A playful twist on homemade sourdough, layered with pockets of chocolate chip cookie dough and baked until golden.
There are classic sourdough loaves, and then there are the recipes that make baking a little more fun.
Heather’s chocolate chip cookie dough sourdough loaf takes everything we love about homemade sourdough and adds an unexpected sweet twist. Cold chocolate chip cookie dough is layered into fermented sourdough, gently folded and shaped, then baked in a Dutch oven until the bread is golden and the cookie dough is tucked throughout the center.
The result is intentionally a little rustic. You may get pockets of melted chocolate, swirls of cookie dough, and even a little cookie dough leakage along the way. That is part of what makes this loaf so good.
If you’re newer to sourdough, start with our Everyday Sourdough Bread Recipe to get comfortable with Heather’s basic method. Then come back to this loaf when you’re ready to have a little fun with your starter.
Watch Heather Make Her Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sourdough
Sometimes this recipe makes much more sense once you see it come together.
In the video below, Heather shows how she layers cold cookie dough into her fermented sourdough, folds and shapes the loaf, and reveals the finished bread after baking.
Because this loaf has a filling, shaping it is a little different from a traditional sourdough loaf. Watch Heather’s process first, then follow the written instructions below as your guide.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Loaf
- A fun twist on traditional homemade sourdough
- Filled with pockets of chocolate chip cookie dough
- Uses cold cookie dough for easier shaping
- Baked in a Dutch oven for a golden sourdough crust
- A fun weekend baking project
- Each loaf comes out a little differently
What You'll Need
For the Sourdough
- 130 g active sourdough starter
- 350 g water
- 550 g total flour
- Up to 10% whole wheat flour, optional
- 10 g salt
For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- 200–250 g cold prepared chocolate chip cookie dough
For Shaping and Baking
- Rice flour, for dusting the banneton
- Parchment paper
- Aluminum foil, if needed to prevent over-browning
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Bench scraper, optional
- Banneton or cotton-lined proofing bowl
- Parchment paper
- Bread lame or sharp knife
- Dutch oven with lid
- Instant-read thermometer
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sourdough
Step 1: Mix the Starter and Water
In a large mixing bowl, combine 130 g active sourdough starter and 350 g water. Mix until the starter loosens into the water and the mixture looks cloudy.
Step 2: Add the Flour and Salt
Add 550 g flour and 10 g salt. Mix until the dough comes together and looks shaggy. It does not need to look smooth yet. If desired, up to 10% of the total flour can be whole wheat flour.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rest
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour. This gives the flour time to absorb the water before you begin strengthening the dough.
Step 4: Complete 4 Stretch and Folds
After the one-hour rest, complete 4 rounds of stretch and folds, spacing each round about 30 minutes apart. Wet your hands slightly. Grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and continue until you have worked your way around the dough.
Repeat this process every 30 minutes for a total of four rounds. Heather uses the same stretch-and-fold method in her base loaf.
Step 5: Bulk Ferment
After the fourth stretch and fold, allow the dough to bulk ferment for approximately 6 hours. You are looking for dough that appears puffier, smoother, and noticeably risen. Kitchen temperature can affect fermentation time, so pay attention to the appearance of the dough in addition to the clock. Heather’s published everyday loaf also uses roughly a six-hour bulk ferment.
For the cookie dough loaf Heather demonstrated, the dough was very well fermented before shaping, so there is no need to give it another room-temperature rise after adding the filling.
Step 6: Turn Out the Dough
Lightly flour your counter and gently turn out the fermented sourdough. Pat the dough into a thick rectangle.
Be gentle here. Avoid aggressively pulling the dough or pressing out all of the bubbles created during fermentation.
Step 7: Prepare the Cookie Dough
Measure approximately 200–250 g of cold chocolate chip cookie dough. Flatten the cookie dough into several thin pieces about ¼ inch thick.
Smaller pieces are easier to distribute than pressing the cookie dough into one large sheet. Keep any unused cookie dough refrigerated while you work.
Step 8: Add the First Layer of Cookie Dough
Arrange the flattened cookie dough pieces across the middle of the sourdough. Leave a 2-inch clean border around every edge.
Keeping the cookie dough away from the edges gives you enough clean bread dough to seal the loaf properly and can help reduce leakage during baking.
Step 9: Fold and Add the Second Layer
Fold the left third of the sourdough toward the center. Then add another thin layer of cold cookie dough over that folded section, once again keeping the filling away from the edges.
Next, fold the right third over the center. At this point, you should have layers of sourdough and cookie dough folded together.
Step 10: Shape the Loaf
Gently roll the dough from top to bottom to form a loaf. Pinch the bottom seam and any visible openings closed.
