Bake Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread for a tasty alternative to dinner. Made with whole-wheat and honey for a wholesome taste with the addition of cheddar cheese and tangy jalapenos. It’s wonderful served with butter, or as a grilled cheese sandwich.
I have been working on this Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough recipe for quite a while now. It’s the first time I’ve baked an inclusion into the sourdough, so there was a bit of learning involved.
My Thoughts on Adding an Inclusion to Sourdough
When making this recipe, I began with my Tangy Sourdough Bread recipe as the base and switched things up by including whole wheat flour and honey instead of granulated sugar. I also reduced the recipe to make one large loaf rather than 2 medium loaves.
But when I got to the inclusions, did I want chopped or shredded cheddar cheese? Sharp Cheddar or Medium? Fresh Jalapenos or Pickled? Sliced or Chopped? And when should I add them to the dough? Lots of fun stuff, right?
I admit that I’m slow to this game, as folks have been posting about this type of sourdough for years. So, if you already have a great recipe, I understand. If not, I invite you to give this one a try!
See more Sourdough Recipes Here. Browse Yeast Breads or Quick Breads.
Ingredients for Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
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Wusthof Classic Ikon Bread Knife
Buy Now →Instructions For Making This Recipe
Make the Levain
Gather the first 3 ingredients to make the levain. Mix together in a large bowl until all the flour is incorporated into the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set for 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
When you’re ready to make the bread, gather the remaining ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Remove the levain from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, about an hour.
This process may take roughly 6-8 hours, so I usually try to start this by 10 or 11 in the morning in order to serve it for dinner.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a handheld grater, coarsely grate the sharp cheddar cheese. I like to include some large broken pieces, too, for a better visual appearance in the bread.
Chop sliced jalapenos and allow to drain on a paper towel.
I opted to use the jarred (pickled) jalapenos rather than fresh, and prefer to include some larger pieces for this as well.
Make the Dough
Place the levain in a large mixing bowl. Add to it, the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, honey, kosher salt, and whole wheat bread improver, if desired.
I always use Vital Wheat Gluten bread improver when making any type of whole grain bread, as it helps the bread to get a nice (and faster) rise. I purchase it from King Arthur Baking, and the package lasts a long time.
Begin mixing at a low speed, adding 2-4 tablespoons of Jalapeno Juice for even more jalapeno flavor and to make a smooth dough. Continue kneading for 5-7 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to set for an hour at room temperature.
Stretch and Folds and Inclusions
Since the dough has no instant yeast, it needs to be worked during the rising time to help develop its natural gluten. Remove the dough from the bowl to perform the first Stretch and Fold. To do this, press the dough out into a circle on a smooth surface. Then stretch the top edge and fold over, envelope-style, to work the gluten in the dough. Do this with both sides and the bottom.
The dough will most likely be sticky, but refrain from using extra flour. Instead, use a stainless bench scraper to lift the dough from the work space.
Pinch the edges together to form a ball and return dough to the bowl and cover. Allow to set for 30-40 minutes.
For the second Stretch and Fold, you’ll incorporate the inclusions. Again, press the dough out into a circle. Add the grated/chopped cheddar cheese and the chopped jalapeno. Stretch and fold as you did before, pinching the edges together to form a ball and seal.
By now, the gluten in your dough is building, so your dough should be more manageable.
Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for another 30-40 minutes. After the resting period, do a third Stretch and Fold, just as before.
Form the dough into a nice ball and seal the bottom by pinching the edges together. Place the dough ball in the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest for another 30-40 minutes.
At this point, your dough has been resting/rising for close to 3-4 hours, and the gluten is forming more and more. Your dough may now have nearly doubled in size.
Form Dough for Final Rise
When dough has nearly doubled, complete the fourth Stretch and Fold and form into a ball, sealing the edges by pinching the bottom.
To help seal the bottom, slide the bottom of the dough against a clean unfloured work surface and turn it 90 degrees. Repeat this 2-3 times to seal the seam.
Carefully transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper or a silicone bread sling. Using the edges of the parchment paper or sling handles, place the dough into a 4-6 quart Dutch oven.
Cover and allow the dough to rise for 1-2 hours until puffy and nearly doubled. Halfway through the rising time, preheat the oven to 475°F.
Score and Bake the Bread
Using a knife or bread lame, score the bread with one or two fairly deep horizontal slashes. Spritz with water (2-3 times) to help create steam in the oven. Cover with lid and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Baking the bread inside a covered Dutch Oven helps give the bread a “steamed” quality like that from a wood-fired oven.
After this initial baking period, uncover the Dutch oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Continue baking an additional 12-14 minutes until golden brown. To prevent your loaf from burning on the bottom, place a baking sheet beneath the Dutch Oven on a lower rack.
If time allows, you may cure your bread by turning off your oven and cracking open the oven door for 20 minutes. This will give your bread a crackly, crunchy crust.
Cool and Slice the Bread
Transfer bread from the Dutch Oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you may slice the bread on the cutting board, using a bread knife. (Try to refrain from slicing the bread until it has fully cooled–this may take ultimate discipline on your part.)
When ready to serve, slice the bread as needed. This recipe makes one loaf and will serve 10-12 people.
Store leftovers in a plastic freezer bag or special bread bag at room temperature for up to 5 days.
I’ve seen lots of discussion about storing sourdough in wax-lined bags. However, I have not yet tried this method of storage, so I’m unable recommend the use. Storing your sourdough bread in plastic freezer bags works and will make the bread softer after 2 days.
You may also freeze the loaf for up to 3 weeks. When ready to use, thaw the frozen bread completely before removing from the bag to ensure all of the moisture returns to the loaf.
Serve Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread at the dinner table with butter or use slices for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, which is quite tasty!
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Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups sourdough starter fed and active
- 1 cup warm water
- 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vital Wheat Bread Improver optional
- 2-3 tablespoons jalapeno pickle juice
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese coarsely shredded/crumbled
- 1/3 cup sliced jalapenos roughly chopped
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Instructions Click to Start Cooking
- Gather the first 3 ingredients to make the levain. Mix together 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cups (166.67 g) sourdough starter, and 1 cup (2.37 dl) warm water in a large bowl until all the flour is incorporated into the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set for 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
- When you’re ready to make the bread, gather the remaining ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Remove the levain from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, about an hour.
- Using a handheld grater, coarsely grate 1 cup (113 g) sharp cheddar cheese. I like to include some large broken pieces, too, for a better visual appearance in the bread.
- Chop 1/3 cup (30 g) sliced jalapenos and allow to drain on a paper towel. (I opted to use the jarred pickled jalapenos rather than fresh, and prefer to include some larger pieces for this as well.)
- Place the levain in a large mixing bowl. Add to it, 2/3 cups (83.33 g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cups (80 g) whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons (9.86 ml) honey, 1 1/4 teaspoons (6.16 ml) kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) Vital Wheat Bread Improver, if desired.
- Begin mixing at a low speed, adding 2-3 tablespoons (29.57 ml) jalapeno pickle juice for even more jalapeno flavor and to make a smooth dough. Continue kneading for 5-7 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to set for an hour at room temperature.
- Remove the dough from the bowl to perform the first Stretch and Fold. To do this, press the dough out into a circle on a smooth surface. Then stretch the top edge and fold over, envelope-style, to work the gluten in the dough. Do this with both sides and the bottom.
- Pinch the edges together to form a ball and return dough to the bowl and cover. Allow to set for 30-40 minutes.
- For the second Stretch and Fold, you’ll incorporate the inclusions. Again, press the dough out into a circle. Add the grated/chopped cheddar cheese and the chopped jalapenos. Stretch and fold as you did before, pinching the edges together to form a ball and seal.
- Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for another 30-40 minutes.
- After the resting period, do a third Stretch and Fold, just as before. Form the dough into a nice ball and seal the bottom by pinching the edges together. Place the dough ball in the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest for another 30-40 minutes.
- When dough has nearly doubled, complete the fourth Stretch and Fold and form into a ball, sealing the edges by pinching the bottom.
- Carefully transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper or a silicone bread sling. Using the edges of the parchment paper or sling handles, place the dough into a 4-6 quart Dutch oven.
- Cover and allow the dough to rise for 1-3 hours until puffy and nearly doubled. Halfway through the rising time, preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Using a knife or bread lame, score the bread with one or two fairly deep horizontal slashes. Spritz with water (2-3 times) to help create steam in the oven. Cover with lid and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- After this initial baking period, uncover the Dutch oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Continue baking an additional 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- If time allows, you may cure your bread by turning off your oven and cracking open the oven door for 20 minutes. This will give your bread a crackly, crunchy crust.
- Transfer bread from Dutch Oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you may slice the bread as needed on the cutting board, using a bread knife.
- This recipe makes one loaf and will serve 10-12 people.
