A homemade chocolate star bread with a soft, fluffy brioche dough and rich chocolate filling—shaped into a show-stopping pull-apart star
This chocolate star bread recipe shows you the shaping step by step, with photos and a video to help you get clean layers, neat twists, and an even bake.
I focused on a dough that’s easy to handle and a chocolate filling that stays in place, so the star keeps its shape and slices cleanly once baked.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Make a bakery-style star bread at home with clear shaping help (no guessing).
- Soft brioche + melted chocolate layers in every pull-apart piece.
- Great for holiday brunch, Christmas morning, or a weekend baking project with kids.
Ingredients You Need
- Flour: all-purpose or bread flour
- Milk: whole milk, 2%, or plant-based
- Butter: unsalted, softened or melted and cooled
- Yeast: instant, active dry (rehydrated), or fresh
- Sugar: white or light brown
- Egg yolk: room temperature
- Salt: fine salt for balance
- Dark or semi-sweet chocolate: finely chopped
- Butter: unsalted, softened or melted
- Brown sugar: for sweetness and depth
- Cocoa powder: unsweetened, to boost chocolate flavor
Tips for success
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth, easy-to-handle dough.
- Knead until elastic so the brioche stays soft and fluffy after baking.
- Let the dough rise fully until doubled for the best texture.
- Chill briefly if sticky to make shaping and twisting easier.
- Roll and fill evenly so the star bakes evenly and keeps clean layers.
How to Make Chocolate Star Bread
Activate the yeast by mixing it with warm milk (only if using active dry yeast). Let sit 5–10 minutes.
Mix the dough in a large bowl or stand mixer with dough hook: flour, sugar, egg yolk, salt, melted butter, and milk/yeast. Knead 5–7 minutes until smooth.
Let rise covered in a warm place for 1½–2 hours, until doubled. Punch down and divide into 4 equal pieces.
Roll out each piece into a 10-inch (25 cm) circle on parchment paper.
Make the chocolate filling by melting chopped chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and sugar until smooth.
Assemble the layers by spreading filling on the first dough circle, stacking all 4 layers with filling in between.
Mark the center, then cut into 16 strips without cutting the middle.
Twist pairs of strips in opposite directions twice, then pinch ends together to form a star.
Let rise again 30–60 minutes. Preheat oven to 347°F / 175°C.
Brush with egg wash and bake about 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Serving suggestions
- Serve warm for a soft, pull-apart texture.
- Dust with powdered sugar for a simple finish.
- Pair with coffee or hot chocolate for brunch.
- Add fresh berries for contrast.
- Turn leftovers into French toast the next day.
Storage
- Store at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate up to 5 days and reheat slightly before serving.
- Freeze slices for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
Recipe variations
- Nutella star bread – replace the chocolate filling with Nutella.
- Cinnamon sugar star bread – use butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Double chocolate – add cocoa powder to the dough.
- Savory version – fill with pesto and cheese.
Recipe Questions
Can I make chocolate star bread ahead of time?
Yes. Shape the bread, refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day after it comes back to room temperature.
Why did my star bread lose its shape?
The dough was too warm or too soft. Chilling it briefly before shaping helps keep clean twists and defined layers.
More Brioche Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Star Bread
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Description
This Chocolate Star Bread is a soft and buttery brioche filled with rich melted chocolate. An impressive pull-apart bread perfect for sharing. Makes one 10-inch (25 cm) star bread, serving about 12.
Ingredients
Brioche dough
- 200 ml (¾ cup) milk – lukewarm
- 8 g (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 450 g (3 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 70 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 egg yolks – room temperature
- 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter – melted and cooled
Chocolate filling
- 200 g (7 oz) semi-sweet chocolate – chopped
- 100 g (½ cup) unsalted butter – softened
- 60 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 40 g (⅓ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
Brioche dough
- Warm the milk until lukewarm. If using active dry yeast, stir it into the milk and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Add the egg yolks, then pour in the milk with the yeast.
- Mix on low speed, then increase to medium and knead for 5–7 minutes until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the melted and cooled butter.
- Continue kneading for 2–3 minutes until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is elastic and smooth. Shape into a ball, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1½ to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough to release the air and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
- Divide into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls.
- Roll each ball into a thin 10-inch (25 cm) circle, placing them on parchment paper.
Chocolate filling
- In a bowl, combine the chopped chocolate, softened butter, brown sugar, and cocoa powder.
- Melt in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Let cool slightly so the filling thickens.
Assembly
- Place the first dough circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Spread an even layer of chocolate filling over the surface, leaving a small border.
- Top with a second circle and repeat. Add the third circle and filling, then finish with the fourth circle on top (no filling on top).
- Place a plate or cake ring over the dough and trim the edges to form a neat 10-inch (25 cm) circle.
- Gently press a small glass into the center to mark it.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 4 sections, stopping at the center mark.
- Cut each section in half, then again to make 16 strips.
- Take two adjacent strips, twist one away from you twice and the other toward you twice, then pinch the ends together firmly.
- Repeat all around to form a star shape.
- Cover loosely and let rise for 30–60 minutes, until slightly puffy.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 347°F (175°C). Brush the dough gently with the remaining egg white.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, until puffed and deep golden brown.
- If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Let cool for 10–15 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tips:
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth dough.
- Knead until elastic for a soft, fluffy crumb.
- Chill the dough briefly if it’s too soft to shape.
- Spread the filling evenly to keep clean layers.
- Don’t overbake or the brioche will dry out.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cake, Dessert
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 94
- Fat: 17
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 53
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 58
Kayla
What type of flour for this recipe?
Fadela
Hi, You must use all-purpose flour to make this recipe.
Mariah
Do we use sugar or powdered sugar for the dough
Maeyline
I made the recipe, and the brioche is delicious—rich, soft, and fluffy. I just replaced the filling with chocolate spread, and it was great. Thank you!