Jalapeno-Cheese Bread with a Little Help from a Bread Machine
Sneak Peek: Skip the hassle and let your bread machine do the work with this irresistible Jalapeno-Cheese Bread! After the DOUGH cycle, shape, rise, and bake for a perfect loaf. Pair it with jam for a sweet-savory treat, or give it as a thoughtful hostess gift!
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Craving cheesy, spicy bread from your bread machine? Look no further! I’ve cracked the cheese code after a year of tasty trials.
Learn when to toss the cheese into the dough, how much, which cheese reigns supreme, and even how to avoid an unexpected cheese eruption. Your bread machine is about to become the ultimate cheesy accomplice!
Three Reasons You’ll Love This Jalapeno-Cheese Bread
- Mild Cheddar chunks and spicy jalapeno bits throughout
- Soft, tender texture from all-purpose flour
- Easy to shape and bake in a loaf pan
Mix and knead on the DOUGH cycle of your bread machine. Bake in a conventional oven for a beautiful loaf with a delicate crust that you will be proud to share with others. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer. Details are listed in the recipe notes below.
Happy Bakers Speak Up 🗣️
“I made your Jalepeno Cheese Bread yesterday. Baked it in my gas oven. Turned out great. I used the bread maker dough cycle. Watched it often and saw the dough was slightly wet so added a tablespoon of flour. Was perfect after that, it stuck to the sides slightly and pulled away easily. Such a great feeling to have such soft bread with a nice crust. Everyone was impressed.” –DIANA M.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- RUSSET POTATO:
- A microwaved potato works best for consistent moisture and flavor.
- MILK:
- Higher fat content = tastier bread
- Doesn’t need to be warmed when using a microwave
- WATER:
- Cold tap water
- If you boiled the potato, use that water instead
- EGG:
- Large eggs (50 g)
- Adjust the flour as the dough kneads if the egg size varies
- SUGAR:
- Granulated white sugar
- No substitutions were tested
- SALT:
- Table salt or sea salt
- If using Kosher salt, add 1/4 teaspoon extra
- If you’re watching your salt intake, experiment by reducing the salt slightly, but don’t leave out the salt.
- BUTTER:
- Salted or unsalted butter.
- Butter doesn’t need to be warmed–chop it finely instead
- FLOUR:
- All-purpose flour or bread flour–use either
- Use bread flour for a chewier loaf
- Please weigh the flour for the best results.
- YEAST:
- Instant yeast (or bread machine or quick-rise yeast–same thing)
- Substitute active dry yeast
- JARRED JALAPENO SLICES:
- Canned pickled jalapeno slices for convenience
- Fresh jalapenos for a milder taste
- Drain and blot with a paper towel.
- CHEDDAR CHEESE:
- Mild Cheddar bakes better, releasing less greas.
- It doesn’t separate or release as much grease during baking.
How to Mix Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Bread Recipe in Your Bread Machine
During the final kneading stage, the dough should stick to the side and pull away cleanly. If it’s too dry and doesn’t stick, add milk a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too wet, sticking without pulling away, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it achieves the right consistency.
If you add the cheese and jalapenos too early, the paddles will smash the cheese into the dough so thoroughly that you won’t recognize them. It doesn’t ruin your bread, but it changes the character of the bread when you slice it.
How To Shape Jalapeno-Cheese Bread
FAQs About Bread Machine Jalapeno-Cheese Bread
Three possible reasons:
1. The loaf rose too much or was overproofed before you put it into the oven. This bread rises quickly. Watch it closely, especially if your kitchen is warm.
2. The cheese chunks weren’t evenly distributed in the bread.
3. It wasn’t allowed to cool for a full hour before it was sliced.
If using Cheddar, it’s best to stick with cheese that has aged for less than a year–mild or medium cheddar.1 Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Extra Sharp Cheddar don’t melt as well and tend to be greasy. Other possibilities are Gruyere, Monterrey Jack cheese, or Provolone.
Store the bread in a bread box or plastic bag for 2-3 days. Freeze it if you won’t eat it all within that time. I don’t normally recommend storing any bread in the fridge because of the humidity, but some people feel more comfortable with that choice due to the cheese.
Dense bread can result from using the bread machine to mix and bake your bread from beginning to end. Use the DOUGH cycle and bake your loaf in a conventional oven for more control over the proofing, a much nicer crust, and overall appearance. Accurate measuring is crucial; weigh the flour to avoid mistakes. During kneading, ensure the dough is tacky but not too sticky, adjusting with more flour or water as needed.
I’m not a fan of any bread baked in a bread machine, so I haven’t tried it. If you do, tell me and other readers how it turned out in the comments below.
