This is an easy-to-make, flavorful artisan loaf topped with melty cheddar cheese and spicy jalapeños for a little kick. No fancy stand mixer or equipment is required. You just need a few basic ingredients and you’re good to go. With just 6 ingredients, this jalapeño cheese bread is incredibly simple, so even if you don’t have bread-making experience, you’ll still be able to pull this off with no problem!

For more recipes with jalapeños, try our Jalapeño Popper Dip or our Jalapeño Scalloped Potatoes.

Why Our Recipe

  • A simple artisan bread that’s quick to put together and topped with cheddar cheese and spicy jalapenos.
  • No stand mixer is required!
  • Bakery-quality bread that anyone can make at home, even without baking experience.
An overhead view of a sliced loaf of jalapeno cheese bread.

It can sometimes seem daunting to make bread, but it’s actually so much easier than you think! Especially if you have a stand mixer, it’s not a lot of work to mix up a loaf or two of bread. Even if you’re new to baking, this recipe is totally doable. The dough is simple to work with. This bread will come out just as good as any you’d find at a bakery.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of measured ingredients to make jalapeno cheese bread.
  • Yeast: This recipe uses instant yeast, which doesn’t require proofing in water beforehand. Just add it directly to your dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, you can substitute it by using the same amount, but you’ll need to dissolve it in the warm water first and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until foamy before proceeding.
  • Warm Water: Make sure the water is between 100-110℉. You don’t have to actually measure the temperature. It should be warm to the touch, but not hot, like bath water.
  • All-Purpose Flour: You can also use bread flour for an even better texture and crumb.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Feel free to switch up the variety of cheese! Cheddar and jalapeños work so well together that we hate to stray from such a classic combo, but a pepper jack would be amazing, as well as smoke gouda.
  • Jalapeño: We love the flavor and heat of jalapeños, and they are really the star of this bread! If you’re worried about heat, you might want to test out the jalapeño beforehand to see how hot it is, or you could shop it into smaller pieces to spread out the flavor a bit more.

Making the Dough

Making bread dough can sometimes feel stressful, but you have nothing to worry about here! This bread dough comes together so easily that you won’t believe it. If you have a stand mixer, use your bread dough hook, put the ingredients in, and mix until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl but is still tacky to the touch. Kneading by hand will take more time, but it is still an option if you don’t have a stand mixer! Just keep kneading until it’s no longer super sticky and you can handle and shape it without the dough sticking to your hands.

Side by side pictures of a bowl holding unrisen dough, and a bowl holding risen dough.

Flour Measurements in Bread Making

When it comes to bread making, the amount of flour you add is always an estimate. The actual amount you need can vary due to a variety of factors, including how accurately you measure your ingredients and the humidity in the air. Don’t let that intimidate you though! As long as you know that it is an estimate, you’ll be prepared to go by feel.

You can always add more flour, but you can’t take any away or add more liquids to make up for too much flour. So, add the last portion of flour slowly and gradually. You’re aiming for a dough that is soft and tacky to the touch, but it shouldn’t stick to your fingers or hands.

A close up of the cheesy top of a loaf of jalapeno cheese bread.

Doubling the Recipe

Bread is easy to make in larger batches without any special modifications! If you love this bread as much as we do (and we have a feeling you will!), then you might want to make a few loaves at a time. Just double, or even triple, the ingredients and divide the dough to shape into multiple loaves. This is perfect if you have a larger family, want leftovers, or want to share some fresh, homemade artisan bread with friends or neighbors.

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in a resealable bag or airtight container once the bread has cooled completely.

Freeze: If you’d like to make the bread ahead of time or save some for later, it freezes well! Let the bread cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, or place it in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw at room temperature.

More delicious bread recipes . . .