Sourdough Chocolate Chip Croissant Bread (Buttery, Flaky & Loaded With Chocolate)
If croissant dough and sourdough bread had a baby, and that baby loved chocolate, this would be it. This chocolate chip sourdough croissant bread has those dreamy buttery layers of a croissant, the structure of a sourdough loaf, and the melty chocolate pockets you get in classic pain au chocolat. It’s kind of giving “viral sourdough croissant bread” energy — the kind of loaf TikTok loves to make and remake.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Dutch oven ( use code “liza15” to get $15 off my FAVORITE Dutch oven!)
- Banneton basket or proofing basket ( use code “lizazykin” for 10% off!)
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 100 g Active sourdough starter
- 325 g water
- 500 g bread flour
- g salt
- 1/2 cup frozen butter (1 stick)
- 5 oz mini milk chococlate chips
Instructions
Make the Levain
- 25g active starter,50g water, and 50g flour.Mix active starter, water, and flour in a small jar.Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and let it ferment at room temperature for 4–6 hours or until bubbly.Use 120g in the dough.
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the levain (active sourdough starter) into the water using a dough whisk until dissolved. Then add the four and salt, mix until fully incorporated. The dough will look shaggy. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and rest for 1 hour.
Stretch & Fold With Butter
- You’ll perform three sets of stretch-and-folds, one each hour. The main thing: keep the butter cold so it forms layers instead of melting.
First Fold- Sprinkle in half of the grated cold butter. Grab one side of the dough then slowly stretch it up, fold it over to the middle, then turn the bowl a quarter and repeat the process till you went all around.
Second Fold- Add the remaining butter. Fold again to create more layers.
Third Stretch (Final Fold) — Add the Chocolate- Sprinkle chocolate chips across the top of the dough. Gently fold so they distribute without tearing. This gives the “au chocolat” croissant effect.
Let the dough rest 3 hours.
Shape & Cold Ferment
- Lightly flour a work surface. Gently shape the dough into a round, rest 15 minutes, then do the final shaping using the letter fold.Place into a floured banneton, seam side up.Cover and refrigerate (cold fermentation) 8–16 hours.Chilled dough is easier to score and creates more distinct buttery layers.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 475°F with a Dutch oven inside.Transfer the chilled dough onto a piece of parchment paper or a bread sling. Score the loaf, then bake:Cool on a wire rack.40 minutes covered, then, 5–10 minutes uncovered until deep golden brown