Parting Thoughts: This is a good “munching” bread. Offer it sliced at gatherings alongside your favorite jelly or small pieces of cold cuts. It’s a great addition to a charcuterie board, offering a tasty alternative to crackers. Plus, it’s an excellent gift for your host to enjoy later.
p.s. When I give homemade bread as a hostess gift, I try to tell the host that it is not meant to be served immediately. I don’t want to hijack the party menu.
Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Jalapeno-Cheese Bread (Bread Machine)
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 g) potato, cooked and mashed with a fork See the recipe notes below for preparing the potato.
- ¼ cup (57 g) milk, cool
- ¼ cup (57 g) water, cool
- 1 large (50 g) egg, cool
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon butter (chopped)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2-3 tablespoons jarred jalapeno peppers, drained and diced (use a paper towel to blot and remove any excess moisture)
- 4 ounces (113 g) mild Cheddar cheese (cut into ¼ to ½-inch cubes)
Glaze
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- pinch salt
Instructions
Mixing the Dough
- Add ¼ cup (60 g) potato, cooked and mashed with a fork, ¼ cup (57 g) milk, cool, ¼ cup (57 g) water, cool, 1 large (50 g) egg, cool, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon table or sea salt, 1 tablespoon butter (chopped), 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, and 1½ teaspoons instant yeast to the bread machine pan.
- Start the DOUGH cycle on your bread machine and check after a minute to see if the paddles are working and the dough is forming a ball. After 15 minutes, ensure the dough sticks to the sides then pulls away cleanly. If too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time; if too dry, add liquid gradually.
- While the dough is kneading in the machine, prepare the 2-3 tablespoons jarred jalapeno peppers, drained and diced . Use a towel to pat them as dry as possible. Cut the Cheddar cheese into small 1/2-inch chunks. Let the cheese sit out to warm up a bit.
- Add 4 ounces (113 g) mild Cheddar cheese (cut into ¼ to ½-inch cubes) and 2-3 tablespoons jarred jalapeno peppers, drained and diced during the last two minutes of the kneading phase. If you add them too early, the bread machine paddles with obliterate the cheese. If you forget or miss the beep your machine sounds to add ingredients, you can knead them in by hand when you get ready to shape the dough later.
- Leave the dough in the machine until the DOUGH cycle ends and the dough grows to double its original size.
Shaping the Dough:
- Pull the dough from the bread machine pan onto a lightly floured surface. (I like to use a silicone mat because clean-up is super easy–throw it into the dishwasher.)
- Knead the bubbles out of the dough. Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 9 x 10 inches. If the dough seems bouncy and hard to handle, cover it with a tea towel and allow it to relax for 15 minutes.
- Roll up the dough starting from the shortest side. Avoid leaving any air holes in the layers of dough, rolling tightly without stretching. Pinch the seam shut with your fingers. Pull the ends toward the seam and pinch them shut.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side down into an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan. Cover and allow it to rise until the dough rises one inch above the top of the pan. Letting the dough rise too much can be disastrous and cause the bread to cave in the middle or the sides while baking or when it comes out of the oven.
Glaze:
- Whisk 1 large (50 g) egg with a pinch salt. Brush the raised loaf with egg glaze. Add jalapeno slices for decoration and glaze again.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven for about 15 minutes before you think the bread will be ready to bake.
- Bake at 375˚F (190˚C) for 31 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 195˚F (91˚C).
- Let the loaf cool for about 5 minutes. Turn out the loaf onto a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing or else risk crushing the loaf or causing it to fall. This is very important: please don’t cheat.
Notes
Microwaving a Potato:
Stab a small to medium-sized potato a couple of times with a fork. Wrap loosely with a paper towel. Microwave for 5-6 minutes until the potato is soft and cooked through. Times will vary according to your microwave’s power and the potato’s size. Allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Cut the potato in half and dig out the soft innards with a spoon. (A grapefruit spoon works really well). Measure and add to the bread machine as directed.Using a Stand Mixer:
- In a heavy-duty stand mixer, add the ingredients to the bowl in the specified order.
- Begin mixing on low speed until all the ingredients are moistened.
- Switch to a dough hook attachment and increase the speed to 2 or 3.
- Continue beating/kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, typically about 5-10 minutes. Add finely chopped cheese and jalapenos and mix for less than a minute–just long enough to evenly distribute the cheese throughout the dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place.
- Once risen, gently deflate the dough and shape it as the recipe directs.
Making by Hand:
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until they form a shaggy ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, which may take around 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience. During the last minute, knead in the cheese and jalapenos.
- Place the dough ball in a greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to double in size.
- After rising, gently deflate the dough and shape it according to the recipe’s instructions.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Footnotes:
1 Editors at America’s Test Kitchen, Bread Illustrated (Penguin Random House Publisher Services, 2016), 314.
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.