No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread (Same-Day Dutch Oven Loaf)

Name: Jalapeño Cheese Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 350 min
Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups bread flour* ((or up to ½ cup more if needed) 393 grams); 1 teaspoon salt ( 8 grams); 1 teaspoon instant yeast** (5 grams); 2 jalapeno peppers (55-65 grams each); 1 teaspoon minced garlic (7 grams); 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese*** (184 grams); 1 1/3 cups warm water (about 95-100ºF)

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This No Knead Jalapeño Cheese Bread recipe has a golden, crispy crust and a soft, chewy center filled with spicy jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese. The artisan bread mixes in just 10 minutes, rises and bakes in the same day.

I love making this bread on days when we’re having Mexican soup or sweet & spicy chili for dinner. It looks like a bakery artisan loaf, but there’s no mixer, no overnight rise or even much bread-making experience needed.

closeup of jalapeno cheese bread in a pan

Quick Look: No Knead Jalapeño Cheese Bread

Flavor: Savory cheddar, garlic and fresh jalapeños with a little heat.
Texture: Crispy, golden crust with a soft, slightly chewy interior.
Method: Mix, rise, fold and bake in a covered Dutch oven.
Time: 10 minutes of prep, a 4–6 hour first rise, a short second rest and 40 minutes of baking.
Best for: Soup night, chili, grilled cheese sandwiches or serving warm with butter.

If you love hands-off bread recipes, try my no knead focaccia next.

Why does this jalapeño cheese bread recipe work?

This bread gets its artisan-style texture from a long hands-off rise rather than kneading. Letting the dough rest for 4-6 hours gives the yeast time to work and the gluten structure time to develop.

No kneading required. A mixing bowl and rubber spatula do the work.
No overnight rise. Start the dough in the morning and you can bake it later that day.
Plenty of cheese. Two cups of sharp cheddar give the bread cheesy flavor throughout.
Fresh jalapeños and garlic. They add flavor without overpowering the bread.
A crispy crust. Baking in a covered Dutch oven traps steam during the first part of baking, helping the bread rise before the crust turns golden.

You’ll end up with a beautiful artisan loaf without the need of a sourdough starter. It’s perfect for serving alongside soup or a roast like tomato bisque, french onion pot roast or swedish pot roast.

Enjoy! -Julie

Ingredients For Jalapeño Cheese Bread

You only need 7 ingredients to make this bread.

Bread flour: I prefer bread flour because its higher protein content helps create a chewy artisan-style crumb. All-purpose flour can work, but the texture may be slightly different.
Instant yeast: This mixes directly into the dry ingredients. The recipe uses a small amount because the dough has several hours to rise.
Sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the bread a stronger cheese flavor. Shred it yourself from a block for the best melting.
Fresh jalapeños: One pepper is diced into the dough, and the second is sliced for the top. Remove the seeds and white membranes for less heat.
Garlic: Just a teaspoon of minced garlic adds another layer of savory flavor.
Salt: Important for flavor and balancing the cheese.
Warm water: Water around 95–100°F helps get the yeast working without being too hot.

Julie’s Tip: Don’t add all the extra flour just because the dough feels sticky. This is a wetter dough than traditional sandwich bread dough which helps create the finished texture.

ingredients for no knead jalapeño cheese bread on a table

Jalapeño Cheese Bread

4.64 from 30 votes

This No Knead Jalapeño Cheese Bread recipe is a perfect blend of spicy jalapeños and rich, melted cheese. It's an easy-to-follow recipe with a hands-off approach.

Servings 10

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Rise Time 5

Total Time 5 50

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Ingredients

3 1/4 cups bread flour* (or up to ½ cup more if needed) 393 grams
1 teaspoon salt 8 grams
1 teaspoon instant yeast** 5 grams
2 jalapeno peppers 55-65 grams each
1 teaspoon minced garlic 7 grams
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese*** 184 grams
1 1/3 cups warm water about 95-100ºF

Instructions

Make the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add in the yeast and whisk again. 3 ¼ cups bread flour*, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon instant yeast**
Finely dice 1 jalapeno pepper. Add the diced pepper, minced garlic and shredded cheese to the flour mixture. Mix until combined. 2 jalapeno peppers, 1 teaspoon minced garlic , 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese***
Stir in water, mixing thoroughly until you have a smooth uniform dough. The dough will be sticky, but that’s what you want. If it isn't coming together in a ball, add up to ½ cup more flour, but the dough should be sticky to the touch. 1 ⅓ cups warm water
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until the dough has risen to nearly double the size.****
Use a rubber spatula to fold the dough together several times. Form into a ball. Cover and allow the dough to rest for another 30-60 minutes while the oven is preheating.

