You cannot beat the comfort and flavor of a good loaf of bread. Our homemade cheese bread recipe makes a beautiful, cheesy, delicious addition to any meal.
The perfect texture, rich flavor, and soft interior of this cheddar bread will have your friends and family asking for it over and over again.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Cheese Bread Recipe
- Common ingredients. You probably already have everything you need to make this bread with the exception of active dry yeast.
- Versatile enough to make it your favorite bread. Change up the recipe with different cheese or customizations and make it your favorite.
- Makes an amazing gift. This recipe makes two loaves of cheesy bread. Wrap a loaf in parchment to take to a friend, a family with a new baby, or a special relative.
Equipment Needed To Make Cheese Bread with Yeast
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- Stand Mixer. This is an essential tool for making a huge variety of bread.
- Mixing Bowl. A must-have in your kitchen.
- Sharp Knife. A good knife makes all the difference.
- Loaf Pans. Two pans are a minimum.
- Bread Knife. Makes slicing up a fresh loaf of cheddar bread so easy!
- Instant Read Thermometer. Quickly measure the internal temperature of your bread. No more guessing!
What is Cheese Bread?
Cheese bread is a soft and tender bread loaf stuffed and layered with cheddar cheese. This Cheddar Cheese Bread makes a great sandwich or as a side with a plate of pasta!
Ingredients For Your Cheese Bread
- Warm Water. It should be warmed to a temperature of 90º and 95º F.
- Active Dry Yeast. Look with the baking soda and baking powder
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Olive Oil. For fat and flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Salt. For seasoning and chemistry.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese. You can use any kind of cheddar or cheddar blend and can even change it up with different cheeses if you want to experiment. You’ll want a semi-soft cheese so that it will melt when it bakes.
- Italian Seasoning. This is a spice blend containing oregano, basil,
- Egg. For the optional egg wash.
- Water. For the optional egg wash.
Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
How To Make Cheese Bread
Step 1: Proof the yeast.
Set up your stand mixer first and then proof the yeast directly in the stand mixer bowl.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl.
Mix the ingredients until they are evenly combined.
Step 3: Mix half of the dry ingredients into the proofed yeast mixture.
Mix on low speed until all the loose flour is mixed in.
Step 4: Add the remaining water and oil and mix well.
Use low speed.
Step 5: Add the remaining dry ingredients.
Mix on low speed until the dough forms.
Step 6: Increase the speed on the mixer and mix for 4-5 minutes.
This allows the gluten to form.
Step 7: Let the dough rise and butter your loaf pans.
The dough will need to double. If your oven has a proofing drawer or setting, this will work best. Make sure to move the racks to allow room.
Step 8: When the dough has risen, divide the dough between the pans.
Press the dough down into a rectangular shape and cover it with cheese if you want a swirl.
Step 9: Let the loaves rise.
When they have doubled or nearly doubled they are ready.
Step 10: Score the loaves with a sharp knife.
This allows the loaf to breathe as it bakes.
Step Eleven: Bake the bread.
Your goal is 90ºF or 95ºF and this is easy to measure with an instant-read thermometer.
Step Twelve: Let it cool significantly before slicing so that it isn’t easily crushed.
What to Serve with your Homemade Cheese Bread
- Sliced on a Charcuterie board
- Dip it in marinara for a finger-friendly appetizer.
- Amazing with a pasta dish or alongside a cup of soup.
- Try it with these recipes: One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, Ham and Bean Soup Recipe – 13 Bean, or Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Aussie Lamb Medallions in Red Wine Sauce.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Add 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves to the dough for a garlic cheese bread recipe.
- Change up the herbs. Rosemary and thyme would be delicious or you could use another seasoning blend like a Mediterranean spice blend.
- Veggies – It’s best that any add-ins be semi-cooked or softened such as bell pepper, onion, or jalapeno.
- Crumbled bacon.
How To Reheat & Store This Cheese Bread Recipe
Best Way To Store Leftover Homemade Cheese Bread with Yeast?
Keep your leftovers in a zipped plastic baggy on the counter for a few days.
How Long Will Cheesy Bread Last In the Fridge?
3-4 days on the counter or refrigerator. In the refrigerator, moisture can condense on the bag and make the bread’s exterior soggy.
Can I Freeze Homemade Cheese Bread?
Yes. But make sure it’s completely cool first so the bread doesn’t become mushy from the condensation.
How To Reheat Cheese Bread
If you want to eat the cheese bread hot, microwave an individual slice for roughly ten to fifteen seconds depending on the wattage of your microwave. You can also slice it thin and put slices in your toaster for a different effect.
