Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread

A spicy and cheesy bread made from scratch; this Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread is easy to make and super flavorful.

It is perfect for dunking in your favorite tomato soup or as a base for grilled cheese sandwiches!

Homemade breads is a category of bakes that we truly love. I love making them, my family enjoys eating these. Together it is a winning combination.

Over the years I have baked countless breads in the form of loaves, buns, flat breads, small rolls and some really fancy ones. My toddler fell in love with homemade bread a long time ago. And for me, that was definitely my greatest win. He asks me to bake breads more often than I would imagine.

From the delicious Focaccia Bread and Dinner Rolls to Whole Wheat Loaf and Stromboli; we all love these. And once you fall in love with home-made breads; the store bought simply do not stand a chance.

I have made countless loaves of bread but personally, I simply love this Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread. It just has the right amount of everything in it; cheese, spice and sponge. I have made quite a few of these to take along for friends and they have loved it too.

Jump to:

• What is Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Making a Crusty Bread
• Using the Instant Pot
• Storage and Serving
• Recipe FAQs
• More Loaf Bread Recipes
• Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread

What is Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread

A yeast based bread that is full of two delicious ingredients; jalapeño and cheddar cheese; this home-made bread is a keeper.

It is no surprise that these two ingredients are made for each other. And when we combine these together in a loaf; the result is simply amazing. After having this combination in breads at so many bakeries, I decided to make it at home. And boy, from the aroma of it baking in the oven to the delicious slices; the bread has been a winner.

I make this into a loaf so it is easy to use for so many purposes. Dunk it in homemade tomato soup, slather salted butter and toast a slice or simply use the bread to make a sandwich; the options are unlimited!

Why this recipe works

• This Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread is made without eggs.
• We can make a single loaf or use the dough to make multiple small loaves or rolls.
• The recipe is easy to follow with only a few steps.
• We can put this together with just a stand mixer and a loaf pan.
• The recipe gives us a large loaf that is great to use in so many recipes.
• We can make a soft loaf or a crusty one by changing the baking process.
• The recipe needs only under 30 minutes of active time.
• This bread is full of spicy jalapeños and cheesy cheddar cheese.
• We can easily freeze this bread to use later.
• The recipe is quite versatile.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• All purpose flour: The prime ingredient here is all purpose flour. Personally I prefer either King Arthur All Purpose Flour or Bob's Red Mill All Purpose flour. They both give the best breads. Moreover, if you have bread flour, that can be used too.
• Yeast: Like most loaf breads, I use active dry yeast for the recipe. Along with this we need warm water, salt and sugar to activate it. We also need some extra time to activate, but it is totally worth it. Instant yeast will work too, simply add with flour directly in the stand mixer.
• Jalapeños: I like to add canned jalapeños to the recipe. However, fresh ones work too. It might be a good idea to taste them before adding so they do not make the bread overly spicy.
• Cheddar Cheese: The shredded cheese melts in the loaf and makes it salty and cheesy. Moreover, the cheesy crust is so delightful to enjoy. Opt for shredded cheese if you do not want it to melt away in the loaf and shred fresh if you like it molten in the loaf.
• Seasonings: The only seasoning I add is dried oregano and a pinch of salt. Pepper powder, chili flakes or even garlic powder can be added if you like.
• Unsalted Butter: I like to use unsalted butter as a fat. However, it can be replaced with salted butter without adding additional salt to the bread. Or simply use Olive Oil.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a heat proof bowl heat water. When just warm (105-110F), add the sugar, salt and the yeast.

2- Let the yeast proof for 10 minutes.

3- In a large bowl or the base of a stand mixer add the flour, remaining salt, dried oregano and unsalted butter.

4- Then add in the bloomed yeast mixture.

5- Knead for a few minutes till the dough starts to come together.

6- Add ¾ cup cheese and ¾ cup jalapeno to the dough.

7- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes till it is soft and smooth.

8- Coat the dough with some oil or butter and place it in a greased bowl.

9- Cover it and rest in a warm area for an hour till it doubles in size.

10- Line a bread pan with parchment paper or with non stick spray.

11- After the dough doubles, punch it down and knead for a minute or two.

12- Roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick.

13- Start rolling the dough along the long side in a tight loaf.

14- Place the loaf in the prepared tin.

15- Sprinkle remaining cheese and jalapeño on it and let it rest covered for an hour.

16- Preheat oven to 400 F/ 250 C. Place the risen bread and bake for 18-20 minutes, till it is no longer wobbly and the top is brown and crisp.

17- Remove and cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

18- Once cool, slice into thick or thin slices as desired and enjoy!

Expert Tips and Notes

• Adjust the spice: The proportions in the recipe are for a medium spicy bread. However, if you like more heat, simply double the amount of jalapeños. Or add some crushed Thai chili to heat up things. To reduce the spice, cut down the amount into half or use mild bottled jalapeños.
• To make a round loaf: To make a round Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread simply transfer the raised dough onto a baking mat and shape into a tight round. Bake this in a dutch oven or a baking pan depending on how crunchy you want the crust.
• Replacing Cheese: While jalapeño and cheddar are perfect with each other, we can also make the bread with mozzarella cheese or asiago cheese. A little processed cheese makes the bread delicious and salty in parts if you like.
• Baking with bread flour: We can easily bake the same bread using bread flour. I generally stick to all purpose flour as it is more easily available to everyone. Bread flour does make the bread softer.
• Shredding vs Shredded Cheese: While the recipe needs some cheddar cheese, there are two options; getting pre-shredded cheese or shredding your own using a box grater. The former has anti-caking agents that do not let it melt into the bread. Freshly grated cheese melts into the bread and tastes amazing. Pick based on preference and availability.

Making a Crusty Bread

This recipe makes a bread loaf that is soft within and has a medium crust, thanks to the cheese top. However, it is possible to make a crusty bread using the same recipe. This bread will be just like this Pumpkin Walnut Crusty Bread.

To do so, simply shape the bread into a tight round. Then, place the dutch oven with the cover in the oven and start preheating the oven.

Once the oven and the dutch oven are hot, carefully remove the dutch oven. Place a parchment paper in it and slide the bread onto it. Bake the bread with the cover for 20 minutes and then uncovered for 20 minutes. This helps get the perfect dutch crust on the the bread.

Using the Instant Pot

Using the Instant Pot to proof the dough is a great option too. The dough may not rise well on the kitchen counter on cold days. Instead we use the instant pot to make sure the dough rises irrespective of temperatures outside. This timed method helps estimate the correct time for making the bread and works year round.

Spray the instant pot with non-stick spray and place the dough ball in it. Set mode to yogurt and normal for 60 minutes. Open the Instant Pot after 60 minutes. The dough would have doubled by now. Use it to make the loaf.

However, if you like or are in a warmer place, simply place the dough on the counter and rest covered for an hour to 1.5 hours to rise. Then follow the remaining steps.

Storage and Serving

Once the bread is made, simply cool it for a while. Once cool, slice it thick on thin based on what you want to use it for.

Store the slices in a lidded container in the refrigerator. The cheese stays well in the refrigerator vs on the counter. It is easy to freeze the loaf as is or the slices. I like to freeze them as slices, making it easy to warm up to enjoy.

To enjoy the bread, simply place frozen slices in a warm oven or air fryer and heat through. Slather some salted butter or make a grilled cheese sandwich using the bread. The slices do toast really well too.

Recipe FAQs

More Loaf Bread Recipes