This homemade Cheddar Jalapeno Bread is tender, cheesy, and just spicy enough. It’s the perfect bread to serve with a bowl of soup, spread with butter, or to use for grilled cheese sandwiches.
As far as homemade breads go, this Cheesy Jalapeno Bread has to be one of the best! It’s soft and tender inside with a chewy crust and filled with sharp cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos.
And if you're looking for more flavored bread recipes, try our rustic cheddar bread, parmesan rosemary bread, cinnamon twist bread, and our nutella swirl bread.
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Homemade Cheddar Jalapeno Bread
Not only is it an excellent snacking bread, it’s also the perfect accompaniment to thick and creamy soups like Cauliflower Soup, Potato Broccoli Soup, and White Chicken Chili. As if that weren’t enough, it also makes killer grilled cheese and if you somehow have any leftovers you can make cheddar jalapeno croutons.
Follow my easy step-by-step instructions below and you’ll be making delicious homemade bread in no time, no matter what your bread baking skill level is.
Jalapeno Cheese Bread Ingredients
- Water - you want your water to be warm (about 115 degrees F) in order to help “wake up” the yeast.
- Sugar - you can substitute honey if you’d like.
- Yeast - be sure and use active dry for this recipe, or else your mixing, rising and baking times will need to be adjusted.
- Milk - use whole or 2% milk for this recipe.
- Eggs - any type of large eggs will work.
- Salt - I like to use sea salt.
- Flour - you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Either bleached or unbleached will work great.
- Cheddar Cheese - you can purchase shredded cheese or shred cheese on your own. If you want something a little spicy, try substituting pepper jack.
- Jalapenos - I like to use canned jalapenos because they are easy to work with and the flavor is slightly more mild than fresh. Make sure to drain all liquid and pat them dry before adding to the bread.
How to Make Jalapeno Cheddar Bread
- Proof the yeast. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the warm water (approx 115 degrees), sugar and yeast. Stir until all the yeast has dissolved and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until it starts to get bubbly.
- Mix the dough. Add the warm milk, eggs, salt and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, then mix with a bread hook attachment on low for 1 minute. Add the remaining 4 - 4 ½ cups of flour slowly, adding about ½ cup of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. When the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, stop adding flour and continue to mix on low for about 2 minutes. Add the shredded cheese and half of the jalapenos and mix on low until it's fully incorporated. If it starts sticking again, add a little more flour.
- Let the dough rise. Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled, or about 30 minutes.
- Shape and rise again. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide in two equal pieces and shape into round loaves by gently rolling and tucking the edges under. Place the shaped dough balls onto a sheet pan, cover loosely with a lightly floured kitchen towel and let the dough rise again until doubled, or about 30 minutes.
- Add egg wash, cheese, and jalapenos to top. After the dough has doubled in size, score the top of the cheddar cheese loaves with a sharp knife or scoring tool. In a small bowl, add the egg and water and whisk to combine, then brush the egg wash lightly over the top and sides of each loaf. Add a little cheddar cheese to the top and place the other half of the jalapeno peppers on top.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If the bread begins to brown too quickly, cover the loaves loosely with aluminum foil and continue to bake until 40 minutes is up.
- Cool before slicing. Remove from the oven and transfer the loaves to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
In a preheated 350 degree oven, your Cheese and Jalapeno Bread should take between 30-40 minutes to bake. The actual baking times depends on the size of your loaf, your individual oven, and how much you are baking at once.
One of the best ways to tell if your bread has finished baking is by the color of the crust. It should be a rich golden brown on top. You can also test by sticking a digital thermometer into the center. The bread should be around 190 degrees F.
Yes! You can mix this dough the day before, then wrap well and store in the fridge overnight. The longer proofing time will actually improve the flavor! The next day, pull the dough out and let it come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before shaping and baking as directed.
You can! Place your dutch oven inside the oven while it preheats to around 450 degrees F. When you are ready to bake, place your loaves on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle the tops with flour. Transfer carefully to the hot dutch oven, make the scoring marks on the top, then cover with the lid and return to the oven.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes, then remove the lid and finish baking for about 10 more minutes or until the dough is cooked through. Remove dutch oven from the oven and allow the bread to cool before removing and cooling completely.
Storing And Freezing
- Room Temperature: you can store in an airtight container or freezer bags at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: if you want your bread to stay fresh slightly longer, store in freezer bags in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: wrap baked loaves in plastic, place in freezer bags, and store frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, pull them out to room temperature overnight. You may wish to reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Make-ahead: if you want to make the dough ahead of time, you can mix it the day before, then wrap well and store in the fridge overnight. The next day, pull the dough out and let it come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before shaping and baking as directed.
Cheddar and Jalapeno Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Warm Water around 115 degrees F
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar can substitute honey
- 1½ Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Milk around 115 degrees F
- 2 large Eggs
- 1½ Tablespoons Salt
- 6-6½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 4-oz can Jalapenos or about ½ cup
Egg Wash Mixture
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
Cheddar Jalapeno Bread Dough
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the warm water (approx 115 degrees), sugar and yeast. Stir until all the yeast has dissolved and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until it starts to get bubbly.
- Add the warm milk, eggs, salt and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, then mix with a bread hook attachment on low for 1 minute. Add the remaining 4 - 4 ½ cups of flour slowly, adding about ½ cup of flour at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- When the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, stop adding flour and continue to mix on low for about 2 minutes. Add the shredded cheese and half of the jalapenos and mix on low until it's fully incorporated. If it starts sticking again, add a little more flour.
- Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled, or about 30 minutes.
How to Bake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, divide in two equal pieces and shape into round loaves by gently rolling and tucking the edges under. Place the shaped dough balls onto a sheet pan, cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise again until double, or about 30 minutes.
- After the dough has doubled in size, score the top of the cheddar cheese loaves with a knife or scoring tool. In a small bowl, add the egg and water and whisk to combine, then brush the egg wash lightly over the top and sides of each loaf. Add a little cheddar cheese to the top and place the other half of the jalapeno peppers on top.
- Bake in a preheated degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If the bread begins to brown too quickly, cover the loaves loosely with aluminum foil and continue to bake until 40 minutes is up.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the loaves to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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This easy homemade Cheddar Jalapeno Bread recipe is soft and tender on the inside, crusty on the outside, and filled with cheese. It's the perfect bread to serve with a big bowl of soup or chili on a cold night.
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