Chocolate Milk Bread

Soft and fluffy chocolate milk bread is great for toast, sweet sandwiches, and stuffed French toast.  And of course, it’s delicious enjoyed on its own!

I’ve been experimenting with different flavored milk breads due to the popularity of this Japanese Milk Bread. 

After the success of Ube Milk Bread, I’m back with a second variation. 

Say hello to this super versatile Chocolate Milk Bread!

Japanese Chocolate Milk Bread

There’s no wrong way to enjoy this chocolate milk bread.

Spread peanut butter and top it with sliced bananas. Or maybe, whipped cream cheese spread with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of honey.

For a little more work, turn it into French toast.

Or for something more decadent, bake it into chocolate swirl bread pudding. 

However you choose to enjoy this milk bread, it’s bound to be soft, fluffy, and delicious. 

Water Roux Creates Soft Fluffy Bread

Japanese milk bread, also known as Hokkaido milk bread, is known for its pillow soft interior. The bread achieves its iconic texture from the use of a dough starter or water roux. 

Creating a water roux is super simple. Flour, milk, and water is heated together to form a thick paste. This paste creates a forgiving, easy to work with dough.  

*NOTE: The recipe listed here makes TWO loaves! You will use half the water roux to make the cream colored milk dough and the other half to make the brown chocolate milk dough.

What is Milk Powder?

Known by name names including: powdered milk, dried milk, and instant milk. In simple terms, milk powder is dehydrated milk!

It is used in a variety of dessert and baked good recipes. It’s great for recipes that could benefit from the flavor of milk without the added liquid.

Find it in the baking aisle of supermarkets alongside flour and sugar. Instant non-fat milk powder is most commonly available. Dried whole milk is a bit more difficult to find.

Two Doughs Swirled Together

This recipe makes two loafs of bread. It also requires you to make two separate doughs, a cream colored milk dough and brown milk chocolate dough.

I suggest starting with the milk dough. No need to clean out the mixing bowl. Any remnants will be kneaded into the milk chocolate dough. 

Each loaf will have 4 cream colored milk doughs and 4 brown colored chocolate milk doughs. It is important to keep the dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. 

Depending on the humidity and temperature of your working environment, it may take anywhere from 45 minute to 90 minutes for the dough to double in volume.

NOTE: You can use either instant yeast or dry active yeast for this recipe. Instant yeast tends to rise faster than dry active yeast. 

How to assemble marbled dough

1. Divide each dough into 8 equal parts. Use a kitchen scale for ease and accuracy. You will end up with a total of 16 parts.
2. Roll each part into a ball. Keep dough covered with plastic wrap as you work to prevent dough from drying out.
3. Take one chocolate dough ball. Flatten or roll out to a length of 8-inches and width of 5-inches. Grab a milk dough ball and place on top of rolled out chocolate dough.
4. Roll milk dough to same measurements of chocolate dough.
5. Starting at the shorter end, roll dough into a log. 
6. Place log seam side down on work surface. Use a small rolling pin to flatten the log. Roll dough into a rectangle 5-inches wide and 7-inches long.
7. Starting at the shorter end, roll dough into a log. 
8. Place log seam side down into loaf pan.

Repeat steps until each loaf pan has a total of four logs. For a better marble effect, alternate outer dough color. 

Recommended bread loaf pans

• Pullman Loaf Pan: creates perfectly square breads

The photo above shows bread baked in a pullman loaf pan with lid. I purchased mine from Williams Sonoma years ago. 

• Standard Loaf Pan: creates rounded top bread loaf

The standard loaf pan used for quick breads like banana bread may be used for this recipe. It will created a domed, rounded bread loaf.

Either pan works well in this recipe. Pullman loaf will result in a straight-edged rectangular block. Whereas, the standard loaf pan will create a tall loaf with peaks and valleys. 

What does the finished bread taste like?

On a scale of one to ten sweeteness (ten being most sweet), this bread is about 6. It’s not overtly sweet. 

The marbled chocolate milk bread is the perfect vehicle for your favorite sweet toppings. 

It’s a soft and fluffy versatile bread. The chocolate flavor is apparent, but not pronounced. Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for best results.

The cocoa powder add color and just a touch of flavor. If you want a very chocolate rich, flavor forward bread, I suggest making this chocolate babka instead. 

Storage and Leftovers

Thanks to the water roux, this milk bread will stay soft days after baking!

Allow the baked bread to cool temperature before storing. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

For longer storage, wrap loaf in plastic wrap and place inside a ziptop bag. Store in the freezer for up to one month. Defrost at room temperature.