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If you’re looking to spice things up, this Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread is the way to go. Spicy jalapeños and sharp cheddar cheese are stuffed into a crispy artisan sourdough bread to make the most incredible loaf!
Save & Summarize
The base recipe for this loaf uses my Same Day Sourdough Bread recipe, which means it’s ready in just one day! It is a great beginner-friendly recipe that yields a crispy golden brown crust and soft interior. If you like this recipe, you’ll love my cheesy sourdough pretzel bread!
Table of Contents
- Why you will love this recipe
- Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Instructions to make the Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread recipe
- Recipe Tips
- Sample baking schedule
- How to eat Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
- Storing Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
- Recipe FAQ
- More sourdough bread flavors
- Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread Recipe
Why you will love this recipe
- Packed with flavor – The jalapeno and cheese mix-ins take this homemade sourdough bread to another level! For more inclusion ideas, check out my list of 21 unique sourdough mix-ins.
- Flexible timeline- This recipe can be made in just one day, or if you are short on time do the second rise in the fridge overnight. Or if you prefer an overnight rise on the counter, you add the mix-ins to my overnight sourdough bread recipe.
- Beginner-friendly – This recipe has easy step-by-step instructions that are simple to follow, even for beginner bakers.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bread Flour – Flour with a higher protein content, like bread flour, is ideal for sourdough bread because it absorbs water more readily. You can also use unbleached all-purpose flour, but I recommend reducing the water by 25-50 grams.
- Active Sourdough Starter – An active sourdough starter refers to starter that was recently fed and is bubbly and doubled in size.
- Cheese – I recommend using sharp cheddar cheese. If you want a little more heat, you can do a mix of cheddar and jalapeño pepper jack, or substitute with your favorite type of spicy cheese. I like to use shredded cheese because it evenly disperses throughout the bread, but if you want bigger bursts of cheese throughout the bread, you could also use chunks. To ensure the cheese melts into the bread, I recommend shredding your own cheese, this cheese grater makes it so easy but in a pinch you can use pre-shredded cheese.
- Jalapeños – Fresh jalapeños or pickled both work. I have found the pickled jalapeño peppers to be more flavorful and spicy, which is why I prefer the jar to fresh, and it’s more convenient. When using the jar of jalapeños, try to remove any excess moisture by dabbing them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the dough.
- Optional: Bacon – If you want to boost the flavor even more, you can add in bacon! The salty bacon goes so well with the spicy jalapeños and savory cheese. I like to use thick-cut bacon and bake it on a lined baking sheet in the oven at 400°F for 10-20 minutes, and then dice it up and add it with the other mix-ins during stretch and folds.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Instructions to make the Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread recipe
Feed sourdough starter
The first step to making bread is to feed your sourdough starter. If you are doing the same day method, I recommend feeding your starter the night before a 1:5:5 ratio (15 g starter: 75 g flour: 75 g water) and leaving at room temperature overnight.
If you are planning to put the dough in the fridge overnight, I recommend feeding your starter a 1:1:1 ratio (55 grams sourdough starter: 55 grams flour: 55 grams water) 4-5 hours before making the loaf.
The starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and is filled with bubbles of all different sizes along the sides and surface.
Mix ingredients
With a danish dough whisk (10% off with link) hands, or large spoon mix together active starter, water, and salt in a container with straight sides or a medium clear bowl. Add the flour and mix until the dough is shaggy and the flour is incorporated. Cover with a lid or dinner plate so the dough doesn’t dry out and let sit for 30 minutes in a warm spot. For a similar timeline as listed below keep the dough temperature at 75°F.
Stretch and folds
Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart. It doesn’t have to be perfectly timed, but aim for three rounds with a short rest in between. Keep the dough covered and resting at around 75°F between each set to maintain an active rise.
During the first set, incorporate the shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeños. To stretch and fold, grab one side of the dough with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on top of itself. Repeat this 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.
First rise
Let the dough rest and continue to rise at 75°F. Bulk fermentation is done when the dough is jiggly, domed on top, bubbly on the sides, and has risen about 50%.
If it does not show these signs, continue to let the dough rise until it does. At a dough temperature of 75°F, my dough is usually ready in 4 hours from the time it is mixed.
Shape
- Dump the dough on an unfloured surface and gently spread the dough in a chubby square.
- Fold the top edge down toward the center, like you’re closing an envelope, pulling slightly to build surface tension.
- Fold the top two corners in toward the center so they overlap slightly, then repeat with the bottom two corners.
- Lift the bottom edge of the dough up and over so the seams are now underneath. Using cupped hands, gently rotate and pull the dough toward you, tucking as you go, until the surface feels smooth and taut.
- Using a bench scraper or your hands, flip the dough seam-side up into a banneton basket that’s been lightly dusted with rice flour (or all-purpose). If you want jalapeños baked onto the crust, place a few slices into the banneton after flouring so they stick to the outside of the dough. Cover the basket.
Second Proof
Option 1: Counter method (same day)
Leave the dough on the counter for about 1-2 hours until it passes the “poke” test. When you poke the dough with a lightly floured finger and the dough slowly fills in, it is ready to bake. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time and if it does not fill back in at all it is overproofed and needs baked immediately. Place the dough in the freezer while your oven preheats.
