Jalapeño and Cheddar Bread

A tin bread pan with a loaf of baked jalapeño and cheddar bread with more toppings on the side.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

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!

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Resting Time2

Total Time1

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

For the Yeast

2¼ teaspoon Active Dry yeast
1¼ cup Water (warm)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar

For the Bread

3 cups All Purpose Flour
3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
¾ cup Canned Jalapeños (minced)
¾ cup Mild Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Salt

To Top

¼ cup Canned Jalapeños (minced)
¼ cup Mild Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Instructions

In a heat proof bowl heat water. When just warm (105-110F), add the sugar, salt and the yeast.
1¼ cup Water, 1 teaspoon Salt , 1 teaspoon Sugar, 2¼ teaspoon Active Dry yeast
Let the yeast proof for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl or the base of a stand mixer add the flour, remaining salt, dried oregano and unsalted butter.
3 cups All Purpose Flour , 3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter , 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
Then add in the bloomed yeast mixture.
Knead for a few minutes till the dough starts to come together.
Add cheese and jalapeño to the dough.
¾ cup Mild Cheddar Cheese , ¾ cup Canned Jalapeños
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes till it is soft and smooth.
Coat the dough with some oil or butter and place it in a greased bowl.
Cover it and rest in a warm area for an hour till it doubles in size.
Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper or with non stick spray.
After the dough doubles, punch it down and knead for a minute or two.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick.
Start rolling the dough along the long side in a tight loaf.
Place the loaf in the prepared tin.
Sprinkle remaining cheese and jalapeño on it and let it rest covered for an hour.
¼ cup Canned Jalapeños , ¼ cup Mild Cheddar Cheese
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.
Remove and cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Once cool, slice into thick or thin slices as desired and enjoy!

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.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition