Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Buns (Steamed or Baked)

These soft, rich, melt-in-your-mouth sourdough buns are filled with gooey chocolate and steamed to pillowy perfection. Think lava cake meets bao bun—only easier, healthier, and made with your active sourdough starter. Whether you steam them in a bamboo basket (recommended!) or bake them in the oven, these kid-friendly treats are perfect for dessert, lunchboxes, or back-to-school snacks picky eaters won’t trade away.

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Recipe

Makes: 8 buns

Calories: ~185 per bun

Total Time: 16–20 hours (includes overnight fermentation)

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Buns (Steamed or Baked)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour (200g)

• ¼ cup active sourdough starter (50g)

• ⅓ cup whole milk, lukewarm (90g)

• 1½ tablespoons sugar (20g)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (14g)

• 1 egg yolk

• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 8 small pieces of dark chocolate (70–85%), or use homemade ¾-inch round pralines

• Optional: pinch of flaky salt per bun for a gooey-salty center

For topping (optional):

• Powdered sugar or cocoa powder, for dusting

• Melted butter for brushing

Instructions:

1. Prepare the dough:

In a large bowl, mix flour, sourdough starter, milk, sugar, softened butter, egg yolk, salt, and vanilla extract. Knead by hand or stand mixer until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6–8 hours, or until doubled. For convenience, you can refrigerate overnight after 1 hour at room temp and let it come to room temp before shaping.

2. Shape the buns:

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten each into a 3–4 inch circle, keeping the center thinner and edges slightly thicker. Place your chocolate filling (or praline) in the center. Gather the edges and pinch tightly to seal like a dumpling. Roll seam-side down into a smooth ball.

3. Second rise:

Place each bun on a parchment square. Arrange in a bamboo steamer or baking tray with space between. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1½ to 2 hours, until puffed but not overproofed.

🥢 To steam (recommended):

Bring water to a boil in a wok or wide pot. Place the bamboo steamer on top (with lid), making sure the water doesn’t touch the buns. Steam buns for 12–13 minutes. Turn off heat, let them sit covered for 3 minutes before opening the lid. Serve warm for the best gooey center.

✅ Steamed version yields an ultra-soft, moist texture perfect for young kids and picky eaters.

🔥 To bake (optional method):

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush buns lightly with milk or egg wash. Bake for 15–17 minutes until lightly golden. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa after baking.

Nutrition per bun (approximate):

• Calories: 185

• Protein: 4g

• Fat: 8g

• Carbs: 25g

• Fiber: 1g

• Sugar: 6g

Storage Instructions:

Store in an airtight container at room temp for 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days. To reheat, steam for 2–3 minutes or microwave wrapped in a damp towel until warm. Can be frozen after steaming—thaw and re-steam to revive that pillowy texture.

Prepare the dough

Prepare the dough

Prepare the dough

Prepare the dough

Shape the buns

Shape the buns

Shape the buns

Shape the buns

Shape the buns

Shape the buns

Second rise

Steam

Steam

Enjoy :-)

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Prompt

Here's how I prompted the "Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Buns (Steamed or Baked)" recipe:

I had some sourdough starter I really didn't want to discard, so I was thinking to make something dessert-y and fun:

I want a sourdough dessert, like mini cakes, stuffed sweet buns, cinnabuns, some ideas. Twist- steam in bamboo basket

ChatGPT gave me some options:

Oh, this is a brilliant twist—steamed sourdough desserts hit that perfect balance between fluffy and rich, with that tangy depth sourdough gives. Steaming in a bamboo basket keeps things incredibly moist and pillowy. Here are some dessert ideas that lean into that soft, comforting texture:

🔹 1. Steamed Sourdough Cinnabun Bites

• Filling: Brown sugar + cinnamon + a touch of cardamom or orange zest

• Dough: Enriched sourdough (a little butter, egg yolk, milk)

• Steam: Proofed mini spirals in parchment cups

• Finish: Drizzle with cream cheese glaze or sweetened condensed milk after steaming

🔹 2. Black Sesame Sourdough Mochi Buns

• Filling: Black sesame paste + honey + a dab of butter

• Dough: Sourdough with milk powder and sugar

• Texture: Steam gives them a mochi-like chew

• Top with: Toasted sesame seeds or crushed peanuts

🔹 3. Coconut Pandan Sourdough Pillow Cakes

• Filling: Coconut cream + palm sugar + pinch of salt

• Flavor the dough: Add pandan extract to the sourdough

• Steam: In cupcake liners, they puff up like soft pillows

• Optional topping: Shaved coconut toasted with sugar

🔹 4. Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Bombs

• Filling: Chunks of dark chocolate + a pinch of flaky salt

• Dough: Sweet sourdough with vanilla and a little cocoa

• Steam: So the chocolate melts into a lava pocket

• Optional finish: Dust with cocoa powder + powdered sugar

🔹 5. Mango Sticky Sourdough Cakes

• Base: Flattened sweet sourdough discs

• Fill: Sticky rice + mango chunks

• Steam: Wrapped in parchment like bao

• Finish: Drizzle with coconut cream and sesame seeds

🔹 6. Ube Sourdough Swirls

• Dough: Slightly enriched sourdough

• Filling: Ube halaya or sweetened mashed purple yam

• Shape: Spiral like cinnamon rolls

• Steam & glaze: Light milk glaze or coconut drizzle

Would you like me to write one of these recipes out completely (dough, filling, proofing, steam time, etc.)? Or would you prefer one tailored to your pantry?