Homemade Cheese Bread FAQ
Cheddar Cheese is the best cheese – Switch out for any semi-hard cheese that has some ability to melt. Asiago, mozzarella or kick it up with pepperjack. Cheeses that would not work include feta, cotija, queso, paneer, halloumi, or soft goat cheese.
Add two cloves of garlic to the recipe.
For this cheese bread recipe, add the cheese with the dry ingredients. If you want the cheese bread swirl, see the recipe card below.
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Tips to Make the Perfect Cheese Bread
Warm water between the temperature of 90 to 95 degrees F is the best temperature to activate the yeast. Think about warm bathwater. If it is too cold the yeast won’t activate and if it is too hot it will kill the yeast.
Sugar works better than honey or maple syrup to activate yeast so I don’t recommend making a substitution.
If you put the swirl of bread in the loaf, the tighter you roll it the tighter the swirl will be when cut.
You can use oil or a non-stick spray to prepare the pans but I like using butter because it makes the crust even better.
The egg wash will give a crunch to the bread. Brushing with butter after baking will keep the crust soft. Both are excellent.
Mixing the cheese with the flour helps the cheese to be uniformly distributed throughout the dough.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Cheese Bread Turned Out.
Cheese Bread Recipe with Yeast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups water – divided warmed to a temperature of 90 °F– to 95 °F
- 2 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- 8 cups all-purpose flour – bleached or unbleached
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese -if you choose to make the swirl add 1 cup
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning – can also use dried parsley
Egg wash – optional
- 1 egg – beaten
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a dough hook, add 1 cup of warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Let it stand for 4 to 5 minutes or until the yeast is blooming (foams).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, cheddar cheese, and Italian seasoning. Mix until the ingredients are all combined. *NOTE* If you decide to make the swirl cheese in the middle, add only 1 ½ cup in the flour and reserve ½ cup.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and mix on slow speed until there is no more loose flour.
- Add the remaining water and oil. Mix on low speed until it's all combined.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until it's all combined.
- Increase to medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the gluten to develop (all ingredients to combine together). You should have a nice, slightly sticky mixture.
- Put the dough into a large mixing bowl that you previously oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place.
- Butter 2 loaf pans. Set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and put the dough on a lightly floured working surface. Separate the dough into 2 equal-sized pieces.
- Take one half and push it down into a rectangle. approximately 9 x 10 inches. *NOTE* If you do decide to make a swirl, sprinkle some cheese in the middle of the bread. I use approximately ½ cup of shredded cheese per bread.
- Roll the bread into a log and place it into the prepared pan. Do the same thing with the second piece of dough.
- Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in a warm draft-free place for 15 minutes.
- Score each bread loaf with a sharp knife 3 or 4 times. Re-cover the loaves with the plastic wrap and put them back into a warm draft-free place for 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F
- Gently take the plastic off the bread. Combine the egg and water and brush the egg wash over the top of each loaf.Put the bread loaves into the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until you have a nice golden crust. The internal temperature of the bread is around 195 °F
- Remove the bread from the loaf pans and allow the bread to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Notes
- Warm water between the temperature of 90 to 95-degrees F is the best temperature to activate the yeast. Think about warm bathwater. If it is too cold the yeast won’t activate and if it is too hot it will kill the yeast)
- Sugar works better than honey or maple syrup to activate yeast so I don’t recommend making a substitution.
- You can use oil or a non-stick spray to prepare the pans but I like using butter because it makes the crust even better
- The egg wash will give a crunch to the bread and the brushing butter gives a soft crust. Both are excellent.
- Mixing the cheese with the flour helps the cheese to be uniformly distributed throughout the dough
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Bailey
Friday 31st of March 2023
This is a great recipe. I made 2 loaves and they were both gone within a day. Will make this again.
Julie Menghini
Saturday 1st of April 2023
Thank you, Bailey! We love this one too.
Susannah
Thursday 6th of October 2022
I struggle with yeast breads but this was so easy! Loved this recipe.
Julie Menghini
Friday 7th of October 2022
Thank you, Susannah! I'm glad that it worked for you.
Mindy
Thursday 6th of October 2022
10/10!!! Everyone loved it!
Julie Menghini
Friday 7th of October 2022
Thanks, Mindy!
Kate
Tuesday 4th of October 2022
All of your breads are the best and this one did not disappoint! My two favorite things cheese and bread together! Thanks for another great recipe!
Julie Menghini
Thursday 6th of October 2022
Thank you so much, Kate!
susan | thewimpyvegetarian
Tuesday 4th of October 2022
I adore cheese bread! This looks like a wonderful baking project for the weekend. I think I'll add some garlic like you suggest as a variation. Thanks!!