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Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia

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This decadent Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia has a rich chocolate dough that is topped with a gooey toasted marshmallow layer and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint. It is warm and comforting, like a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, all wrapped up in an incredible sourdough focaccia.

hot chocolate sourdough focaccia next to candy canes

This Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia recipe is perfect for beginners. It has a very forgiving timeline and can be made in just one day! This recipe does not require any kneading or any fancy equipment. It makes the most decadent dessert that is perfect for a cold winter day, or really any time of the year you want to enjoy a rich, chocolatey dessert! 

overhead view of hot chocolate sourdough focaccia on a wooden board

Reasons you will love this recipe

  • The combination of chocolate and marshmallow makes for a delicious cozy dessert. If you love chocolate you also need to try my chocolate sourdough bread.
  • The focaccia has a crispy crust and a soft and chewy inside, plus a gooey layer of marshmallow fluff. 
  • This dessert bread can be made in just one day and has a very forgiving timeline, making it a great beginner-friendly recipe. 
  • This focaccia recipe does not require a dutch oven to bake the bread, all you need is just a simple 9×13 pan. 

Flavored Focaccia 

One of my favorite recipes to make is sourdough focaccia. I love how easy they are to create, and that you can get so creative with the toppings or add-ins. All of my flavored focaccia recipes are based off my Easy Sourdough Focaccia recipe and then I will add different mix-ins to the dough or have toppings that range from savory to sweet. I even swap out the liquid in the dough for other ingredients such as pickle juice in my Cheeseburger Sourdough Focaccia recipe, or marinara sauce in my Margherita Pizza Sourdough Focaccia. If you want to try another sweet focaccia, try the Sticky Pecan Sourdough Focaccia or Caramel Apple Sourdough Focaccia

sliced hot chocolate sourdough focaccia on a wooden cutting board

What is focaccia?

Focaccia is a flatbread with a thin crispy crust and a fluffy, chewy interior. The bread is made in a pan, usually something like a 9×13 dish or round cast iron pan. It has signature dimples in the dough and has a drizzle of olive oil, or in this case butter, to help create the crispy, golden brown crust. You can make focaccia with sweet toppings such as this recipe, or with savory toppings like my Pesto Sourdough Focaccia.

Helpful tools to make sourdough focaccia

9×13 pan – The focaccia is baked in a rectangle shape in a 9×13 dish. Alternatively, you can use a 12″ round cast iron skillet.

Kitchen Scale –When making sourdough bread, I always recommend weighing your ingredients on a kitchen scale for more accurate measurements.  

Cooling Rack – Removing the bread from the pan helps the bottom from getting soggy.

2 quart proofing container– This is the easiest way to tell when the dough has risen 50% for the first rise.

close up on the toasted marshmallow fluff on hot chocolate sourdough focaccia

Sample Schedule

This is based on the dough temperature being in the mid to high 70s. There are many factors that can impact how slowly or quickly dough rises, so use this as a guideline but look for the visual cues the dough is ready to move on. The dough should be well risen and fluffy before baking.

StepTime
Feed sourdough starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams starter: 70 grams flour: 70 grams water)10 pm
Mix dough together8 am
Add chocolate chips
Stretch & Folds
8:30-9:30 am
Add dough to 9×13 pan3:00 pm
Bake4:00 pm
sliced hot chocolate sourdough focaccia with marshmallow fluff

Ingredients for Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia 

Dough ingredients

  • Water – You can use filtered water or tap water for this recipe. 
  • Milk – Replacing some of the water with milk gives the dough richness. I use whole milk but you can use whatever you have on hand. For a dairy free option just replace the milk with the same amount of water.
  • Cocoa powder – The cocoa powder in the dough gives the focaccia a chocolate flavor in every bite. 
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar is used to sweeten the dough. You can use cane sugar in place of granulated sugar.
  • Salt – Using salt brings out the chocolate flavor. You can use whatever type of salt you have on hand. 
  • Sourdough starter – You will need an active sourdough starter that has been recently fed, has doubled in size, and is nice and bubbly. You will need a mature starter for a proper rise. If you are not sure if your starter is ready to use or want to make a new one from scratch, use my Easy Sourdough Starter Recipe
  • Bread flour – I prefer bread flour, but in a pinch, you can swap bread flour for all-purpose flour. However, since this is a high-hydration dough I recommend cutting the amount of liquid by 25-50 grams if using all-purpose flour as it does not absorb as much water.

Add-ins and topping

  • White chocolate peppermint chips, white chocolate chips, or chocolate chips – You can use whatever type of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks you’d like! I used Trader Joe’s white chocolate peppermint chips.
  • Marshmallow fluff- You can use store-bought marshmallow fluff or make your own. I made mine this easy homemade marshmallow fluff recipe.
  • Crushed Peppermint – Used to sprinkle on top of the focaccia after baking. You can find crushed peppermint in the baking aisle, or you can also take candy canes and crush them in a ziplock bag.
  • Butter – Instead of using olive oil like a traditional focaccia recipe, this Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia uses butter to add a buttery richness to the bread. Salted or unsalted butter will both work. You could also use coconut oil.
close up on the inside of the hot chocolate sourdough focaccia

Instructions to make Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia   

Mix together the water, milk, sugar, salt, and sourdough starter with a danish dough whisk, spoon or hands until combined. I recommend using a container with straight sides instead of a large mixing bowl so it is easier to see how much the dough has risen. Next, add in the flour and mix until the flour is incorporated. 

