Making this jalapeño cheddar sourdough bread recipe might surprise you.

It has an irresistible flavor and silky texture. It has a kick, but the cheese and smoky flavor make it not overpowering.

And the tips in this post will teach you how to create a gorgeous cheesy crust!

Ingredients to make Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Here is the basic formula to make this delicious bread:

For the sourdough starter (levain):

15 grams sourdough starter (1 tablespoon)
60 grams water (¼ cup)
60 grams all-purpose flour (7 tablespoons)

For the dough:

360 grams water, divided (1½ cups plus 2 teaspoons)
100-125 g (approx. ⅔ c.) active starter (If measuring by volume, see this post on tips for measuring starter by cups)
400g (approx. 2 ⅔ c.) bread flour
100 g (approx. heaping ¾ c. or scant c.) whole wheat flour
360-370 g/mL (water (hold some back to incorporate after autolyse)
10 g (1 1/2 t.) sea salt
70 grams sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (about ½ cup, loosely filled)
60 grams canned jalapeño slices, drained (¼ cup)

*Ingredient Notes: You can use all white flour in place of the whole wheat flour, however the dough will be more sticky. If using all white flour, I highly recommend choosing bread flour rather than all-purpose for better dough development and less stickiness.

Tools needed to make Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Some recommended equipment to make the process easier:

Large Bowl or stand mixer
Rounded plastic dough scraper
Bench Knife also known as a Bench Scraper
4-qt Cambro container for bulk fermentation
Banneton or Proofing Bowl/Basket
Flour duster shaker: very optional but easy to use for shaping to get just right coverage and not too much flour
Bread Lame or bread knife for scoring the dough before baking
Dutch Oven or see my post on baking with manual steamLINKHERE
Parchment Paper
Silicone Oven Mitts
Cooling Rack
Bread Knife for safe and efficient slicing. My favorites are Wusthof bread knife and the Shun bread knife

See the full list of my recommended essentials here: Amazon idea list of Sourdough Essentials (see affiliate disclosure)

Have a limited budget? This post outlines the absolute essentials so you don’t have to break the bank to get started plus some hacks to get along without all the “right tools”: Beginners’ Guide to Sourdough Bread Baking Tools on a Budget

Steps to Making Your Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Prepare the Sourdough Starter

In order to make this recipe, you’ll need 100-125 grams of active sourdough starter.

So 6-12 hours (at least 6-8 hours in warmer months, 10-12 in cooler months) before you make your dough, mix together 60 grams of all-purpose flour (7 T.) and 60 grams of water (1/4 cup) with 20 grams of sourdough starter (about 1 T.) in a glass jar or clean container.

Let this sit at room temperature to become active for 6-12 hours.

Once it is more than doubled in volume, bubbly, and has these signs of readiness, you can make your dough.

For more information on sourdough starters, see these posts:

Mixing the Dough for the Sourdough Country Bread

There are three parts of the dough mixing process: Scaling, Initial Mix, Autolyse, Final Mix

Scaling: Start by adding 350 grams of water to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Follow the water with the active sourdough starter and all the flour. Hold off on other ingredients.
Initial Mix: Mix the water, starter, and flour together using a spoon or a dough hook attachment, if using a stand mixer.
- Tip: Do not overmix! Once there is only a little bit of dry flour and dough is mostly come together, use a rounded plastic dough scraper to scrape the sides of the bowl and finish mixing the last bits of dry flour into the bread dough. Be sure to check under the dough and the sides of the dough for dry flour.
Autolyse: Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap or a cloth and let the dough rest for 20-60 minutes to help the dough strengthen and develop better elasticity.
Final Mix: After the dough autolyse time is complete, add the salt and the 10g* reserved water to the dough. Knead and fold the salt and water into the dough until it is completely incorporated. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before adding the inclusions during the first stretch and fold.

Adding the Jalapeño and Cheddar Cheese

During the autolyse, prepare the jalapeño and cheddar cheese.

Drain the can of jalapeño slices and set aside.

Shred the cheese and set aside, you won’t use all of it yet.

Place 40 grams (heaping 1/4 cup) of the shredded cheddar cheese and the drained jalapeño slices in the center of the dough.

Take the dough in hand and, one quarter turn at a time, pull the dough upward, then fold back into the middle.

Repeat with the other three quarters. Continue folding until the cheese and jalapeños are well incorporated.

Recover the dough or transfer to a dough bin.

Cover the rest of the cheese and place in the fridge until the final shaping.

Suggested step: After 30 minutes, you can do more sets of stretch and folds.

Bulk Fermentation

The bulk fermentation time (or first rise) begins as soon as the starter is added to the dough, which happened at the time of the initial mix.

