This is my absolute favourite cheese bread recipe! This recipe produces delicious homemade soft cheese bread that’s filled with cheddar cheese and herbs. The dough is a dream to work with, and the twisted shape makes for a beautiful loaf (with none of those dreaded rolled cheese bread gaps).

Homemade cheese bread sliced on a bread board.

Homemade cheese bread: at a glance.

This cheese bread recipe produces two tall, beautiful loaves with veins of cheese running throughout. The crumb is wonderfully soft, yet still perfectly sliceable, so it’s perfect for sandwiches. It also provides a small moment of joy when enjoyed toasted and buttered.

Despite its impressive appearance, this is an excellent beginner bread-baking recipe. As it has ample yeast and sugar, it is a fast-riser, which reduces a lot of guesswork. It is also a beautiful dough to work with, as it is perfectly smooth and moist.

This cheese bread recipe is also endlessly customizable for more or less cheese, different cheeses or cheese combinations, or just about anything else you can imagine adding to the mix!

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Bread flour – High-protein bread flour will provide the nicest texture for your finished loaf. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can use it, but do note that you may need to add a bit more flour to get that moist, smooth dough when using all-purpose flour. The texture of your loaf will be slightly heavier than it would have been if using bread flour, but will still be nice and soft.

Yeast – You can use Instant yeast or Active Dry yeast to make this bread. I recommend and use SAF Brand (Red) yeast for all my bread baking.

Milk – I recommend whole milk (3.5% b.f.) if possible, or at least 2% milk, for best results. Warm the milk just slightly in a saucepan or in the microwave.

Cheese – use a sharp/old cheddar cheese for best flavour and grate it yourself. I find a yellow cheddar cheese makes a prettier loaf, as you can see the cheese, but an old white cheddar also works here.

How to make homemade cheese bread: step-by-step

This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.

Start by mixing the bread dough. You can mix the dough in a stand mixer with the kneading hook or in a bowl with a spoon and some elbow grease.

Mixing together the dough ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Step 1: Begin by mixing together the dough ingredients into a shaggy, just moistened dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Finished cheese bread dough in the mixing bowl.
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Step 2: Start kneading the dough on Speed 2 on a KitchenAid mixer and knead for 5-7 minutes until you have a smooth, moist dough that wraps the dough hook and cleans the bowl.

Kneading the finished dough on the counter.
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Step 3: Remove the dough to a work surface and knead briefly.

Kneaded dough ball on the counter.
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Step 4: Form the finished dough into a ball. It should be smooth like a baby’s bottom!

Dough set to rise in a large measuring cup.
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Step 5: Place the dough ball into a greased bowl or large measuring cup to rise.

Cheese bread dough after rising.
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Step 6: Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Once the dough has risen, here are the steps to roll, fill and shape the bread loaves.

Weighing the dough on a kitchen scale.
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Step 7: If you have a scale, weigh the dough to get the total weight.

Dividing the dough into two equal pieces.
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Step 8: Divide the total weight by two and weigh out two equal-sized dough balls.

Dough formed into two balls.
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Step 9: Cover one ball of dough with plastic wrap while you work with the other ball.

One dough ball rolled into a rectangle.
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Step 10: Roll the dough ball into a 12×16-inch rectangele.

Dough rectangle scattered with cheddar cheese and herbs.
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Step 11: Scatter half of the shredded cheese over the rolled dough and sprinkle with some herbs, if using.

Rolling up the filled dough jelly-roll style.
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Step 12: Roll the dough up jelly-roll style, rolling from the long side.

Pinching the seam of the rolled dough together.
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Step 13: Pinch the seam together.

Filled dough log on a baking mat.
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Step 14: Flip the dough over so the seam is down.

Slicing the filled dough in half lengthwise.
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Step 15: Using a sharp knife, slice the rolled dough lengthwise down the centre.

Filled cheese bread dough after slicing in half.
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Step 16: The dough is not cut into two pieces.