I was feeling cute so I added a little humor to my response:

Is there even a question here? Number 4, of course!

ChatGPT matched my cuteness:

Knew you'd go there—#4 Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Bombs it is. Let’s make this irresistible. Deep sourdough flavor, fluffy steam-soft dough, and molten chocolate at the center. No fry, no bake. Just pure soft decadence with a bamboo basket twist.

🍫 Steamed Chocolate-Stuffed Sourdough Bombs

Soft, slightly tangy buns filled with gooey dark chocolate and steamed to fluffy perfection. These dreamy dessert bites are like bao meets lava cake—with no oven in sight.

🍥 Makes: 8 mini buns

Calories: ~185 kcal eachTotal Time: 16–20 hours (includes overnight ferment)Note: Active time ~30 minutes

🥣 Ingredients

For the dough:

• 200g all-purpose flour

• 50g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)

• 90g whole milk (lukewarm)

• 20g sugar

• 20g butter (softened)

• 1 egg yolk

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 50–60g dark chocolate (70–85%), chopped into 8 small chunks

• Flaky salt (optional, for sprinkling inside or on top)

Topping (optional):

• Powdered sugar or cocoa powder, for dusting

• Melted butter brushed on after steaming for extra shine

🔧 Method

1. Make the dough (night before or morning of):

• In a bowl, mix flour, starter, milk, sugar, butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt.

• Knead until smooth and elastic (8–10 minutes by hand or mixer).

• Cover and bulk ferment at room temp until doubled—6–8 hours.(Or refrigerate overnight after 1 hour at room temp; let come to room temp before shaping.)

2. Shape the buns:

• Divide dough into 8 pieces (~45g each).

• Flatten each into a disc and place a chunk of chocolate in the center.

• Pinch edges tightly to seal, shaping into a tight ball.

3. Second rise:

• Place each bun seam-side down on a square of parchment.

• Arrange in your bamboo steamer with space between buns.

• Cover and let proof 1.5–2 hours at warm room temp until puffy.

4. Steam time:

• Bring water to boil in a wok or large pot.

• Place the bamboo steamer on top, cover with lid.

• Steam for 10–12 minutes, then turn off heat and let rest covered 3 minutes before opening (to avoid collapse).

5. Finish:

• Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

• Serve warm for melty centers (or reheat gently to remelt later).

🧬 Nutrition per bun (approximate):

• Calories: 185

• Protein: 4.2g

• Fat: 7.8g

• Carbs: 25g

• Fiber: 1.4g

• Sugar: 6.5g

🧊 Storage Instructions:

Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in steamer or microwave wrapped in damp paper towel. Can be frozen after steaming—just thaw and steam again to revive fluffiness.

Would you like a cocoa version of the dough too (to double down on the chocolate)? Or shall I mock up a printable recipe card for you with schema?

I made chocolate earlier, so wanted to use it:

If I have small pralines which I made, probably 3/4 inch in diameter, can I use that for filling? It's homemade dark chocolate but it's not flat

ChatGPT was very encouraging:

Absolutely—your homemade pralines will work beautifully as filling in these steamed sourdough bombs, even if they’re thicker and round.

Here’s how to make it work:

🔧 Tips for Using Chunky or Rounded Praline Filling:

1. Flatten Dough Discs More Generously:Roll each dough ball into a 3–4" disc with slightly thicker edges and thinner center. That helps it fully encase the thicker filling without tearing.

2. Seal Well Around the Base:Because the praline is rounded, gather the dough tightly at the base like a dumpling. Twist and pinch until it's secure—steam can cause poorly sealed buns to burst open.

3. Don’t Overproof the Second Rise:Slightly under-proofing (stop when they look 80% puffy) helps the dough stretch around the dense praline instead of collapsing or cracking.

4. Steam a Tad Longer:Since the praline might be slower to soften/melt inside, steam for 12–13 minutes instead of 10, especially if your chocolate is quite thick.

5. Center It Well:Press the praline gently into the center when shaping so it doesn’t shift upward as the dough rises.

💡 Bonus:

If your pralines are firm and don’t melt easily (like ganache-style), you can microwave one for a few seconds before trying this—just to test how melty they get. If needed, you could even press a tiny indent into the base of each praline and add a few chocolate chips or a dab of butter or jam to encourage molten texture inside.

Want me to update the recipe above with these praline adjustments and optional cocoa dough?

Scroll to the top or click the link below for the final recipe.

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