Homemade bakery-style bread has never been easier. This super crusty no knead jalapeƱo cheddar bread is baked in a dutch oven and requires practically zero hands-on work from you!
One reader, Tina, commented: “One of my favorite bread recipes from you. Iāve made it multiple times over the the past couple of years. Every time it comes out crusty and delicious! The honey butter recipe pairs perfectly with this bread. In fact, I have the dough resting on my counter right now. Canāt wait to eat it! ā ā ā ā ā “
After sharing this no knead cranberry nut bread, many readers asked for another flavor variation. Since then, I’ve also published no knead olive bread, super seeded oat bread, this “plain” homemade artisan bread (anything but plain, so flavorful!), and today’s jalapeƱo cheddar bread. I’ve actually had today’s recipe published for a few years, and just added some new photos and simpler instructions.
Grab some spicy jalapeƱos, a block of sharp cheddar, and lots of self control.
What comes to mind when you think of homemade bread? Unless you’re a seasoned baker, it sounds a little scary, right? This recipe will completely change that thought. You can make bakery-style bread at home and besides stirring the ingredients together, the process requires zero work from you.
How to Make JalapeƱo Cheddar No-Knead Bread
- Stir 6 ingredients together including flour, yeast, salt, cheddar cheese, chopped jalapeƱo, and water. Don’t even break out your mixer.
- Shape into a ball and leave it alone for a day.
- Score an X on top of the dough, let it rest, and then bake it in a dutch oven to obtain a super crisp crust.
- Eat it.
That’s all. This no knead, professional-bread-at-home method has swarmed the internet and kitchens all over the world. It originally came from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. It’s all very basic ingredients, but the method was groundbreaking and includes an 18 hour rise time. This overnight rest gives the dough a chance to ferment. Just set the dough on your counter and forget about it. The magic happens when you’re not looking! Forget how to knead dough; you don’t need to worry about that!
Let’s Talk JalapeƱo & Cheddar
The bread’s base flavor comes from the fermentation over the 18 hour period. But to shake things up and make this a fancy-tasting specialty bread, add 1 diced jalapeƱo and some sharp cheddar cheese.
- Is this jalapeƱo cheddar bread spicy? Sort of. I can tolerate a little spice and I LOVE this bread. The pieces of dough without jalapeƱo helps to cool off your mouth. Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeƱo based on your heat tolerance. And if you love this combination, make my jalapeƱo cheddar soft pretzels next.
- What is the best cheese to use? For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using a block of cheddar cheese and grating it at home with a box grater (affiliate link to the one I use and love), instead of purchasing a bag of the pre-shredded stuff. I recommend this if you’re making my homemade cheese bread, too.
What to Expect with This No Knead Dough
- Bubbles: The dough will rise for 12-18 hours and be very bubbly when it’s done.
- Strands: As you pull the risen dough off the sides of the bowl, you’ll notice a network of strands forming. See photo above. These strands are a good thing and will produce the chewiest bread ever.
- Stickiness: This will be a super sticky dough. It will stick to your hands, but that’s nothing a quick wash can’t fix!
You can expect the same in my artisan homemade bread dough, too.
Bake the no knead bread at a very high oven temperature, which will produce a golden brown and crisp crust. The crisp on this crust is unparalleled to any bread I’ve ever baked.
No Dutch Oven? No Problem.
While baking the bread in a dutch oven is key to this bread’s texture, you can get around it. Instead, place the rounded dough on a parchment paper lined or generously floured nonstick baking pan. (No need to preheat the pan in the oven like you do the dutch oven.) Score the bread as noted in step 3 below. Preheat the oven (same oven temperature). After the oven is preheated, place scored dough/baking pan on the center rack. Then place a shallow metal or cast iron baking pan or skillet (I usually use a metal 9Ć13-inch baking pan; do not use glass) on the bottom oven rack. Carefully and quickly pour 3-4 cups of boiling water into it, and then quickly shut the oven door to trap the steam inside. The steam helps create a crispier crust. Bake for about 30 minutes. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195Ā°F (90Ā°C).
What to Serve with JalapeƱo Cheddar Bread
Between dips, spreads, and main dishes, here are some serving suggestions for jalapeƱo cheese bread.