Let sit in a warm place covered for about 30 minutes. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out.

When you are ready to do your first set of stretch and folds, add in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with at least a 30-minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.

hot chocolate sourdough focaccia after bulk fermentation

Continue to let the covered dough rise for bulk fermentation until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 6-7 hours total, including the stretch and folds.

Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter to the bottom of the pan. Dump the sourdough focaccia dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in butter. Cover and let it rise another hour or two covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 

hot chocolate sourdough focaccia before second rise
unbaked dough for hot chocolate sourdough focaccia with dimples in dough

Once puffy, top the chocolate focaccia with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and dimple the dough by placing your fingers down directly into the dough. Do that multiple times dimpling the entire pan. Pop any large bubbles to ensure they don’t burn while baking. 

Bake in a 400F degree oven for 27-30 minutes. Remove and add the marshmallow fluff and turn the oven to broil. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until it turns golden brown on top. Make sure to watch it closely so the marshmallow fluff doesn’t burn.

freshly baked hot chocolate sourdough focaccia before adding the marshmallow fluff
hot chocolate sourdough focaccia with marshmallow fluff before broil
hot chocolate sourdough focaccia with freshly toasted marshmallow fluff

Remove the focaccia from the oven and sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Remove the focaccia from the pan and add it to a wire rack to cool.

hot chocolate sourdough focaccia with marshmallow fluff

Tips for success

  • Make sure to let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia. 
  • To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise. Using warm water and milk in the dough will help with this as well. If it is rising too slowly at room temperature, you can use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10%) or bread proofing box to keep the dough at a warm temperature. 
  • If you want to bake the next day, place the dough in the fridge after the first rise. Remove the dough from the fridge in the morning. Place in an oiled 9×13″ pan and let rise until puffy and doubled in size. Alternatively you can finish the second rise and then place it in the fridge and bake immediately the next day.
  • Add dough to a straight edge container so you can easily see when the dough has risen 50%. 

Storage Instructions

Store the Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To reheat, you can warm it in the microwave, or to get a crispy crust again add it back to a 400-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through. Be sure to watch the marshmallow fluff so that it doesn’t burn in the oven.

More sourdough focaccia recipes

Sliced Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia with toasted marshmallow fluff on top.

Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia

Emily Christensen
This decadent Hot Chocolate Sourdough Focaccia has a rich chocolate dough that is topped with a gooey toasted marshmallow layer and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint.
4.75 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Rise Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 17 minutes
Course Sourdough Focaccia Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices
Calories 336 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams water warm, 1 cup
  • 150 grams whole milk warm, ⅔ cup
  • 15 grams cocoa powder 3 Tablespoons
  • 50 grams granulated sugar ¼ cup
  • 10 grams salt 1½ teaspoon
  • 150 grams active sourdough starter ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
  • 500 grams bread flour 3⅔ cups
  • 165 grams white chocolate peppermint chips, white chocolate chips or chocolate chips 1 cup
  • 100 grams marshmallow fluff (store bought or homemade) 1 cup
  • 50 grams crushed peppermint ¼ cup
  • 57 grams butter, divided 4 Tablespoons

Instructions
 

  • Mix together the warm water, warm milk, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and sourdough starter until combined. Next, add in the flour and mix until the flour is incorporated. 
    250 grams water, 150 grams whole milk, 15 grams cocoa powder, 50 grams granulated sugar, 10 grams salt, 150 grams active sourdough starter, 500 grams bread flour
  • Let sit in a warm place covered for about 30 minutes. I like to cover with a lid or dinner plate instead of a tea towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out.
  • When you are ready to do your first set of stretch and folds, add in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with at least a 30-minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.
    165 grams white chocolate peppermint chips, white chocolate chips or chocolate chips
  • Continue to let the covered dough rise for bulk fermentation until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough in the mid 70’s F, the first rise will take about 6-7 hours total, including the stretch and folds.
  • Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick spray and then add 2 Tablespoons of melted butter to the bottom of the pan. Dump the sourdough focaccia dough into the pan and flip it once to coat both sides in butter. Cover and let it rise another hour or two covered in a warm spot until it has risen well and is puffy. 
  • Once puffy, top the chocolate focaccia with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and dimple the dough by placing your fingers down directly into the dough. Do that multiple times dimpling the entire pan. Pop any large bubbles to ensure they don’t burn while baking. 
  • Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 27-30 minutes. Remove and add the marshmallow fluff and turn the oven to broil. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until it turns golden brown on top. Make sure to watch it closely so the marshmallow fluff doesn’t burn.
    100 grams marshmallow fluff (store bought or homemade)
  • Remove the focaccia from the oven and sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Remove the focaccia from the pan and add it to a wire rack to cool.
    50 grams crushed peppermint

Notes

  • Let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.
  • To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise, and be sure to use warm water and milk when mixing the dough.
  • If you want to bake the next day, after the first rise place the dough in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature in a greased 9×13" pan and let it get puffy before baking as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 381mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18g
Keyword hot chocolate, marshmallow, naturally leavened, peppermint, winter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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2 Comments

  1. I don’t see the cocoa mentioned in the mixing of the dough. Is that where you add it? Does it need to bloom first in the warm water or milk?

4.75 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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