Chocolate Cranberry Baguette

This chocolate cranberry baguette is inspired by All About Baguette by Jean-Marie Lanio and Jérémy Ballester — a beautiful example of how classic French bread can take on a bold, sweet-savory personality. Deep cocoa notes in the dough, bursts of tart cranberries, and pools of melted dark chocolate create a baguette that’s equally perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a cheese board.

Despite the rich flavor profile, the dough itself remains light and beautifully airy, with a crisp crust and tender crumb that balance the sweetness perfectly. The slight bitterness of the cocoa enhances the dark chocolate while the cranberries bring brightness and contrast to every bite. Whether served warm with butter, paired with espresso, or sliced alongside soft cheeses and fruit, these baguettes feel both rustic and unexpectedly elegant.

Because the chocolate chips melt during baking, I highly recommend lining your pan with parchment paper to keep cleanup easy and your baguettes flawless. This recipe makes 7 full baguettes, perfect for sharing or saving for later.

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter

• 20 g liquid starter
• 70 g water
• 70 g bread flour

Autolyse

• 1000 g French flour (Tradition T65)
• 760 g water (A)
• 50 g cocoa powder

Final Dough

• 20 g baking salt
• 150 g sourdough starter
• 10 g fresh yeast
• 100 g sugar
• 60 g water (B)
• 150 g dark chocolate chips
• 150 g dried cranberries

Directions

The Night Before

Starter

• Dissolve starter in the water, whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover and let it sit at room temp 74-78F until it increases in volume in 2 or more times.
• Learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch here.

Next Morning

• Combine the flour, cocoa and water A in the mixer and mix for 3 minutes at speed 1 (base temperature 62–66°C / 143–151°F). 
• Allow the dough to rest for 60 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. This autolyse step improves dough elasticity.

Final Dough

• Add the salt, yeast, and levain to the autolysed dough. 
• Mix for 5 minutes at speed 1, then 2 minutes at speed 2. 
• Add water B using the bassinage technique and mix until fully absorbed. Incorporate thechocolate and dried cranberries and mix until well blended; the dough temperature should be around 24°C / 75°F. 
• Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled container and ferment for 45 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. 
• Perform one gentle fold (rabat), then cover and refrigerate for 15 hours at 3°C / 37°F.

Dividing & Pre-shaping

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 1 hour at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. 
• Transfer it onto a floured surface (Tradition T65), divide into 290g portions, pre-shape into ovals, and let rest for 30 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F.

• Gently flatten the dough to release air. 
• Fold the top edge two-thirds of the way down, rotate, repeat the fold, and seal the seam with the heel of your hand. 
• Fold in half using your thumb to guide the seam, then seal it tightly. 
• Roll from the center outward until each piece is 35-40cm ( 18-20inches) long. 

• Place seam-side up on a floured baking couche.
• Proof the dough for about 60 minutes at 23–24°C / 73–75°F. The dough is ready when a light fingerprint remains visible.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 250°C / 480°F (top and bottom heat). I am using RackMaster2020 oven.
• Transfer the baguettes seam-side down onto a peel or flipping board, dust lightly with flour, and score crossways at 45° 
• angle. 

• Bake with steam for 10 min and 10 min without steam.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cranberry Sourdough Baguettes

Author: Natalya Syanova

291kcal

5 from 1 vote

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Prep 4 hours hrs

Cook 20 minutes mins

Total 6 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

A decadent twist on the classic baguette, featuring cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.

Servings 7 baguettes

Cuisine French

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Sourdough Starter

• ▢ 20 g liquid starter
• ▢ 70 g water
• ▢ 70 g bread flour

Autolyse

• ▢ 1000 g French flour (Tradition T65)
• ▢ 760 g water (A)
• ▢ 50 g cocoa powder

Final Dough

• ▢ 20 g baking salt
• ▢ 150 g sourdough starter (from above)
• ▢ 10 g fresh yeast
• ▢ 100 g sugar
• ▢ 60 g water (B)
• ▢ 150 g dark chocolate chips
• ▢ 150 g dried cranberries

Equipment

• ▢
  1 baking couche
• ▢
  1 flipping board

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

1. Build starter the night before and let sit at 74-78F until doubled.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, and water (A); mix 3 mins at speed 1. Autolyse for 60 mins.
3. Add salt, yeast, and levain. Mix 5 mins speed 1, 2 mins speed 2.
4. Add water (B) via bassinage. Incorporate chocolate and cranberries.
5. Ferment 45 mins at 73-75F. Perform one fold, then refrigerate for 15 hours at 3°C (37°F).
6. Divide into 290g portions, pre-shape, and rest 30 mins.
7. Shape into 35-40cm baguettes and proof 60 mins.
8. Bake at 250°C (480°F) with steam for 10 mins, then 10 mins without.

Nutrition

Calories291kcalCarbohydrates56gProtein5gFat8gSaturated Fat7gPolyunsaturated Fat0.2gMonounsaturated Fat1gCholesterol0.2mgSodium27mgPotassium274mgFiber5gSugar37gVitamin A2IUVitamin C0.2mgCalcium78mgIron1mg

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