Pinching the two pieces of dough together.
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Step 17: Pinch the two pieces together at the far end.

Starting to twist the two pieces together.
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Step 18: Begin to twist the dough together by placing the right side over the left side.

Continuing to twist the dough together.
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Step 19: Continue twisting the dough pieces together.

Cheese bread loaf after shaping.
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Step 20: Pinch together the closest ends once the dough is fully twisted together.

Shaped cheese bread placed into a loaf pan.
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Step 21: Gently lift the shaped dough into a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, then repeat with the second piece of dough to make two loaves.

Both cheese bread loaves in pans, covered with plastic wrap.
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Step 22: Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and set to rise until they rise to an inch above the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Bake and enjoy!

How to make homemade cheese bread: video

Confused about how this cheese bread is shaped? Be sure to watch the video to see how easily it is done!

Recipe tips!

  • If you want to take your bread game to the next level, you really need to be using a kitchen scale and weigh out the ingredients. You will quickly find that doing so will produce a perfect loaf every time! No more uncertainty about how dry measuring cups were filled. No more variations between the exact volume of a liquid cup. You can pick up a kitchen scale for only $20, and it’s the best investment you will make for your kitchen.
  • This bread is endlessly customizable. All kinds of cheese, herb and other add-in combinations will work. Want to throw in some sun-dried tomatoes and/or a bit of pesto? Why not! Olives? Sure. Lots of cheese or just a bit? It’s up to you.
  • There is an option to overnight-rise this dough in the fridge. I rarely do that, because I’m a) impatient and b) not that organized, but feel free to do so. There’s no doubt that any bread benefits from a longer rise for better flavour.

New to bread baking? Here is my best advice!

I think most of the problems people have when starting out baking bread are treating bread recipes like, say, a cake recipe, where you just measure the ingredients, mix them all together and bake.

Things like kitchen temperature, humidity, moisture in the flour you are using, the season you are baking in and rising time can differ from one kitchen to the next. All that makes bread recipes less consistent from one kitchen to the next.

Now that you know this, though, that’s more than half the battle :) What you’ll need to add to the mix to be a successful bread baker is some trust in what you see and feel.

  • Does the dough look and feel too sticky, and does the recipe say it should be smooth and not sticky? Go ahead and add a bit more flour, as your dough needs it.
  • Does the dough look moist and smooth, but you haven’t added all the flour specified? Trust what you see in the bowl and stop adding more flour.
  • When it comes to dough rising times, trust your eyes and not the clock. Your dough in your kitchen may rise more quickly or slowly than it suggests in the recipe. Using a straight-sided rising container will make it easier to see when the dough has doubled. (I like to use a 4- or 8-cup glass measuring cup.) In any case, you want the dough to just double in size. No less. No more.

Trust what you SEE and FEEL, and don’t be too tightly tied to the specifics of the recipe. Do that, and all will be good!

Storing and freezing cheese bread

Allow the bread to cool completely, then store at room temperature in a bread bag or simply place on a cutting board with the cut end wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. This bread will keep well for 2-3 days at room temperature.

You can refrigerate bread to extend the shelf life, but I don’t recommend refrigerating it right away. I keep my bread on the counter for about 2 days, then after that I might refrigerate what’s left to extend the freshness another 2 or 3 days.

Bread freezes beautifully! Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Homemade cheese bread on a cooling rack.

Get the Recipe: Simply Perfect Homemade Cheese Bread

Delicious, soft cheese bread that can be filled with any cheese, including classic cheddar cheese. With a perfect slicing texture, this soft cheese bread is great for sandwiches and is lovely toasted with butter.
5 stars from 115 ratings
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 1/2 cups (794 g) unbleached bread flour, spooned and levelled *see Note 1 below
  • 2 teaspoons (14 g) fine salt , reduce slightly if using salted butter
  • 5 Tablespoons (64 g) white sugar, or brown sugar or 3 1/2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup (227 g) lukewarm water, about 95F
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (255 g) milk, or buttermilk, lukewarm, about 95F
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons (14 g) Instant yeast or Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly, or the same amount of vegetable/canola oil

