mini milk chocolate chips

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Levain

Mix together the active starter, water, and flour in a small jar.
Cover with plastic wrap or a loose-fitting lid and let it ferment at room temperature for 4–6 hours, or until doubled, bubbly, and fragrant.
Once it’s ready, measure 120g to use in the dough. The levain should be light and airy — that’s how you know it’s strong enough to lift this enriched dough.

2. Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the levain into the water. A dough whisk works best here because it breaks the levain apart so it fully dissolves.

Add the flour and salt.
Mix until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain. It will look shaggy and rough — totally normal for this stage.

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour. This rest period helps the flour hydrate and makes the dough easier to stretch.

3. Stretch & Fold With Butter

You’ll complete three sets of stretch-and-folds, spaced one hour apart. These folds develop gluten, build structure, and incorporate the butter for croissant-style layering.

Important:

Keep the butter very cold so it forms distinct layers instead of melting into the dough.

First Fold — Add Half the Butter

Sprinkle half the grated frozen butter evenly across the surface of the dough.

Reach under one side of the dough, stretch it up gently, and fold it over itself.
Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you’ve gone all the way around.
You’ll feel little flecks of cold butter — perfect!

Cover and rest for one hour.

Second Fold — Add Remaining Butter

Repeat the same motion, sprinkling in the remaining grated butter.
Fold again all the way around the bowl. As the dough builds strength, it will start feeling smoother, but still soft from the butter.

Cover and rest for one hour.

Third Stretch (Final Fold) — Add the Chocolate

Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over the dough.
Gently fold the dough around the bowl again, working slowly so the chips stay inside without tearing the dough.

This fold gives you that classic “au chocolat” effect you’d get in pain au chocolat — little pockets of melty chocolate layered throughout.

After this fold, let the dough rest for 3 hours at room temperature.

4. Shape & Cold Ferment

Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough and gently shape it into a loose round. Let it rest for 15 minutes to relax.

Then perform your final shaping using a letter fold — fold the dough like an envelope to create surface tension.

Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton. ( I use the size “750g”)

Cover and refrigerate for 8–16 hours.
This cold fermentation makes the dough easier to score and helps preserve those buttery layers.

5. Bake

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Place your empty Dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 475°F 

When ready to bake, invert the chilled dough onto parchment or a bread sling. Score the loaf deeply — this helps it open beautifully in the oven.

Bake:

Be careful, the Dutch oven will be hot! I use and love Lanon heat-resistant gloves to protect my hands! ( Use mt code “liza10” at checkout to save 10% off your purchase!)

• 40 minutes covered (for steam + oven spring)
• 5–10 minutes uncovered until golden brown and deeply caramelized

Transfer the sourdough chocolate chip croissant bread to a wire rack and let cool completely. This loaf smells so good you’ll want to slice it immediately, but cooling helps the layers set.

If you loved this recipe, make sure to try my other croissant recipes, such as my breakfast ham and cheese croissant sandwiches, and my most popular breakfast recipe, berry croissant bake!

Storing Your Loaf

• Store at room temperature in an airtight container or plastic bag for 2–3 days.
• Freeze individual slices for easy toasting anytime — the chocolate pockets melt beautifully when reheated.

FAQ

Why is grated butter better than a butter block?

Grating cold butter lets it stay in tiny pieces throughout the dough. As it bakes, those little bits steam and create layers — similar to lamination, but without rolling and folding a butter block.

My dough feels soft — is that normal?

Yes! This dough contains butter, so it will be much softer and richer than regular sourdough. Trust the folds; they create the structure.

Can I use regular chocolate chips?

Absolutely. Mini chips just distribute more evenly and help keep the layers clean and flaky.

Why use a Dutch oven?

It traps steam, which helps the loaf rise high and form a shiny golden crust — just like bakery sourdough.

What if my kitchen is warm?

Move the dough to a cooler spot or near a window. Warm dough makes the butter melt too quickly, so temperature control is key for flaky layers.

Move the dough to a cooler area or near an open window to keep the butter cool. The temperature of your house plays a huge role.