Easy Jalapeño Cheese Bread

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheddar

💰Cheaper: colby jack

Colby jack is often less expensive and melts well.

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pork belly

Turkey bacon is lower in fat.

sour cream

🥗Healthier: plain yogurt

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Plain yogurt provides a tangy flavor with fewer calories.

Add yeast, honey, and warm water to a large mixing bowl. Let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.

Trim the stem off the jalapeño and cut 4-5 round slices off the top of the pepper. Set these slices aside for topping later.

Deseed and dice the rest of the jalapeño to yield about ½ cup of diced jalapeño.

Add flour to yeast mixture. Mix with a sturdy spatula until nearly all of the flour is incorporated. Let the bread rest for 15 minutes if possible.

Add salt, pepper, diced jalapeño, and most of the shredded cheddar cheese to the dough. Mix until evenly distributed and no dry flour remains.

Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to 460°F and place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) inside.

Lightly flour a large cutting board and tip the dough out onto it. Do not punch the dough down.

Shape the dough into a round loaf by folding each corner into the center and flipping it over.

Place the loaf seam-side down in a proofing basket or bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Prepare a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Gently tip the dough onto it.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the bread and lay jalapeño slices across the top.

Carefully remove the hot dutch oven lid and place the bread inside using the parchment paper.

Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for 5-15 minutes until the bread is deep brown and crusty.

Remove the dutch oven from the oven and lift the bread out onto a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens