Jalapeño & Cheddar No-Knead Bread Recipe
This Jalapeño & Cheddar No-Knead Bread is a flavorful and easy-to-make loaf that combines the spicy kick of jalapeños with the rich creaminess of diced cheddar cheese. The no-knead method makes it accessible for all skill levels, requiring minimal hands-on time and delivering a crusty, golden-brown artisan-style bread perfect for sandwiches or as a spicy accompaniment to meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 servings) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup water (plus 3 tablespoons)
Add-ins
- ⅓ cup chopped jalapeños (if using pickled, drain any excess liquid)
- ½ cup diced cheddar cheese (cut into approximately ½ inch cubes)
Instructions
- Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, water, salt, sugar, yeast, diced cheddar, and chopped jalapeños. Mix everything at once using a rubber spatula to ensure the cheese and peppers disperse evenly throughout the dough. The mixture should form a shaggy ball. If there are dry flour bits that don’t incorporate, add a few more teaspoons of water and mix again.
- Cover and rise: Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it on the counter to rise for about 10 hours. Ideally, the dough will double in size. If it hasn’t risen enough, allow more time or refrigerate to slow fermentation and continue later.
- Shape: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it generously with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking from melted cheese. Gently transfer the dough onto the prepared sheet and shape it into a smooth ball by pulling from the bottom to smooth the surface, deflating any large air bubbles. Optionally, dust with flour and top with slices of jalapeño for decoration. Use a sharp knife to slash around ¼ inch deep in the center of the loaf.
- Second rise: Prepare a warm spot for the second rise by briefly warming your oven or placing a bowl of hot water inside it. Cover the dough loosely with greased plastic wrap, ensuring it’s completely covered, and let it rise for about 45 minutes until puffy but not doubled. Preheat the oven to 425°F with the rack in the center near the end of rising time, then remove the dough from the warm place.
- Bake: Bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes at 425°F until it is deep golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 200°F. Some cheese may leak during baking, which is normal. Carefully remove the bread onto a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to prevent cheese leakage.
Notes
- Using parchment paper or a well-sprayed baking sheet prevents the cheese from sticking during baking.
- The no-knead method requires long fermentation but minimal hands-on work, making this recipe perfect for busy schedules.
- If the dough hasn’t risen enough after 10 hours, allow extra rising time at room temperature or refrigerate and let it rise slowly.
- Letting the bread cool fully before cutting is essential to avoid cheese oozing out of the slices.
- You can customize the bread by adding more or less jalapeños based on your spice preference.
Keywords: jalapeño bread, cheddar cheese bread, no-knead bread, spicy bread, artisan bread, easy bread recipe