- Slather slices with homemade honey butter
- Tear apart pieces and dip in roasted garlic bacon spinach dip
- Serve alongside slow cooker chicken chili or creamy chicken noodle soup
- I believe parmesan garlic hummus exists for this very bread
- Serve with super saucy slow cooker BBQ meatballs
- With a big bowl of mac & cheese
- Dunk those slices in spicy nacho cheese sauce! This is what I usually use for soft pretzel bites.
Honestly, just break out the warm loaf, a good hunk of cheese, and a bottle of wine. You’re all set for a satisfying snack!
Print
No Knead JalapeƱo Cheddar Bread
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 20 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf; 10-12 servings
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade bakery-style bread has never been easier. This super crusty no knead jalapeƱo cheddar bread is baked in a dutch oven and requires practically zero hands-on work from you! If youāre new to working with yeast, reference myĀ Baking with Yeast GuideĀ for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (I find the flavor lacking using regular table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon instant or active-dry yeast
- 1 jalapeƱo, diced
- 1 cup (125g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (aboutĀ 95Ā°F (35Ā°C))
Instructions
- *No need to grease the bowl, and do not use a mixer in this step because the dough is too sticky for a mixer.* Stir the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl, and then stir in the warm water. The dough will be pretty sticky but if it’s extremely wet, add another 2 Tablespoons of flour. Gently shape the dough into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly. Set on the counter at room temperature (honestly any normal room temperature is fine!) and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and have a lot of air bubbles.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper, a piece large enough to fit inside your dutch oven and one that is safe under high oven heat. (I use this parchment and it’s never been an issue.) Place the ball of dough + parchment inside a bowl so the dough doesn’t spread out as it rests. See photo above.
- Using a very sharp knifeĀ or bread lame (you could even use kitchen shears), gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- During this 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 475Ā°F (246Ā°C). (Yes, very hot!) Place your dutch oven with the lid OR heavy duty pot inside for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and sticking it allāparchment paper includedāinside the pot. Cover with the lid.
- Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown.Ā How to test for doneness: Give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, itās done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195Ā°F (90Ā°C).
- Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes before slicing.
- Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough takes up to 18 hours to rise, so this is a wonderful recipe to begin 1 day ahead of time. You can also bake the bread, allow it to cool, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the dough. Complete the recipe through step 2. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container. To bake, allow dough to thaw completely at room temperature and then continue with step 3 and the rest of the recipe instructions.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowls | Wooden Spoon | Dutch Oven |Ā Parchment Paper |Ā Bread Lame | Instant Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack
- Dutch Oven: Use a 6 quart or larger dutch oven or any large oven-safe pot with an oven-safe lid. If your dutch oven is smaller than 6 quarts, you can halve the recipe (instructions remain the same, just halve each ingredient) or make the recipe as directed in step 1, shape the dough into 2 balls in step 2, and bake them one at a time in your smaller dutch oven. While the 2nd dough waits, lightly cover and keep at room temperature. The bake times in the recipe above (25 mins and then 8-10 mins) will both be a little shorter for smaller loaves.
- No dutch oven? See post above for alternative.
- Yeast: If you don’t have instant yeast, you can use active-dry. Iāve never had a problem using active dry yeast in this recipeāand with no other changes needed. Works wonderfully!
- Bread Flour or Whole Wheat Flour: I use all-purpose flour here since itās more readily available to most bakers. However, I love baking bread with bread flour and it can definitely be substituted with no other changes needed to the recipe. You can also substitute 1 cup of the flour for whole wheat flour. Do not use all whole wheat flour, as the bread will taste quite dense and heavy.
- Parchment Paper: If your parchment paper can only be heated to a certain temperature, bake the bread at that temperature. Bake the bread a little longer to compensate for the lower temperature.
- Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Recipe adapted from Red Star Yeast, method originally from Jim Lahey.
I’m making the dough now and I was wondering would it be possible to make this into half batches? If so how would you alter the cooking time
Hi Russ, yes, you could use the dough to make two smaller boules. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, so keep a close eye on them. An instant-read thermometer is helpful for determining doneness.
