Amazing Soft Sourdough Cheese Bread
Just when you think there couldn’t be any more sourdough recipes, I keep sharing more! Today I want to share one of our absolute favorites. This amazing soft sourdough cheese bread reminds me of those yummy asiago bagels without the work of making bagels, and also with a softer more tender crumb.
I use my sourdough sandwich bread recipe to make this and change it up a bit. We love to eat this sourdough cheese bread toasted with cream cheese or on sandwiches. The crispy cheese crust adds that amazing bagel like flavor to it. This bread is truly a hit, and when it is warm and toasted, the soft bread melts into your mouth and the sharp cheese is the perfect highlight.
Tips & Tricks
- To prevent your loaf of sourdough bread from sticking, use a piece of parchment paper in the bread pan. I only do this if I am using inclusions such as cheese or cinnamon and sugar.
- Use an active sourdough starter
- Make sure not to over proof during bulk fermentation. You want the dough to not quite double in size.
- add other inclusions such as garlic or herbs to the bread to change it up!
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Incredible Sourdough Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 100 grams sourdough starter active and bubbly
- 210 grams warm water
- 340 grams white bread flour
- 16 grams honey
- 14 grams olive oil or avocado oil
- 7 grams fine sea salt
- 1-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- I am going to share 2 methods to making this bread: traditional method and overnight methodTraditional Method:In a large bowl, mix your fed sourdough start, water, flour, oil, honey and salt. I like to use my danish dough whisk to mix it together before then using my hands to finish combining it completely.
- Next let this mixture sit covered for 1 hour.
- Once it has sat for an hour, you want to do your stretch and folds. I like to do them every 20 minutes. This takes the place of the knead process that you usually do in a stand mixer. You can go as long as 30 minutes in between. But if you are in a bit of a hurry, you can do 20 minutes. You want to do 4 stretch and folds.
- Once you have finished your stretch and folds you have an option. I like to let my dough sit for about 3-4 hours and bulk ferment. You want it to almost double in size. You can put the dough in the fridge right after it bulk ferments for 12 hours.
- After it has been in the fridge, take it out and let it come to room temperature. This takes about 1-2 hours.
- Divide the dough into two large sections if you want to large loaves. You can also cut it into 3 and makes 3 slightly smaller loaves.
- Roll or stretch your dough into a rectangle. Fold it in thirds and then roll it up into itself. Pinch the ends and tuck them under. Place the dough into a greased loaf pan seam-side down. Cover with a wet towel or I like to use shower caps or plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof until it has doubled or almost doubled. I like to put it in a warm place to rise.
- While it is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the dough rises, cut some slices in the top and place in the oven. Place a pan with hot water below the bread to allow some steam. This helps with the crust and the rise of the bread.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is a nice golden brown. If you tap the top and it sounds hollow, it is done.
- Remove the bread from the oven and carefully take the bread loaves out of the pans and let them cool on a wire rack. I like to brush butter to the tops of the loaves while they are still hot. This helps to soften the crust and adds the yummy butter flavor to it.
- Cool completely and then cut and enjoy! These sandwich loaves are the perfect combination of sandwich bread and my traditional dutch oven sourdough bread!
- Overnight Method:
- I actually prefer this method over the previous method. I prefer to mix my dough at night about 2 hours before I go to bed.
- Mix your dough together and let sit for 30min to 1 hour. After that, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds about 20 minutes apart.
- Once this is done, cover and let it sit on your counter overnight for about 8 hours if its cold. Less if its warm. I like to put it in a cool space.
- In the morning it will be ready to shape and bake. In order to incorporate the cheese into the bread, stretch the dough into a rectangle, being careful not to rip the dough. Spread til about 9 inches by 12 inches.
- I like to line my bread pan with parchment paper for these kinds of bread so that the cheese doesnt stick.
- Spread the cheese over the entire dough, leaving about 1/4 cup for the top of the dough. Roll the dough up into a tube. Take a dough scraper and cut right down the middle of the tube leaving about an inch intact at the end. Gently twist the two pieces, winding them together. Place the twisted dough into your greased bread pan. Place the left over cheese on the top of the bread.
- Cover with reusable shower caps and let it sit and proof for about another hour -2 hours. You want your dough to almost double in size. It may take longer.
- When it is ready, place them in a hot 400 degree oven.
- Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. When done, remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack.
This sourdough cheese bread is incredible, and incredibly simple. The flavor and texture are a match made in heaven. But, really you cant go wrong with cheese and bread, now can you?
Want more sourdough recipes? Make sure to check more out below! I have tons of sourdough recipes available!