It will take 5 to 7 hours at room temperature to complete the bulk.

To do a cold ferment, place dough in the fridge. The cold bulk ferment will take 24 to 72 hours.

Timing variation during fermentation is influenced by ingredient temperatures (e.g., water temperature) and environment (e.g., kitchen temperature).

To evaluate when the bulk fermentation is complete, see this post: How to tell when sourdough is done with bulk fermentation

For easy fill-in-the-blank time planning, check out my free sourdough time planning worksheet.

Shaping

Once the dough has doubled in volume and has a smooth appearance, it’s time to shape it.

Similar to mixing, shaping has three parts: Pre-shape, Bench Rest, Final Shape

Pre-Shape:

Transfer the dough to an unfloured surface. Use a dough scraper or bench knife to quickly push under one end of the dough and fold it over the top of the rest of the dough. Then, push the scraper under one side of the dough and rotate in a circular motion for 3 to 5 turns until it’s a round shape. You want to tuck the ends of the dough under the whole to create a smoother, round shape.

Bench Rest:

Let the rounded dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Prepare the proofing bowl (banneton) with a dusting of rice flour or all purpose flour, set aside.

Final Shape:

After the bench rest lightly flour the rounded top of the dough and gently rub the flour over the top until there is no sticky dough exposed on top. Then complete the following series of folds:

- Take the bench knife or straight edge of a dough scraper and zig zag it under the dough to pick it up then flip it over with the flour side down.
- Gently pick up the edges and stretch the dough by jiggling until it’s about 7 to 8 inches wide.
- Place the remaining 30 grams of shredded cheddar cheese in the middle of the dough, then pick up the left and right edges of the dough and fold over the cheese to slightly overlap. Pinch together to seal the seam.
- Taking the end of the dough below the seam, gently lengthen the dough, then roll it onto itself in a spiral until it seals at the opposite end. The seam should be inside the rolled up dough with the smooth floured side facing up.
- Without flipping the dough over, use the bench knife or straight edge of the dough scraper and pull the dough across the work surface or rotate it in a circle until it tightens into a tight ball. Continue tightening in order to create surface tension until you begin to see cheese under the top part of the dough.
- Use the bench knife or straight edge of the dough scraper to pick up the ball of dough then flip it smooth floured side down into the prepared proofing bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Proofing

Let the shaped dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or place in the fridge for a cold proof for 8 to 12 hours.

Monitor the proof (also known as second rise) until the dough is 1.5 to 2 times larger in volume.

Once the dough has risen to the top of the proofing bowl, and a finger pressed into it leaves an indentation.

Near the end of the proof, preheat the oven with the Dutch oven to 500 degrees F.

See these posts for more information on proofing:

Baking

Once the oven is preheated, take a long piece of parchment paper and place parchment paper over the top of the proofing bowl.

Hold the parchment over the edges of the bowl then quickly flip the bowl upside down so that the smooth top is facing up.

Use a bread lame or serrated bread knife to score the top of the dough so there’s a 1/8 to 1/4-inch deep cut across the top.

Pick up the edges of the parchment and lift the scored bread dough into the preheated Dutch oven.

Place the lid snugly on top to seal the dough inside then carefully place in hot oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the bread from the Dutch oven (or remove manual steam element) and place directly on the oven rack to complete baking for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden brown to brown with crisp bubbling cheese.

Cooling

Once your loaf is baked, place it on a cooling rack to cool down.

Let the bread cool for one hour.

Cooling helps the bread solidify its structure for easier slicing and helps the bread store better.

You can cut the bread earlier, but if it hasn’t cooled sufficiently it will lose moisture as the steam escapes and slices will not be even.

Tips for the Best Results in Your Cheddar Jalapeno Bread

Dividing the cheese into two parts, one part added during the stretch and folds and the other added during the final shaping allows the cheesy flavor to completely infuse the bread as well as create a beautiful crust of baked cheese on top.
During shaping, don’t use too much flour. Too much flour can change the flavor of the bread and it can make it difficult to create tension. Dust just enough on top of the preshaped dough that when you gently rub it over the top that your hand doesn’t feel any stickiness.
As soon as the shaped dough has risen to the top of the proofing bowl and an indentation of a fingertip remains, place the proofed bread into the fridge to chill before you begin preheating the oven. This will control the rise and the chill will make the dough easier to score.
Chilling the dough as it reaches this ideal proofing stage, helps avoid overproofing and helps ensure a good oven spring.

Can you use fresh jalapeños?

You can’t use fresh jalapeño peppers without altering them.

The flavor, texture and spice of fresh jalapeño peppers will completely change the flavor.

Fresh jalapeños are crunchy with a sharp flavor and spice level.