I see in the notes you should use a 6qt Dutch oven. I was wondering why you couldnāt bake in a smaller one without halving the recipe? I was thinking a smaller Dutch oven could lead to a thicker, less flat loaf. Thoughts?
Another winner! A great recipe exactly as written. Iām having mediocre success trying to learn how to make sandwich bread but this turned out great on my first try. Not spicy, just flavourful and perfect texture. I almost didnāt make it because I donāt have a Dutch oven but what I did was use 2 Pyrex casserole dishes instead, one for the loaf and one balanced loosely on top for the ālidā and it turned out perfect. Easy recipe for bread beginners
My parchment paper withstands heat up to 450 degrees so I adjusted the time to 30 minutes with the lid, 15 without. Also used a ceramic casserole dish as I do not have a 6 qt Dutch oven. It turned out perfectly and will definitely be a house staple!
Love everything about this but what am I doing wrong?! Mine seems to taste more yeasty than it probably should. I did leave it out longer on accident 18.5 or 19 hours . Do you think that is why? Or will it just naturally be more yeasty because of the nature of the bread?!
Other than that color, crunch and softness of the middle is PERFECTION!
Hi Brooke, weāre happy to help troubleshoot. Was your kitchen particularly warm, causing the dough to rise quickly? Thatās often the culprit for overly yeasty breads/doughs, when the dough rises too quickly before the yeast finishes acting. Leaving it out for a bit too long can cause it, too. We’re glad you still enjoyed the bread!
This recipe was KILLER. The bread came out absolutely perfect, crusty shell and light fluffy inside. I used about 1/4 c Trader Joeās chopped Hot & Sweet jalapeƱos (squeezed out the juice) in place of the fresh jalapeƱo and half the loaf is gone after one day.
Iāve made with recipe several times, with great results every time, in a Dutch oven. Just wondering about baking on a pizza stone. I was given a dome bread baker and havenāt used it yet. Any suggestions?
Hi Ann, we’re so glad you enjoy this bread! See recipe Notes in our artisan bread recipe for directions on using a pizza stone.
What things do you make to eat with the jalapeno cheddar sourdough?
Hi Azriel, See the section in the middle of the post: What to Serve with JalapeƱo Cheddar Bread. Enjoy!
Iāve been enjoying your bread recipes!
Just made this for the first time, itās cooling as I write this. Will serve with a hearty chili tonight s dinner, canāt wait! I only wish it had a higher riseā¦
2 questions, Iāve made the no knead oat seeded bread and the artisan, both fantastic!!! But they use 2 teaspoons of yeast for a similar amount of flour, I wanted to make sure 1/2 teaspoon is correct.
And no you remove the seeds from the jalapeƱo.
Hi Lan, good question! It is correct–it’s the same amount of yeast we use in the cranberry nut no-knead bread, too.
My dough is resting comfortably on the counter anticipating its journey to the oven tomorrow! I canāt wait to taste it!
Delicious! Will be making it again!
This bread is terrific. I’m not a big fan of jalapenos, but in this recipe there is just enough to make it really flavorful. And the addition of cheddar with them is a really perfect combination. I used bread flour and the result was soft, chewy and just plain delicious. If you prepare ahead for the loooooong first rise, it’s not difficult and totally worth the wait.
So simple and delicious! I do not have a Dutch oven so used one of my ceramic casserole bowls. I also had to adjust the cook time as my parchment paper could only tolerate 425F – I added a total of 20 min to the cook time.
Oh my gosh! I shouldnāt have made this because I think Iāll eat the whole thing! So, so good!
My convection oven canāt go past 230C. What adjustments can I make?
You can bake the bread at that temperature, keeping in mind that the baking time will be a bit longer due to the lower temperature.
Getting ready to make this bread again! The first loaf was devoured in record time. Moist, cheesy and just a hint of heat.
This was my first attempt at bread and it couldnāt have been easier. The end result was absolutely delicious! So happy to be in my bread era
Can’t wait to try this one!
Do you have any suggestions for skipping the jalapeno and maybe substituting something else?
Hi Monica, you can skip the jalapenos without any other changes. Hope you enjoy the bread!