Delicious soft homemade cheese bread, made two ways – a lovely Cheddar cheese version and a Parmesan and Herb version.
I love to cook new things. I have a cooking queue of new recipes to try that’s a mile long. So many recipes, so little time! So when something makes a repeat performance in my kitchen (or several, in this case), I figure it’s worth sharing.
That’s definitely the case with this Soft Cheese Bread Loaf, first discovered a couple of years ago in Peter Reinhart’s book “Artisan Bread Every Day”. A batch makes two loaves, so I have taken to making two different versions when I make it. Today, it was a Cheddar and Herb and a Parmesan Garlic and Herb.
Of course, this is a yeast bread, so it doesn’t really qualify as “quick”, but it is easy and with one baking session, you’ll be rewarded with two great and different loaves. And these loaves freeze beautifully, so slice them up and pop them in the freezer and pull some out whenever a side of bread is in order. Pasta night? Toast up some of the Parmesan Garlic Herb (toasting or popping under the broiler for a bit, really brings the flavours out in this one!). Soup night? Cheddar and Herb will go perfectly with it. And of course, either of these would make a great sandwich bread.
Ingredient Notes
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 – Regular Instant Yeast, such as SAF Brand is specified here. Quick or rapid-rising Instant yeast is NOT recommended. If you only have Dry Active Yeast, you can use it, but you will have to proof it in the warm water portion for the dough first (add a pinch of sugar), and then add to the dough when the water is specified.
Milk – you can use either milk or buttermilk here. For milk, anything 1% or higher is best. I like to use whole milk (3.5% b.f.), when I can. If you don’t have buttermilk, but would like a bit of buttermilk flavour, you can mix the 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp of either lemon juice or white vinegar, then let it stand 10 minutes until thickened.
Cheese – use a sharp cheddar cheese for best flavour and grate it yourself. I find a yellow cheddar makes a prettier loaf, as you can see the cheese, but an old white cheddar also works here.
Recipe Video
Confused about how this cheese bread is shaped? Watch the video, that shows how easy it is!
Cook’s Notes
- 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.
- This recipe will make two loaves of bread. You can make one of each – one cheddar and one Parmesan and herb – or you can just make two of the same one. Do note that the ingredients for the filling in the Recipe Card are for one loaf, so if you want to make two of the same loaf, simply double the filling amounts.
- Finally, 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.
My Best Tips for Baking with Yeast
I think most of the problems people have when starting out baking with yeast, is treating yeast-based recipes like say, a cake recipe, where you just measure the ingredients, mix them all together and bake.
Yeast-based recipes will never be that precise. Things like kitchen temperature, humidity, moisture in the flour you are using, the season your are baking in and rising time can differ from one kitchen to the next. All that makes yeast 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? Add a bit more flour (regardless of how much flour the recipe says should go in.) Does the dough look nice and smooth before you’ve added all the flour specified? Trust it and don’t add any more flour. How much has the dough actually risen? When it comes to rising time, trust your eyes and not the clock. 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!
- Be careful with the temperature of your proofing liquid before adding the yeast, so you don’t compromise the yeast from the start. If the liquid is too cold, the yeast won’t activate. Too hot and it will die. The best temperature range for proofing liquid is 105-110F for Active Dry Yeast. Instant yeast is a bit more forgiving and can take temperatures up to 120F. All yeasts die at about 140°F. An Instant Read thermometer is handy to have on hand to check.
- Always treat the amount of flour specified in yeast-based recipes as “approximate”. Flours will vary from kitchen to kitchen and by season, so the amount needed to make a smooth, soft dough will vary.
- Given tip #2, I always hold back 1/4-1/3 of the flour specified in a recipe and add in only as much as is needed. If you dump all the flour in at the start, you may find that it is too much and it’s difficult to adjust well after that.
- Use a large glass measuring cup to proof the dough, if you can. The markings on the measuring cup make it easy to see when the dough has doubled.
- Be patient. Rising times are also “approximate” and will vary as well. Trust what you see and not the clock.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
Get the Recipe: Simply Perfect Homemade Cheese Bread (Two Ways)
Ingredients
- 6 1/2 cups (794 g) unbleached bread flour, spooned and levelled (can use all purpose, flour *see Note 1 below)
- 2 teaspoons (14 g) fine salt , or a bit more, if using coarse kosher salt
- 5 Tablespoons (64 g) white sugar, or 5 Tbsp brown sugar or 3 1/2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
- 1 cup (227 g) lukewarm water, about 95F (for even softer bread, you can use 1 cup water leftover from boiling potatoes, cooled)
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (255 g) milk or buttermilk , lukewarm, about 95F
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons (14 g) Instant yeast, (can also use Active Dry yeast *see Note 2 below
- 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter , melted, or the same amount of vegetable/canola oil
Cheddar and Herb (to make one loaf):
- 2 cups (340 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) minced fresh herbs, parsley and chives are good choices or a heaping tablespoon of dried herbs
Parmesan, Garlic and Herb (to make one loaf):
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or about 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) minced fresh herbs, parsley works well, or a heaping tablespoon of dried herbs
- 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt and sugar* together. (Tip: 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 or agave, add with the liquid ingredients instead.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the water and buttermilk and whisk in the yeast until dissolved. Add this mixture, along with the melted butter, to the dry ingredients. Mix by hand or with a dough hook, until the mixture is combined, about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Continue mixing the dough, adding more flour in very small increments, as needed, until the dough becomes soft, smooth and tacky, but not sticky.