Option 2: Refrigerator method
Place the dough in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours for a cold ferment. Bake directly from the fridge.
Scoring
Preheat the dutch oven in the oven at 450°F. Flip the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and score the bread with a bread lame, razor blade, or sharp knife about a quarter inch deep at a 30-45° angle. This can be one line or multiple, depending on your preferences. For more intricate designs hold the blade straight and make shallow cuts.
Baking
Bake the bread in the hot Dutch oven for 30 minutes with the lid on. Take the lid off and bake for another 18-20 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when you knock on the bottom, this will tell you the bread is cooked through. Or you can check the internal temperature of the loaf has reached 205°F.
Remove the bread from the dutch oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients rather than measuring with cups and spoons. This will yield more accurate results. Plus, as a bonus, you will have fewer dishes to clean afterward!
- I recommend using a straight-edge container so you can visually see how much the dough has risen. A 2-quart container is big enough for 1 loaf. If you are doubling the recipe, use a 4-quart container.
- Keep your dough at a temperature around 75°F to match the timeline listed. Use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10%) or proofing box to keep the dough warm if room temperature is not warm enough, or see more tips on how to keep your dough warm.
Sample baking schedule
Many different factors can affect your sourdough bread, such as the temperature of your dough, kitchen, humidity, and the strength of your starter, so this baking schedule is based on rough estimates. It is more important to look for the visual cues of the bread to know when it is ready.
Counter method (same day)
This schedule is based on a dough temperature of 75°F.
| Steps | Time |
| Feed starter a 1:5:5 ratio and leave at 72°F (15 g starter: 75 g flour: 75 g water) | Day One: 10 pm |
| Mix dough | Day two: 8 am |
| Stretch & folds | 8:30 – 9:30 am |
| Bulk fermentation | 9:30 am – 12 pm |
| Shape | 12 pm |
| Second proof | 1 pm (or when dough passes poke test) |
| Preheat oven & place dough in freezer | 1:30 pm |
Refrigerator method
This is my favorite method! It always turns out, it has more time to develop flavor, and the dough is cold, so it is easier to score. This schedule is assuming dough temperature of 75°F while on the counter.
| Steps | Time |
| Feed starter a 1:1:1 ratio and leave at 77°F (50 grams sourdough starter: 50 grams flour: 50 grams water) *If you do not have extra starter be sure to feed your starter a little more so you have leftover | Day One: 1:00 pm |
| Mix dough | 5:00 pm |
| Stretch & folds | 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm |
| Finish Bulk fermentation | 6:30 – 9 pm |
| Shape & into the fridge | 9 pm |
| Bake | Day two: Between 6-10 am |
How to eat Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
I could happily eat a whole loaf of Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread just by itself or with a slather of butter but there are so many good options for this bread.
- Make the best appetizer of your life by turning it into a Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Pull-Apart
- Breakfast sandwich with eggs, cheese and bacon
- Bring the heat to your grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup
- Make it into a chicken pannini
- Top with cream cheese for a little mid-day snack
- Turn any leftovers into croutons
Storing Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread
Store a whole loaf, or a side that can be placed cut side down with only the crust exposed, on the counter up to 2 days with just a tea towel over it. If the inside of the loaf is exposed I store it in a bread box or in a ziplock bag.
Sourdough will not hold its crunch for extended periods of time but can be revived in the oven or toaster. To refresh a loaf, preheat the oven to 400°F. Run the loaf quickly under water and then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the crust is crispy again.
Sourdough bread also freezes really well. To freeze a loaf, either place the whole or half a loaf into a freezer-safe bag or preslice the loaf and place parchment paper in between each slice before placing in a freezer bag or airtight container.
To thaw, place the loaf on the counter for several hours in the ziplock bag. If you are in a time crunch, I’ve used the defrost feature in the microwave to thaw my loaf. Once thawed, use the same refresh instructions as listed above. For individual slices, pulled from the freezer, pop it in the toaster.
Learn more tips and tricks about freezing and reheating your sourdough bread.
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! It is entirely up to you if you want to use fresh or pickled jalapenos. I personally prefer pickled jalapenos because they are already sliced, making it easier, and they pack a little more heat, in my opinion.
Yes it will be fine but if you would prefer not to have it sit out, you can instead add the cheese during shaping.
There are 3 common reasons your sourdough bread did not turn out as you hoped.
1. A Weak Starter
If you made a starter from scratch it should be at least 10 days old, bubbly and doubling consistently, before baking with it. No matter the age of your starter if it is not doubling and getting bubbly with each feeding it is best to strengthen it before baking with it. To strengthen it, leave it on the counter and feed it daily until it doubles.
This is when your dough does not have long enough to ferment. This is especially common in the winter months because fermentation is slower in cooler temperatures.
2. Underproofing
Your loaf may be underproofed if the dough does not rise, the crumb is dense and gummy, the crust is pale with a doughy center even with long bake times, or has large holes at the top with dense areas surrounding it.