Cheddar and herb filling (for two loaves):

  • 3 cups (340 g) sharp/old orange cheddar cheese, shredded and packed
  • 2-3 Tablespoons (60 ml) dried parsley, optional *see Note 2 below

Instructions
 

    If measuring your flour in cups without a scale, hold back 1 cup of the flour to add as needed later, as needed. If you're using honey, add it with the liquid ingredients instead.
  • In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 6 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour (spooned and levelled *see Note 1 below), 2 teaspoons fine salt (reduce slightly if using salted butter) and 5 Tablespoons white sugar (or brown sugar or 3 1/2 Tbsp. honey ) together and stir together well.
    • “Lukewarm” means just barely warm to the touch, not hot. If you heat the water or milk too much, it can kill the yeast. Think baby bottle warmed!
  • In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the 1 cup lukewarm water (about 95F ) and 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk (or buttermilk, lukewarm, about 95F) and whisk in the 1 1/2 Tablespoons Instant yeast or Active Dry Yeast until dissolved. Add this mixture, along with the 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly, or the same amount of vegetable/canola oil), to the dry ingredients. Mix by hand or with a dough hook at Speed 2 until the mixture is combined and all the dry ingredients are incorporated into a shaggy dough, about 2-3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
    • If you weigh out the ingredients with a scale, you will almost never have to add extra flour to the dough, as it should come out perfectly every time (the huge advantage of weighing ingredients!). If you are using measuring cups and you held back 1 cup of the flour, as directed, begin adding it to the dough while kneading, as needed, to create a smooth, non-sticky dough as described. You may not need to use all of the reserved cup of flour, or you may need to use a tiny bit more. Add only as needed.
  • Continue mixing the dough with the kneading hook at Speed 2 for 5-7 minutes, until a smooth dough forms that wraps the dough hook and cleans the bowl. The dough should not be sticking to the mixing bowl at all.
    • I like to use an 8-cup glass measuring cup, so it's easy to see when the dough has doubled by the markings on the side. The dough will fill the measuring cup up to roughly the 4-cup mark to start and, when doubled, will just touch the bottom of the plastic wrap, or the 8-cup marking.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, adding more flour only if the dough is sticking to your hands or the work surface; then form the dough into a ball. (If the dough feels smooth like a baby's bottom, you've nailed it!).
  • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl or an 8-cup measuring cup, then flip the ball over in the bowl so the top of the dough is covered in the oil from the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until just doubled, about 40-60 minutes in a 72F kitchen. (This dough is a fast-riser! Don't wander too far. You want the dough to just double in size – no more and no less – however long that takes.)
  • Note: Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough, well covered, for up to 4 days. If you have refrigerated your dough, remove it from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to bake to allow it to come to room temperature.
  • Grease two 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pans and set aside.
    • I like to weigh the entire dough ball on a scale, then divide by two to get the precise weight for each ball. This will ensure that the two loaves will bake evenly, as they are exactly the same size.
  • Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Cover one piece with plastic wrap and set aside. Working with one piece of dough, use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle approximately 12 inches wide and 16 inches long. (If the dough seems to spring back and not hold its shape while rolling, allow it to sit for a few minutes and try again.)
    • If you are unclear about the shaping process for this bread, scroll up to the Recipe Video above this Recipe Card. You may wish to watch it before starting the shaping process, so it's clear from the start. 
  • Once rolled out, scatter 1/2 of the shredded cheddar and 1/2 of the herbs evenly over the surface of the dough. Starting with the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam together. Rotate the rolled dough so the seam is underneath.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the roll of dough down the centre, lengthwise. Rotate each piece so that the cut sides are facing upward and place them side-by-side. Pinch together the farthest end. Keeping the cut sides facing upwards as much as possible, place the right-side piece over the left-side piece. Straighten it up all the way and then repeat twisting together down the length of the dough, then pinching together the end closest to you. If any cheese escapes, just place it back on top. Using a bench scraper or spatula, carefully lift the dough into the greased loaf pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough, then cover both pans with a greased piece of plastic wrap (I like to spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray).
  • Allow the loaves to rise until the dough rises about 1 inch above the side of the pans in the middle, about 30-40 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F (non-convection/not fan-assisted), with the rack in the centre of the oven.
    • This bread will look done before it is done! After about 20-25 minutes of baking, the loaves will look quite browned and may fool you into thinking they are nearing done. Don't be fooled. They need 40-45 minutes in the oven to bake and reach 185F. Cover the loaves loosely with aluminum foil to prevent further browning, if needed, and allow the loaves to continue baking.
  • Place the loaves on top of a baking sheet to catch any cheese that might fall off the loaves as they bake. Bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes total, but set a timer for 20 minutes, at which time you'll rotate the pans from front-to-back in the oven and loosely cover the top of the loaves with a piece of aluminum foil if the bread is already well-browned. The foil will prevent the top from over-browning. Continue baking the bread for about 20-25 minutes more, until the bread reaches about 185F° internal temperature in the centre when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pans for a couple of minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the bread, then carefully remove the loaves to a cooling rack. Allow the loaves to cool for 1 hour before slicing. *Slicing hot or very warm bread will make for a gummy crumb, so resist the urge and let it cool :)
  • Store the baked bread at room temperature for several days, storing it in a bread bag or, at least, wrapping any cut ends tightly. You can also freeze this bread for up to 2 months.

