No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread Recipe
This No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread is an easy, flavorful homemade bread featuring a spicy kick from diced jalapeños and rich melted cheddar cheese. With minimal hands-on time and no need for kneading, the dough rises slowly at room temperature before baking in a hot Dutch oven to create a crusty, golden loaf with a tender, cheesy interior. Perfect for sandwich making, snacking, or serving alongside soups and salads.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 12-18 hours rising)
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 13 hours 55 minutes to 19 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8-inch diameter) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant or active-dry yeast
Additional Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 1 cup (125g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (about 95°F / 35°C)
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coarse sea salt, yeast, diced jalapeño, and shredded cheddar cheese. Gradually add the warm water and mix by hand until a sticky dough forms. If the dough feels extremely wet, sprinkle in an additional 2 tablespoons of flour. Shape the dough gently into a ball as best you can, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature for 12-18 hours until it doubles in size and develops air bubbles.
- Shape the Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and hands. Turn the risen dough out and shape it into a rough ball. Transfer this dough ball onto a large piece of high-heat-safe parchment paper suitable to fit inside your Dutch oven. Place the dough and parchment into a bowl to prevent spreading and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Score the Dough: Using a very sharp knife, bread lame, or kitchen shears, gently score an X on the top of the dough to help control the expansion during baking. Cover the dough lightly again while the oven preheats.
- Preheat Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C). Place your Dutch oven with its lid inside the oven to heat for 30 minutes to ensure it is extremely hot when the dough is added.
- Bake Covered: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough by the parchment paper and place both into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: After 25 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. You can also check doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf; it should read 195°F (90°C).
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely for about 20 minutes before slicing.
- Storage: Store any leftover bread at room temperature, covered, for up to 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to one week.
Notes
- Use coarse sea salt for better flavor; regular table salt may result in less flavor.
- Ensure the oven and Dutch oven are fully preheated to achieve the perfect crust.
- Scoring the dough helps it expand evenly during baking.
- If the dough feels too wet initially, adding a little extra flour helps achieve the right consistency.
- This bread freezes well; slice before freezing for easy thawing and toasting.
- Ensure jalapeño seeds are removed if you want to reduce the heat intensity.
- Use a heavy-duty parchment paper that can withstand high oven heat safely.
Keywords: no knead bread, jalapeño cheddar bread, easy homemade bread, no-knead baking, cheesy spicy bread
