I once spent about a year trying to master croissants to make pan au chocolate or chocolate-filled pastries. But those are hard to make, and mine were never that great. Luckily, I discovered how much easier it is to make brioche with this Chocolate Chip Brioche, which tastes totally different but still feels fancy. Adding chocolate chips just made good sense.
A recipe for soft, rich chocolate chip brioche buns with a light and fluffy texture. The perfect addition to any special breakfast or brunch!
Chocolate Chip Brioche
Everyone will think you’ve gotten these at a French pastry shop, but this soft and rich chocolate chip brioche is deliciously homemade.
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
rising time 2 hours hours
Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Serving Size 18 rolls
Equipment
simple bread machine or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the dough
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour (up to 4 cups if needed)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
To top the buns
- 1 egg beaten
- Sparking or pearl sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Wet Ingredients. In a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, combine the water, milk, and butter. Microwave on low power for 45-60 seconds, just until the butter begins to melt and the mixture is warm. Stir to fully dissolve the butter.
Mix the Dough. Put the warm milk mixture, eggs, sugar, flour (starting with 3 ¾ cups), salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Then attach the dough hook to the mixer and start it on a low setting to mix all the ingredients together. After that, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky but still form a ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky (more like a batter), add flour one tablespoon at a time, allowing it to fully mix in before adding more.
Add Chocolate Chips. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the chocolate chips. Knead just until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough, about 1-2 minutes. Avoid over-kneading as it can break the chips and affect the dough structure.
First Rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it once to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Shape the Rolls. Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling the dough from the sides and tucking the ends underneath. If the dough is sticky, lightly oil your hands or use a bit of flour to prevent sticking.
Second Rise. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the dough balls on it, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently brush each roll with beaten egg and sprinkle with sparkling or pearl sugar. Cover the rolls loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let them rise again in a warm, draft-free area for about 45 minutes or until puffy and nearly doubled.
Preheat the Oven. During the last 10 minutes of the second rise, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack positioned in the center.
Bake the Brioche. Once the rolls have risen, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. If they brown too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
Cooling. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly. They are best served warm but can be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container.
Notes
When making dough, it’s best to use slightly warm or room-temperature ingredients. Cold milk, eggs, or butter can work against the yeast, making it harder for the dough to rise.
To warm the cold ingredients, microwave the water, milk, and butter in a glass measuring cup for 45 seconds on low. The eggs can be left out on the counter or placed in a cup of warm water for a few minutes.
When using instant yeast, you don’t need to worry about adding the ingredients in any particular order. You can just add everything (except the chocolate chips!) to your bread machine or the bowl of your stand mixer.
Brioche freezes very well. All you need to do is allow it to cool completely, wrap it well, and freeze for up to 1 month.
To serve, you can defrost it in the microwave and warm it up slightly in the oven.
You can use any type of chocolate chip for this recipe. For a twist, try adding orange zest with the chocolate chips.
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
More Tips:
Make sure your yeast is still active before you start. You can easily test it by sprinkling it in some warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it starts to foam and bubble within 10 minutes, it’s good to use.
When measuring flour, use a spoon to fluff it up, scoop it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Don’t pack down the flour, as it can result in too much flour in your recipe, making the brioche dense.
To help the dough rise properly, you must provide a warm and draft-free environment. You can use an oven with the light on or a microwave with a cup of steaming water to encourage a good rise.
To make sure that the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough, you can toss them with a tablespoon of flour before adding them. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom or clustering in one area.
An egg wash will make bread appear dark as it bakes, which may make you think it’s done when it isn’t! Use a thermometer to check or pull apart one of the buns to make sure it’s baked through
Dough sticking to your hands while you shape the rolls? Try spraying with nonstick spray first.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve your Chocolate Chip Brioche with baked omelet, fresh fruit, skillet home fries, or even vanilla ice cream.
About the Ingredients
Here are some ingredient substitutions that you can consider for your Chocolate Chip Brioche recipe:
- Milk: Use almond, soy, or oat milk for a dairy-free alternative.
- Butter: If you want a non-dairy alternative, replace butter with margarine or coconut oil in equal amounts.
- Eggs: You can use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce or a commercial egg replacer instead of each egg.
- All-purpose Flour: Swap with gluten-free all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version.
- Sugar: Use coconut sugar or a sugar-free sweetener suitable for baking.
- Chocolate Chips: If you prefer, you can use dairy-free or dark chocolate chips instead.
Storage Instructions
Your rolls will stay fresh at room temperature for about 2 days. Because of their moisture, they don’t keep particularly well when they’re sealed up.
They do freeze beautifully, and I’d recommend popping them in a freezer bag after the first day. You can defrost them and then slightly warm them in the microwave to enjoy with your coffee.
This homemade Chocolate Chip Brioche is definitely a delicious and cozy treat that’s perfect for any occasion!Just follow along and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master baker!