Canned jalapeños have a softer texture with an acidic, smoky flavor.

Here are two posts for how to process fresh jalapeños:

Variations

Use chopped fresh herbs with the cheese instead of the jalapeño peppers
Cooked bacon, diced added to the bread or used in place of the jalapeño
Monterey jack cheese instead of cheddar would create a less sharp cheese flavor with more moisture.

More Sourdough Bread Recipes

Serving Suggestions

This jalapeño cheddar sourdough recipe is incredible at a barbeque or game day!

It makes a delicious side to a hot bowl of chili.

Serve it as a unique sandwich bread with your favorite meat or add more cheese to make a mouthwatering grilled cheese sandwich.

Or just cut into individual slices with some butter!

Celebrate with Bread Baking for Seasonal Inspiration

This recipe originally appeared in the summer section of my second book, Celebrate with Bread Baking.

The book is divided by season and features recipes for quick breads, conventional yeast breads, and sourdough for a variety of holidays and special occasions.

Savor and Share

I can’t wait to hear how you enjoy this recipe! It surprised me how much I loved it!

And it was a hit when I gave a loaf to some neighbors who said it didn’t even last until dinnertime.

Share the recipe with a friend who loves delicious sourdough recipes.

After you try it, send me a note, leave a review comment, or tag me on facebook or instagram @livingbreadbaker

Just getting started with sourdough?

A competent guide transforms sourdough baking from overwhelming to uncomplicated and fun!

Get My Free Quick Start Sourdough Guide: Learn the key terms and concepts in sourdough baking, including the differences between active sourdough starter and sourdough discard, and how to care for your starter.

Time Planning Help for Sourdough Baking

The #1 need for sourdough bakers is help with time planning, so I created a resource for you.

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook: Perfect for new or experienced bakers, this workbook includes 8 templates ready to fill in and a baking journal. The templates cover 4 different ways to make classic sourdough country breads, 3 time planning worksheets for enriched sourdough bread depending on serving time target, and a blank template. The baking journal goes over baker’s percentages and how to take notes on your sourdough bakes.

Get a free sample of the workbook: Use this sourdough time planning worksheet sample to simplify your baking.

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

When is sourdough bulk fermentation finished?

When is sourdough finished proofing?

What is a sourdough starter?

Easy & Soft Savory Sourdough Cheese Twist Rolls

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4-qt Cambro container

Food scale

Parchment baking sheets

FREE Sourdough Quick Start Guide

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook & Baking Journal

My Intro. to Sourdough online course

My sourdough starter

Breadtopia live starter

Cultures for Health starter

This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread on a wire cooling rack

Print Recipe

Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Author: Jenny Prior

Equipment

Large Bowl or stand mixer
Rounded plastic dough scraper
Bench Knife also known as a Bench Scraper
4-qt Cambro container for bulk fermentation
Banneton or Proofing Bowl/Basket
Flour duster shaker: very optional but easy to use for shaping to get just right coverage and not too much flour
Bread Lame or bread knife for scoring the dough before baking
Dutch Oven
Parchment Paper
Silicone Oven Mitts
Cooling Rack
Bread Knife for safe and efficient slicing. My favorites are Wusthof bread knife and the Shun bread knife

Ingredients

For the sourdough starter (levain)

15 grams sourdough starter 1 tablespoon
60 grams water ¼ cup
60 grams all-purpose flour 7 tablespoons

For the dough:

360 grams water divided (1½ cups plus 2 teaspoons)
100-125 g active starter approx. ⅔ c.
400 g bread flour approx. 2 ⅔ c.
100 g whole wheat flour approx. heaping ¾ c. or scant c.
360-370 g/mL water (hold some back to incorporate after autolyse
10 g 1 1/2 t. sea salt
70 grams sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided (about ½ cup, loosely filled)
60 grams canned jalapeño slices drained (¼ cup)

