Easy & Delicious Chocolate Chip Brioche Loaf

Indulgence meets versatility in this Chocolate Chip Brioche Loaf — a soft, buttery bread I first fell in love with during pastry school. This classic enriched dough bakes up tender and pillowy, with melty semisweet chocolate chips tucked into every bite. Enjoy it warm, toasted with butter, or turn it into the most decadent French toast — it’s a chocolatey treat that never goes out of season.

This recipe for chocolate chip bread is a true marvel, effortlessly achieving that coveted fluffiness that only an enriched dough can provide. But, It's more than just a sweet treat; it's a canvas for your sweet culinary creativity. 

You can savor chocolate chip brioche bread on its own, its inherent chocolatey richness and pillowy softness making it a delectable stand-alone delight. Or, add another delicious layer of flavor by slathering it with a protein-packed swipe of homemade nut butter or a juicy dollop of your favorite jam.

But that's not all this chocolatey brioche can do. Try transforming it into a luscious chocolate chip brioche french toast with a simple dip in a custard mixture, or make it the star of a cozy brioche bread pudding that warms your heart and soul. No matter how you enjoy it, I promise this is a weekend baking project worth trying.

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Brioche Recipe 

Wondering if chocolate chip bread is the right move? Aside from being studded with melty chocolate, this delectably tender, fluffy loaf is also:

• The Perfect Cozy Weekend Project: There's something inherently comforting about dedicating a lazy weekend morning to baking. This recipe for Chocolate Chip Brioche is the perfect companion for those moments when you want to slow down, savor the process, and fill your home with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread. It's a cozy project that rewards you with the most satisfying, fluffy, and chocolatey outcome.
• Versatile: This Chocolate Chip Brioche is like the little black dress of the baking world—versatile, adaptable, and always in style. Whether you're looking for a simple snack, a show-stopping breakfast, or a dessert that will steal the spotlight, this brioche can do it all. 
• A Fun, Sweet Twist On A Classic: Traditional brioche is a thing of beauty, but I decided to sprinkle a little extra magic into the mix. The addition of semisweet chocolate chips adds a sweet surprise with every bite. It's the perfect balance of buttery richness and chocolatey goodness, taking a beloved classic to a whole new level of deliciousness. You won't be able to resist its sweet charm.

🍴Ingredients

My brioche chocolate chip bread is made with primarily pantry staples, meaning it’s well within reach for any home baker. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Brioche Dough - Made with simple staples like all-purpose flour, butter, and eggs, this yeasted dough is the basis for everything from brown butter cinnamon rolls, babkas and donuts to cinnamon rolls and french toast casserole.
• Semisweet Mini Chocolate Chips - You’re welcome to use any variety of chocolate chip that you like, but I think 55% semi-sweet is ideal. 
• Egg Wash - For giving a gorgeous, shiny topping to your loaf. To make it, you’ll need 1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of milk or cream.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations

• Chocolate Chip Brioche Rolls - If you don’t want to bust out the serrated knife, consider making individually portioned rolls with the dough.
• Swap Your Chocolate - Feel free to use the baking chips of your choice. Dark or bittersweet chocolate is great for a grown-up loaf, or try using milk chocolate to appeal to younger palates.
• French Toast - Dreaming up an indulgent breakfast for a special occasion? Pan frying this delicious homemade bread recipe with mini chocolate chips would be a great sweet snack and the most epic breakfast! You can use my favorite french toast recipe custard base and tutorial - it would be a perfect addition to your morning meal!

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

📖 Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Proof Yeast. Mix together the warm water, sugar, and yeast together in your stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Let this mixture rest undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until you start to see bubbles start to form on the surface.

Step 2: Add flour and eggs to the active yeast mixture using the paddle attachment. After one minute of mixing on medium speed, the ingredients should be well combined. 

Step 3: Knead. At this point, switch to using the dough hook attachment and knead for 6-8 minutes. 

Step 4: Add salt and butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading with the dough hook for another 5-8 minutes until the dough looks smooth and glossy and you notice that the dough is not sticking to the sides of the bowl. This means that your dough has been well developed and we can stop mixing. 

Step 5: Add chocolate. For an additional minute, mix in your chocolate chips.

Step 6: Proof. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours covered in plastic wrap. You’re looking for the dough to have about doubled in size before moving on to the next step. If your kitchen tends to run quite cold, try to find a warm spot to leave the dough for this resting period. 

Step 7: Degas & Overnight Ferment. Then, remove the plastic wrap, and degas the dough by punching it down before recovering and place in the fridge overnight. This overnight rest of about 12-14 hours is essential in order to develop flavor as the dough continues to ferment slowly within low temperatures.

Step 8: Shape. Divide your dough using a sharp knife or a bench scraper into 3 even pieces. Gently degas each piece by pressing on top of the ball with the heel of your hand before forming into a tight boule. Place 3 boules into your sprayed/greased 10x5 loaf pan. 

Step 9: Proof. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Step 10: Bake. Gently brush the proofed loaf with egg wash and bake at 330°F for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of your loaves reach 190°F. 

Step 11: Enjoy! Once cooled, slice your chocolate chip brioche into slices and enjoy! 

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Make a proofing box in your oven. Depending on where you live and what time of year it is, your kitchen might be a little cool and drafty, which isn’t ideal for proofing bread. To remedy this, try making a proofing box by adding a cake pan to the bottom rack of your turned-off oven. Add a cup or two of boiling water, then place the bowl or loaf pan with the chocolate chip brioche dough on the rack above and close the door. The boiling water will give the perfect amount of humidity and ambient heat for the yeasty beasties to do their work. 
• Is your loaf browning too quickly? Tent the top of the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the top from burning.
• Once baked, remove the loaf from it’s pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack to prevent sweating. There’s nothing sadder than a freshly baked loaf that has become soggy from sitting in condensation!
• Resist the urge to slice while warm. The hardest part of this brioche recipe is having patience. Cooling allows the loaf's interior to set properly, ensuring a soft and moist crumb. Slicing it too soon can result in a gummy or doughy texture.

💭 Recipe FAQs

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