Bake the bread:

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Press sliced jalapeno peppers into the top of the dough ball. Place the dough ball (with parchment paper) into a Dutch oven. Place the Dutch oven cover on.
Turn the oven down to 425º Fahrenheit. Then bake the bread in the covered Dutch oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, remove the parchment paper with loaf on it and place it right on the oven rack. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
Allow the bread to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

*You can use all-purpose flour if that’s all you have, but I prefer the texture of the bread made with bread flour.

**You can use active dry yeast, but you’ll have to add the yeast to the warm water and let it sit to active the yeast for a few minutes. Then add the flour and remaining ingredients.

***Freshly shredded cheddar cheese is best.

****The exact time it takes to rise will be dependent on many different factors. If you need the bread to rise more quickly, add up to 2 teaspoons of yeast. The bread will have the best texture with a slow rise.

If you’d like, slash the top of the dough ball with a sharp knife before baking. This will give it a pretty look.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Calories 244

Keyword easy bread recipe, homemade bread, no knead

No Knead Bread Timeline

When I make this no knead jalapeño cheddar bread recipe, I start it mid-morning, then let it rise throughout the afternoon and work with it again about 2 hours before dinner.

9AM: Mix the dough, then cover and let the dough rise.
2-3PM: The dough should nearly be doubled at this point. Fold it over a couple of times.
3:30PM: Heat the oven.
4PM: Bake the bread.

How to Make Jalapeño Cheese Bread

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add in the yeast and whisk again.

Finely dice 1 jalapeño pepper. Add the diced pepper, minced garlic and shredded cheese to the flour mixture. Mix until combined.

flour, cheese, garlic and jalapeño in a mixing bowl

Stir in water, mixing thoroughly until you have a smooth uniform dough. The dough will be sticky, but that’s what you want. If it isn’t coming together in a ball, add up to ½ cup more flour, but the dough should be sticky to the touch.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until the dough has risen to nearly double the size.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the dough together several times. Form into a ball. Cover and allow the dough to rest for another 30-60 minutes while the oven is preheating.
Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Use a rubber spatula to scrape dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Press sliced jalapeño peppers into the top of the dough ball. Place the dough ball (with parchment paper) into a Dutch oven (or other oven-safe pot with a lid). Place the Dutch oven cover on.

unbaked jalapeño cheese bread in a dutch oven

Turn the oven down to 425º Fahrenheit. Then bake the bread in the covered Dutch oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, remove the parchment paper with loaf on it and place it right on the oven rack. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until the spicy bread is golden brown.

Why is my no knead bread dough so sticky?

No knead bread dough is supposed to be sticky. The moisture helps create a soft, open crumb and a crispy crust when the bread bakes.

Your dough should be soft enough to stick to the bowl and spatula but still hold together when folded. It doesn’t need to look perfectly smooth.

If the dough seems too wet to come together, add flour a little at a time, as I direct in the recipe. Avoid adding enough flour to make it feel like traditional kneaded bread dough.

If your bread turns out dense, the dough may just not have had enough time to rise. The 4–6 hour window is a guide. A cool kitchen can slow down the yeast, so look for the dough to nearly double rather than following the exact timing.

closeup of slices of jalapeño cheese bread

What do you eat with jalapeño cheese bread?

This cheesy jalapeño bread is just the bread you’re looking for to dunk in your favorite soup! Slice the loaf of bread and slather with butter then serve with one of these:

This artisan bread also makes great meat and cheese sandwiches. Toast it and try it with our Mexican meatloaf. Or serve it alongside our dutch oven swiss steak.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cheese is best for jalapeño bread?

Sharp cheddar cheese is my favorite because its stronger flavor comes through in the bread. Freshly shredded cheese melts well and gives the bread cheesy pockets throughout. Try Monterey Jack or pepper Jack if you’d like a different flavor.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Yes, all-purpose flour can be substituted for bread flour in this recipe. Bread flour helps give the loaf its chewy texture. All-purpose flour may produce a slightly softer or less chewy crumb.

Can I make jalapeño cheese bread without a Dutch oven?

I recommend a Dutch oven because the covered pot traps steam, helping the loaf rise and develop a crispy crust. A covered oven-safe pot may also work if it can safely handle the baking temperature. For the most consistent results, follow the Dutch oven method in the recipe.

Does jalapeño cheese bread need to be refrigerated?

This bread is safe to store sealed up at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

No Knead Jalapeño Cheese Bread (Crispy Crust, Soft Center)