- 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 dough into a ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and either refrigerate for up to 4 days, or allow to sit at room temperature until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes). (*Tip: I like to use an 8-cup glass measuring cup, so it's easy to see when it's doubled by the markings).
- Note: If you have refrigerated your dough, remove 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.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Dust each with a bit of flour and then, using a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle approximately 10 inches wide and 16 inches long.
- **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 before starting the shaping process**
- For the Cheddar and Herb Bread: spread the shredded cheddar and herbs evenly over the surface of the dough. Starting with the shortest side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam together.
- For the Parmesan, Garlic and Herb: spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. Press lightly with the palm of your hand to press the toppings into the butter. Starting with the shortest side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam together.
- Shaping: 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 cuts sides facing upwards as much as possible, place the right-side piece over the left-side piece. Straighen it up all up and then repeat, 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 dough log, then cover both with a greased piece of plastic wrap and allow to rise until the dough rises to about 1-inch above the side of the pans in the middle.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. (not fan assisted). Bake for 45-50 minutes total, but after 25 minutes of baking, rotate pans front-to-back in the oven and loosely cover with a piece of aluminum foil if necessary (if bread is already well-browned), to prevent the top from over-browning. Bread should reach about 185° internal temperature in the centre.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for a couple of minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the bread and 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 :)
Notes
- 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 use a bit more flour to get to that moist, smooth dough stage.
- If you only have Active Dry yeast, you can use it, but you will need to proof it in the lukewarm water first (add a pinch of sugar). Allow to stand 5 minutes, then add it to the dough when the water is specified.
More cheese bread recipes you might also like …
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hey! Recipe looks great — just one question for a bread beginner: when you say “spread the butter over the surface of the dough”, do you mean the entire ball after rising, just the layer we’re adding ingredients on top of or the entire thing after rolling it out?
Thanks so much!
Hi John, You should spread the butter once you’ve rolled the dough into a rectangle. Spread the butter over the whole surface of the rectangle. Note that you only need the butter for the Parmesan/Herb version. The butter gives the cheese and herbs something to stick to :) For the straight-up cheddar version, you can just scatter the cheese evenly over the rolled rectangle. No need for butter on the cheddar version. Hope that helps :)
Just wanted to tell you that I made this a couple days ago and it turned out fabulous. I have never made bread before (unless you want to count banana bread!). Your instructions were spot on, even for a total novice. My only issue was one side of the loaf was larger than the other, though that was probably due to me using a wine bottle instead of a proper rolling pin. Thanks for a great recipe, can’t wait to try others on the site!
So glad to hear, Emma! And I lol at the visual of the wine bottle rolling pin :) Thanks so much!
Oh my, this looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make it this weekend.
Thanks so much, Katerina :)
I made this today and I absolutely love this bread! I ran into a bit of an issue though, and that was that the layers have somewhat separated from each other. When I sliced the bread some of my slices ended up falling apart into two or three pieces. Any tips on what I might do differently next time?
Hi Justin, a couple of thoughts … first, have a look at how you are rolling the dough up jelly-roll style (before cutting). You want to make sure you’re just pushing it along evenly and not in a one-roll, little stretch, one-roll kind of way. (Hope that makes sense :). That kind of motion stretches the dough in spots and can cause uneven rising/cooking. If that’s not an issue, take a look at how much cheese you are putting in it. As a cheese lover myself, I certainly understand the inclination to want to add more cheese, but a lot of cheese and the accompanying oil can cause the separating you described. Hope that helps. Let me know how you make out :)
This recipe looks fantastic, thanks for sharing! I’m making it today and was hoping to use one loaf today and the second one in 4-5 days.
I really want that second loaf to fresh in 4-5 days. Would I be better off freezing the fully baked loaf or the dough?
If I freeze the dough whats the best stage to do it at (and how would you store it and do you bake from frozen)?
And how do you store and defrost a baked loaf?
Do you pop it back in the oven for a bit?
Thanks!
Hi Sudha, I just freeze the baked loaf. Freeze as soon as it’s fully cooled in a freezer bag or well wrapped. To defrost, just set it on the counter (fully wrapped) and allow to thaw. It will be just as good as right after you baked it. I don’t re-warm in the oven. If I want a warm slice, I usually just pop it in the toaster.
Hi Jennifer-
Can you substitute instant mashed potato’s for the potato water?