Instructions

6-12 hours (at least 6-8 hours in warmer months, 10-12 in cooler months) before you make your dough, mix together 60 grams of all-purpose flour (7 T.) and 60 grams of water (1/4 cup) with 20 grams of sourdough starter (about 1 T.) in a glass jar or clean container. Let this sit at room temperature to become active for 6-12 hours.
Scaling: Start by adding 350 grams of water to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Follow the water with the active sourdough starter and all the flour. Hold off on other ingredients.
Initial Mix: Mix the water, starter, and flour together using a spoon or a dough hook attachment, if using a stand mixer. Tip: Do not overmix! Once there is only a little bit of dry flour and dough is mostly come together, use a rounded plastic dough scraper to scrape the sides of the bowl and finish mixing the last bits of dry flour into the bread dough. Be sure to check under the dough and the sides of the dough for dry flour.
Autolyse: Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap or a cloth and let the dough rest for 20-60 minutes to help the dough strengthen and develop better elasticity.
Final Mix: After the dough autolyse time is complete, add the salt and the 10g* reserved water to the dough. Knead and fold the salt and water into the dough until it is completely incorporated. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before adding the inclusions during the first stretch and fold.
During the autolyse, prepare the jalapeño and cheddar cheese.
Drain the can of jalapeño slices and set aside.
Shred the cheese and set aside, you won't use all of it yet. Place 40 grams (heaping 1/4 cup) of the shredded cheddar cheese and the drained jalapeño slices in the center of the dough.
Take the dough in hand and, one quarter turn at a time, pull the dough upward, then fold back into the middle. Repeat with the other three quarters. Continue folding until the cheese and jalapeños are well incorporated. Recover the dough or transfer to a dough bin.
Cover the rest of the cheese and place in the fridge until the final shaping.
Suggested step: After 30 minutes, you can do more sets of stretch and folds.
The bulk fermentation time (or first rise) begins as soon as the starter is added to the dough, which happened at the time of the initial mix. It will take 5 to 7 hours at room temperature to complete the bulk. To do a cold ferment, place dough in the fridge. The cold bulk ferment will take 24 to 72 hours.
Pre-Shape: Transfer the dough to an unfloured surface. Use a dough scraper or bench knife to quickly push under one end of the dough and fold it over the top of the rest of the dough. Then, push the scraper under one side of the dough and rotate in a circular motion for 3 to 5 turns until it's a round shape. You want to tuck the ends of the dough under the whole to create a smoother, round shape.
Bench Rest: Let the rounded dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Prepare the proofing bowl (banneton) with a dusting of rice flour or all purpose flour, set aside.

Final Shaping

Final Shape: After the bench rest lightly flour the rounded top of the dough and gently rub the flour over the top until there is no sticky dough exposed on top. Then complete the following series of folds:
Take the bench knife or straight edge of a dough scraper and zig zag it under the dough to pick it up then flip it over with the flour side down.
Gently pick up the edges and stretch the dough by jiggling until it's about 7 to 8 inches wide.
Place the remaining 30 grams of shredded cheddar cheese in the middle of the dough, then pick up the left and right edges of the dough and fold over the cheese to slightly overlap. Pinch together to seal the seam.
Taking the end of the dough below the seam, gently lengthen the dough, then roll it onto itself in a spiral until it seals at the opposite end. The seam should be inside the rolled up dough with the smooth floured side facing up.
Without flipping the dough over, use the bench knife or straight edge of the dough scraper and pull the dough across the work surface or rotate it in a circle until it tightens into a tight ball. Continue tightening in order to create surface tension until you begin to see cheese under the top part of the dough.
Use the bench knife or straight edge of the dough scraper to pick up the ball of dough then flip it smooth floured side down into the prepared proofing bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
Let the shaped dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or place in the fridge for a cold proof for 8 to 12 hours. Monitor the proof (also known as second rise) until the dough is 1.5 to 2 times larger in volume. Once the dough has risen to the top of the proofing bowl, and a finger pressed into it leaves an indentation.
Near the end of the proof, preheat the oven with the Dutch oven to 500 degrees F.
Once the oven is preheated, take a long piece of parchment paper and place parchment paper over the top of the proofing bowl. Hold the parchment over the edges of the bowl then quickly flip the bowl upside down so that the smooth top is facing up.
Use a bread lame or serrated bread knife to score the top of the dough so there's a 1/8 to 1/4-inch deep cut across the top. Pick up the edges of the parchment and lift the scored bread dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Place the lid snugly on top to seal the dough inside then carefully place in hot oven.
Reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the bread from the Dutch oven (or remove manual steam element) and place directly on the oven rack to complete baking for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden brown to brown with crisp bubbling cheese.
Once your loaf is baked, place it on a cooling rack to cool down. Let the bread cool for one hour.

Notes

Tips

Dividing the cheese into two parts, one part added during the stretch and folds and the other added during the final shaping allows the cheesy flavor to completely infuse the bread as well as create a beautiful crust of baked cheese on top.
During shaping, don't use too much flour. Too much flour can change the flavor of the bread and it can make it difficult to create tension. Dust just enough on top of the preshaped dough that when you gently rub it over the top that your hand doesn't feel any stickiness.
As soon as the shaped dough has risen to the top of the proofing bowl and an indentation of a fingertip remains, place the proofed bread into the fridge to chill before you begin preheating the oven. This will control the rise and the chill will make the dough easier to score.
Chilling the dough as it reaches this ideal proofing stage, helps avoid overproofing and helps ensure a good oven spring.

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