Jalapeño Cheddar Bread

Square close up side shot of a sliced loaf of jalapeno cheddar bread.

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5 from 3 votes

This soft homemade bread is studded with just enough zesty jalapeños for a flavorful, cheesy loaf that's not too spicy!

Course bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheddar jalapeno bread, jalapeno cheddar bread, jalapeno cheddar bread recipe

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 4

Total Time 5 20

Servings slices

Calories 267kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

3 ½ - 4 cups (420-480 g) bread flour, or more as needed
1 ⅓ cups warm milk (110°F – 115°F)
5 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tablespoon instant (“rapid rise”) yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped and patted dry to remove excess moisture
Canola oil or nonstick spray, for greasing the bowl
Optional: 1 tablespoon melted butter, for brushing

Instructions

To prepare the dough, weigh the flour or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then leveling off any excess. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the warm milk, honey, melted butter, instant yeast, salt and garlic powder. Mix by hand or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until a shaggy dough forms, gradually adding more flour, as necessary, to get the dough to come together so that it just pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Switch to the dough hook attachment (or use your hands) to knead the dough until fairly smooth, about 7-8 minutes. Oil or spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Sprinkle with cheese and jalapeños.
Fold the dough over twice, then continue to knead and fold until the cheese and jalapeños are dispersed throughout the dough. Pat the dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle.
Starting on one of the short sides, roll up the dough to make a log; pinch the seams. Place the dough seam-side down in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap; allow to rise for 1-2 hours, until it’s crowned about 1-2 inches over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, tenting it lightly with foil for the final 20 minutes of baking. The bread should be golden brown, and it should sound hollow when tapped. Brush the top of the warm bread with melted butter, if desired. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Make sure that you use warm milk when preparing the dough — not too hot and not too cold. You want the milk to feel like warm bath water (about 110-115°F). If it’s too hot you will kill the yeast; too cold and the yeast will not be activated. While it's not necessary, I usually use a thermometer to test the milk's temperature before adding it to my dough.
Drain the jalapeños on paper towels and pat dry before adding them to the dough. Purchase a jar of diced jalapeños for a shortcut, or chop them yourself at home.

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