Hi Nichole, While I have used instant mashed potatoes in bread, I’m not sure I would do a substitution here, especially not 1 cups worth. Potatoes can do wonderful things in bread, but only in small amounts. Too much and it will do nothing but weigh down the bread. My thought is not to mess with this bread dough recipe to that extent, as it is a beautiful dough as it is. One of the nicest bread doughs I’ve ever worked with, really. I’m not sure potatoes would improve it and could very well produce a less satisfying result. At the very least, I would make it as written first, then if you want to experiment with a bit of potato next time, at least you’ll know if it improved it or not :)
Hi Jennifer
What will the difference be between using bleached bread flour or all purpose flour? It seems like you prefer the bread flour in your recipe. I have all purpose flour at home and I’m wondering if I should go out to get the unbleached bread flour.
I look forward to trying out your recipe.
Hi Carissa, it’s really a case of “for best results” :) Unbleached bread flour will give you the absolutely best results. That said, unbleached all-purpose flour will certainly work (would be my 2nd choice), as would bleached all-purpose flour (3rd choice :). So it’s really your call. Not sure where you are, but unbleached bread flour is not that easy to find, at least here. I pick mine up at Bulk Barn here in Canada. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I tried it the first time not knowing and came out perfect. Have made it over and over again countless times. Have also changed it with a fresh apple cinnamon which turned out soooo good and also a cinnamon raisin which was absolutely great as well. Next I’m going to do a jalapeño and cheese and parsley. Just cannot get enough of this bread. Thank you so much.
So glad you are enjoying it, Tyler! I too have used this recipe to make endless variations. It’s one of the nicest doughs to work with! Thanks so much :)
I wondered how this would do with a sweet filling as well. Thanks!
Yes, great with a sweet filling, too :)
Hey! Made this bread a couple of weeks ago, loved it, but found it a bit too sweet! Would it still be okay if decrease the amount of sugar, maybe to half? (I used brown sugar last time). Also, can I switch the all-purpose flour to whole whear flour? Thanks xx
Hi Sonali and yes, you can easily reduce the sugar, to taste (it doesn’t do anything but sweeten, except for a bit to feed the yeast). As for the whole wheat flour, you could, but you would drastically affect the lightness of the loaf, so I really wouldn’t recommend using all whole-wheat flour. You could replace a bit of the all-purpose flour (maybe 1/4 of it), with whole wheat if you like, but even at that amount, it will affect the lightness of the bread.
This recipe is just excellent ! Lost track on how many times I’ve made this cheese bread. Just delicious ? Thanks a lot for sharing.
So glad to hear, Grace :) Thanks!
Can this recipe convert to dinner rolls?
Hi Nikki, the dough itself can certainly, though the shaping method not quite as easily. I suppose you could twist it, then cut it into rounds and place in muffin tins? What were you thinking?
Hi Jennifer-
My initial thought was to mimic the shape of Lion House rolls. But always open to suggestions.
Thanks,
Nichole
Ok. So yes you could do a long, jelly rolled log and slice into rolls. You may find though that if you fill with cheese etc, you will get gaps between the rolls once baked. Not positive it will happen with rolls but it does with a loaf. That’s one of the benefits of the twist shaping. No gaps :)
I’m an avid baker but I don’t usually attempt breads because they never turn out quite how I expect them to. But when I took these babies out of the oven I cried tears of joy because they turned out just as beautiful as the photos and were soft and delicious, too! I’m obsessed with the loaf design this cut/twist method makes and will definitely be trying this recipe out with other fun fillings! Thank you for the great recipe :)
So glad to hear, Linnea! This is such a lovely dough to work with and adapts so well to both savoury and sweet fillings. Thanks :)
Thank you so much Jennifer!
This is such a wonderful recipe!
I made the cheddar + parsley as well as the herb + parmesan — they both turned out perfectly. All of your tips gave me a better understanding (especially since I am new to bread baking) and your video gave me the confidence to try it out.
I am excited to try more — I mean all! — of your recipes, they look divine. I just wish the weekend wasnt over :)
Oh one more thing…… soooo when is your cook book coming out?! :)
Thanks so much, Avery :) So glad you enjoyed it. No plans for a cookbook, but I will keep publishing delicious things here, for sure!
I halved the quantities to make one loaf (successfully), and made up a cheddar and parsley version. I used pretty good quality mature cheddar, and I think that chives as well might have been a bit OTT. With cheaper, mild cheddar, maybe. Anyway, it was ex-quisite. I took it to work and got rave reviews. And genius to have the video of how to plait the dough, watched it carefully three times and it worked well for me, I got it plaited and into the tin without disaster. I’m now wondering about making one with no salt and using grated dark chocolate and chopped drained Morello cherries . . . . . . .
So glad you enjoyed it, Gavin! And I’m loving the idea of chocolate and cherry. I’d keep the salt though (at least some of it). Sometimes that bit of a salty note is just the thing you need with chocolate and fruit :)
just wondering how much time to leave for the second rise in the loaf pan? How long should does it typically take?
Hi Louisa, the second rise is quicker than the first. In my kitchen, about 45 minutes.
One word… YUM!! Absolutely gorgeous bread. Not the healthiest considering the fact I’ve used an entire block of cheese. But it’s well worth it!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Dean! A worthy indulgence :) Thanks!