Easy Jalapeno Cheddar Bread is a simple recipe for artisan style bread at home with no kneading or fancy equipment.
Fresh, delicious, bakery fresh artisan bread is one of my absolute favorite indulgences.
There is nothing better than a crunchy, salty bread that is bursting with flavor – especially one with a rich and spicy kick like this Easy Jalapeno Cheddar Bread.
This bread is a spinoff of my popular No Knead Herb Bread recipe that is insanely popular – because it is SO easy and delicious! Be sure to check out both recipes and wow your family with them!
This bread is my new favorite thing to bake on the weekends – you can even prep it the night before and let it rise.
I hope you love it as much as we do!
I’ve had a few people ask what they can use if they do not have a dutch oven. Since this bread is no-knead, it’s really relying on the heat of a very hot dutch oven to help make it light, fluffy, and airy (instead of a gummy, dense bread).
If you don’t have a dutch oven, you could try this in another heavy pot with a lid, but I really think for the texture to be perfect, it does need the extra heat.
If you’re looking for a good dutch oven, I’m linking a few below:
You can make this bread the day before a dinner party or big event if you’d like – simply wrap it up in cellophane tightly before the second rise and refrigerate. When ready, pull out the dough, let it come to room temperature and rise, then punch down to roll into a ball and place into preheated dutch oven.
Easy Jalapeno Cheddar Bread
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In a small bowl, add water and stir yeast packet in (make sure water is warm, but not too hot - if it is too cold or too hot it will not bloom properly).
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Let yeast bloom for about 5 minutes - it will have a light foam on it.
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In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients with a spoon.
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Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and when yeast is proofed, slowly pour into dry ingredients.
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Mix by hand (either with your hands, or a spoon).
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The dough will turn begin to come together and pull away from the bowl.
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If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in small increments, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
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Once the dough has come together, cover it and let it rise until it doubles in size (about 1.5 to 2 hours).
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Uncover the dough and give it a few pokes with your finger.
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If the dough has risen correctly, it should indent under the pressure of your fingers and slowly deflate.
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Gently scoop up the dough and make sure to remove it from the sides of the bowl (you want it to fully rise again, if it is still stuck to the sides of the bowl in parts, it won't.)
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Fold in jalapenos (make sure you pat them dry, excess liquid will make the dough watery and messy- it should stay nonstick. If it becomes too watery, add more flour by the teaspoon until bread is not sticky to the touch.)
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Place back in bowl, cover, and allow the dough to continue to rise for another 1.5-2 hours.
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees (230 degrees C, gas mark 8) and add dutch oven to it, (you want it to be incredibly hot).
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Punch down dough.
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Generously flour a sheet of parchment paper; transfer dough to parchment and, with floured hands, shape into a ball.
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Place dough on parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour.
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Quickly fold in cheese, making sure to incorporate through the dough.
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Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.
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Remove Dutch oven from oven.
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Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with or without parchment paper beneath (if bottom of Dutch oven is not coated with enamel, keep parchment paper beneath dough- I always use parchment paper because it is just the easiest and I never have to worry about anything sticking).
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Cover Dutch oven with lid and return to oven.
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Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top.
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Cool slightly before slicing.
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