If the dough feels very loose, use a bench scraper to gently tighten the outside of the loaf. However, avoid repeatedly working or tightening the dough. A little visible chocolate or cookie dough is completely normal.
Step 11: Transfer to the Banneton
Generously dust a banneton with rice flour. Place the shaped loaf into the banneton seam-side up. Then transfer it directly to the refrigerator.
Unlike Heather’s standard loaf, which normally cold proofs for at least six hours, this filled loaf only needs about 2–4 hours in the refrigerator after shaping because the dough has already gone through a substantial bulk fermentation. Heather’s original everyday loaf uses a longer cold proof before baking.
Do not give the filled loaf another room-temperature proof.
Step 12: Cold Proof
Cold proof the shaped loaf for at least 2–4 hours. You can bake it directly from the refrigerator once it has chilled. There is no need to bring the loaf back to room temperature before baking.
How to Bake the Cookie Dough Sourdough
Step 13: Preheat the Dutch Oven
Keep the loaf in the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Place your Dutch oven with the lid on inside the oven.
Preheat to 475°F for 45 minutes. The Dutch oven should be fully heated before you add the bread.
Step 14: Turn Out the Cold Loaf
Remove the loaf from the refrigerator only when the Dutch oven is ready. Turn the loaf onto parchment paper so the seam is underneath. Brush away any excess rice flour from the surface.
Step 15: Score the Bread
Using a bread lame or sharp knife, make one confident cut approximately ½ inch deep across the top. Avoid scoring directly through any areas where cookie dough is visibly exposed.
Step 16: Bake Covered
Carefully lower the loaf and parchment paper into the hot Dutch oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Step 17: Finish Baking Uncovered
After 25 minutes, carefully remove the Dutch oven lid. Lower the oven temperature to 425°F. Continue baking uncovered for another 25–30 minutes.
Because this loaf contains cookie dough, it may take slightly longer to bake through than Heather’s traditional sourdough loaf. If the crust begins getting too dark before the center is finished, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil.
Step 18: Check the Internal Temperature
The loaf is finished when a section of the bread reaches an internal temperature of approximately 208–210°F.
When checking the temperature, insert the thermometer into an area of bread rather than directly into one of the cookie dough pockets. Otherwise, you may not get an accurate reading of whether the sourdough itself is fully baked.
Step 19: Cool for 3 Hours
Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Then comes the difficult part: wait a full 3 hours before slicing. The extended cooling time allows both the bread and the cookie dough filling to finish setting.
Cutting into the loaf too early can leave the center gummy, so this is one recipe where patience really matters. Once completely cooled, slice into the loaf and see where all of those pockets of chocolate and cookie dough landed.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Loaf
- Keep the Cookie Dough Cold: Cold cookie dough is easier to flatten, layer, and keep contained inside the sourdough.
- Stick to 200–250 Grams: It may be tempting to add more, but too much cookie dough can make it difficult for the center of the loaf to bake properly.
- Keep a 2-Inch Border: Do not put cookie dough right against the edges of the sourdough. Leaving clean dough around the perimeter makes it much easier to seal the loaf.
- Expect a Little Leakage: A little cookie dough may escape during baking. That is normal for this loaf. If you want to protect the bottom of your oven, place a sheet pan on the rack below the Dutch oven to catch any drips.
- Don't Overwork the Dough: Once the filling is added, use gentle movements when folding and shaping. The sourdough has already developed its structure during fermentation.
- Bake It Cold: Take the loaf directly from the refrigerator to the parchment paper, score it, and place it into the preheated Dutch oven.
- Check the Bread, Not the Filling: When checking for doneness, make sure the thermometer is inserted into the bread rather than a pocket of melted cookie dough.
- Give It the Full 3 Hours: This is not the loaf to slice while it's steaming hot. The filling needs time to set along with the surrounding crumb.
Storage
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before storing it.
- Store the chocolate chip cookie dough sourdough in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, consistent with Heather’s storage guidance for her everyday sourdough loaf.
- For longer storage, slice the loaf and freeze individual portions for up to 2 months.
- When ready to enjoy, thaw a slice at room temperature or warm it gently before serving.
Final Thoughts
Heather’s chocolate chip cookie dough sourdough takes the slow, familiar rhythm of homemade sourdough and makes it a little more playful.
The cookie dough might peek through. Chocolate may melt into unexpected places. A little filling may escape while the loaf bakes. That is part of the fun. Underneath it all is the same simple sourdough process: mix, fold, ferment, shape, cold proof, bake, and wait. Then comes the best part. Finally, slicing into the cooled loaf and discovering that no two pieces look quite the same.