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Chocolate Honey Oat Sourdough Loaf (with honey cinnamon butter)

Indulge in the perfect blend of rich chocolate, warm spices, and natural sweetness with this Chocolate Honey Oat Sourdough Loaf. It’s a unique twist on traditional sourdough, incorporating cocoa, honey, and molasses for a deeply flavorful loaf, topped with rolled oats for texture and rustic charm. Pair it with a homemade cinnamon honey butter for a luxurious finish that’s sure to impress.
Print Recipe
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 12

Equipment

  • digital kitchen scale
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Large mixing bowl or straight edged clear container
  • Dutch oven or 9x5 loaf pan
  • Silicone spatula
  • Bench knife for shaping (optional)
  • plastic wrap or bowl cover
  • Instant read thermometer optional- helps determine if dough is proofing properly and internal temperature of loaf when done
  • Cooling rack
  • Serrated bread knife

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 1 1/3 cup (325 g) filtered water
  • 1/2 cup (100g) active sourdough starter
  • 3/4 cup (100g) whole wheat flour
  • 3 1/3 cup (400g) all-purpose flour or bread flour
  • 2 Tablespoons (13g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 Tablespoon (15g) avocado oil
  • 2 Tablespoons (40g) molasses
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons (50g) raw honey
  • 1 teaspoon (10g) sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Oat Topping:

  • 1/3 cup (30g) whole rolled oats
  • egg white beaten
  • 2 teaspoons water beaten with egg white

Honey Cinnamon Butter:

  • 1/4 cup (57g) salted butter, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons (28 g) raw honey
  • 1 Tablespoon (8g) powdered sugar optional: thickens and sweetens butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

Feed Your Starter (night before)

  • The night before mixing your dough, feed your starter. Mix 20 g (1 Tablespoon) mother starter with 100g (1/3 cup) water and 100g (3/4 cup) all-purpose or bread flour in a jar. Loosely cover the jar with a lid resting on top and allow to proof overnight.

Mix Your Main Dough:

  • Mix together your wet ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.
    1 1/3 cup (325 g) filtered water, 1/2 cup (100g) active sourdough starter, 1 Tablespoon (15g) avocado oil, 2 Tablespoons (40g) molasses, 2 1/2 Tablespoons (50g) raw honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Add in your dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a dough spatula until your dough forms a rough ball.
    3/4 cup (100g) whole wheat flour, 3 1/3 cup (400g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons (13g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon (10g) sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bulk Fermentation:

  • Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals to build dough structure. You do this by picking up the dough at the edge of the bowl, lifting, and folding it towards the center. Continue around the edge of the bowl until you've worked all the dough away from the edge and you have a rough dough ball. Cover bowl with plastic or a damp lint free cloth between sets.

For a Batard:

  • For a batard, cover and let rise in a warm place (76–78°F) for 5–6 hours, until the dough has increased in size by about 50%.

For a Loaf:

  • For a loaf pan, cover and let rise for 7-8 hours, until the dough increases in size by about 90%.

Shaping Your Loaf:

  • Batard Option: when dough is done proofing, ease dough onto a floured surface. Gently stretch dough out into a large circle, and fold 1/3 of the dough over the center and repeat on the other side. This is called a letter fold. Starting at the end of your log shape, roll up the dough into an oval shape.
  • Allow to rest 30 minutes and shape again using the method listed above.
  • Place oats in a shallow dish, and roll loaf gently in oats seam side up. Transfer to floured banneton or bowl lined with cloth seam side up and cover with plastic or a cloth. Transfer to refrigerator for overnight proofing.
    Pro Tip: mist loaf with water prior to rolling in oats to help them adhere.
  • For the loaf-style option: when dough is done proofing, ease dough onto a floured surface. Gently stretch dough out into a large circle, and fold 1/3 of the dough over the center and repeat on the other side. This is called a letter fold. Starting at the end of your log shape, roll up the dough into an oval shape.
  • Transfer loaf to an oiled 9x5 loaf pan.
  • Beat egg white with water, and brush on top of loaf. Sprinkle with oats. Cover gently with plastic or lint free cloth. Allow to proof at room temperature on the counter until rising above the edge of the loaf pan.
    1/3 cup (30g) whole rolled oats, 2 teaspoons water, egg white

Baking Your Loaf:

  • Batard (Dutch Oven Option): Preheat your oven to 500 F with Dutch Oven inside. When oven is preheated, remove loaf from refrigerator and transfer loaf to lightly floured parchment or bread sling.
  • Score your loaf as desired.
  • Transfer loaf to Dutch oven, and replace the lid. Transfer loaf to Dutch oven and bake for 40 minutes with the lid on, and then remove the lid. Bake an additional 10 minutes with the lid off. Internal temperature of the loaf should be between 200-205 F.
  • Loaf Option: When loaf has proofed over the edge of the loaf pan, preheat your oven to 400 F. Bake loaf for 45-50 minutes. Internal temperature should be between 200-205 F.
  • Allow loaf to cool 1 hour before slicing and enjoying.

Cinnamon Honey Butter:

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Serve on warm bread.
    1/4 cup (57g) salted butter, softened, 2 Tablespoons (28 g) raw honey, 1 Tablespoon (8g) powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Notes

Storing Tips:
Bread is best enjoyed within 1-3 days after baking. Keep in airtight container on counter for freshness.
Freezing: Bread can be sliced and frozen for up to 3 months. Remove and thaw as desired or gently reheat or toast.
Honey Cinnamon Butter:
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy as desired. 
Course Sourdough