Notes

Note 1: High-protein bread flour is recommended for best texture and lightness. If you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can use it, but your bread may be a bit less light. If using all-purpose flour, you may find you have to add a bit more flour to get to that moist, smooth dough stage.
Note 2: Adding dried herbs to the filling is completely optional. Dried parsley will provide some colour, without adding any significant flavour. If you want to experiment, replace a Tablespoon of the dried parsley with dried chives, for a slight onion flavour. If you’d prefer to use fresh parsley, chop finely and use about 1/4 cup.
Nutritional information is for one slice, assuming each loaf yields 12 slices.
Tips!
If you want to take your bread game to the next level, you really need to be using a kitchen scale and weigh out the ingredients. You will quickly find that doing so will produce a perfect loaf every time! No more uncertainty about how dry measuring cups were filled. No more variations between the exact volume of a liquid cup. You can pick up a kitchen scale for only $20, and it’s the best investment you will make for your kitchen.
There is an option to overnight-rise this dough in the fridge. I rarely do that, because I’m a) impatient and b) not that organized, but feel free to do so. There’s no doubt that any bread benefits from a longer rise for better flavour.
I always make two loaves of bread! It takes the same amount of time to make one loaf as it does two. Bread freezes beautifully, so enjoy one right away and freeze the other for another time. It is also a beautiful bread to gift, so keep one to enjoy and give away the 2nd loaf. If you only have one loaf pan, after dividing the dough into two pieces, form, fill and bake one of the dough pieces and refrigerate the other piece to shape/fill and bake later.
Variations
This bread is endlessly customizable. All kinds of cheese, herb and other add-in combinations will work. Want to throw in some sun-dried tomatoes and/or a bit of pesto? Why not! Olives? Sure. Lots of cheese or just a bit? It’s up to you.
If you are a garlic bread fan, try the Parmesan Garlic Herb filling below. (You can make one loaf with cheddar and one with Parmesan, if you like!)
Parmesan Herb Filling (for one loaf): 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt) or 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic; 3-4 Tablespoons dried parsley/herbs. Butter the rolled dough, sprinkle with Parmesan, garlic powder and herbs, then shape and bake.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe. You’ll find step-by-step photos and a recipe video, which you may find helpful, especially when shaping the bread.

Watch how to make it

Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Bread
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Download PDF
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 212kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 293mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 225IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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