If your loaf is underproofed extend the time your dough is on the counter for the first proof. Use a bread mat (use code country10 for 10% off) or proofing box to keep the dough warm to ensure it will rise properly. You can also try leaving the dough in the oven with the light on, above the refrigerator, or near a heating vent.
3. Overproofing
This happens when the dough is left for too long to rise. The gluten bonds begin to wear out and the loaf rises too much resulting in the loaf collapsing.
Your loaf may be overproofed if the dough won’t hold shape, puffy and sticky dough, flat loaf with lots of small holes through out. If your loaves are overproofing, shorten the time your dough is on the counter for the first proof or find a cooler temperature.
For extra spice, swap out some or all of the cheddar cheese for jalapeno pepper jack cheese. You can also replace 1-2 grams of salt with extra spicy salt for more heat.
More sourdough bread flavors
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Hot Honey Parmesan & Asiago Sourdough Bread
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Mozzarella & Sun Dried Tomato Sourdough Bread
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Cinnamon Honey Butter Sourdough Bread
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White Chocolate Almond Sourdough Bread
Tried this Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 150 grams sourdough starter, doubled in size and bubbly, ⅔ cup
- 500 grams bread flour, 3 ¼ cups
- 350 grams water, 1 ½ cups
- 10 grams salt, ½ Tbsp
- 150 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, 1 ½ cups
- 90 grams pickled jalapenos, ¾ cup
Instructions
Feed Sourdough Starter
- The night before (about 10 hours prior), feed your starter a 1:5:5 ratio (15 grams starter: 75 grams flour: 75 grams water). The starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and is filled with bubbles of all different sizes along the sides and surface.This step can be skipped if your starter is already ready to use.
Mix ingredients
- Mix the active starter, water, and salt in a container with straight sides or a medium clear bowl. Add the flour and mix until the dough is shaggy and the flour is incorporated. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. For a similar timeline as listed, keep the dough at 75°F.150 grams sourdough starter, doubled in size and bubbly, 500 grams bread flour, 350 grams water, 10 grams salt
Prepare mix-ins
- Measure out the jalapeños and place them on a paper towel. Dab them with another paper towel to remove excess moisture. Shred the cheddar cheese.150 grams cheddar cheese, 90 grams pickled jalapenos
Stretch and folds
- Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart. To stretch and fold, grab one side of the dough with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on top of itself. Repeat this 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time. Keep the dough covered and resting at around 75°F between each set to maintain an active rise.During the first set of stretch and folds, incorporate the shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeños.
First rise
- Let the dough continue to rise at 75°F. The first rise (bulk fermentation) is done when the dough is jiggly, domed on top, bubbly on the sides, and has risen about 50%.If it does not show these signs, continue to let the dough rise until it does. At a dough temperature of 75°F, my dough is usually ready in 4 hours from the time it is mixed.
Shape
- Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface and gently stretch it into a chubby square. Fold the top edge down toward the center, like you’re closing an envelope, pulling slightly to build surface tension. Fold the top two corners in toward the center so they overlap slightly, then repeat with the bottom two corners. Lift the bottom edge of the dough up and over so the seams are now underneath. Using cupped hands, gently rotate and pull the dough toward you, tucking as you go, until the surface feels smooth and taut. Flip the dough seam-side up into a 9-10 inch banneton basket that’s been lightly dusted with rice flour (or all-purpose). If you want jalapeños baked onto the crust, place a few slices into the banneton before adding the dough. Cover the basket.
Second rise
- Leave the dough on the counter for about 1-2 hours until it passes the "poke" test. When you poke the dough with a lightly floured finger and the dough slowly fills in, it is ready to bake. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time and if it does not fill back in at all it is overproofed and needs baked immediately. Place the dough in the freezer while your oven preheats.
Scoring
- Preheat the dutch oven in the oven at 450°F. Flip the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and score the bread with a bread lame, razor blade, or sharp knife about a quarter inch deep at a 30-45° angle. This can be one line or multiple, depending on your preferences. For more intricate designs, hold the blade straight and make shallow cuts.
Baking
- Bake the bread in the hot Dutch oven for 30 minutes with the lid on. Take the lid off and bake for another 18-20 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when you knock on the bottom, this will tell you the bread is cooked through. Or you can check the internal temperature of the loaf has reached 205°F.
- Remove the bread from the dutch oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.
Notes
- For extra spice, swap out some or all of the cheddar cheese for jalapeno pepper jack cheese. You can also swap 1-2 grams of salt with an extra spicy salt.
- If you would like to add bacon, add 12 ounces of cooked bacon when you add the jalapenos and cheese.
- If you’d rather prep the dough in the evening and bake the next day, you can place it in the fridge during its second rise and let it cold-proof for 8–12 hours. Bake it straight from the fridge—no need to bring it to room temperature. Check the blog post for a full breakdown of timing options under the sample schedule section.
- You can use pre-shredded cheese, although I find it does not melt into the bread as well as freshly shredded cheese does.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this loaf yesterday using fresh jalapenos, cheddar cheese, and bacon – YUMMO.
So glad you liked it!
I love all of your recipes, but I really love this one. However, the past two times I have made it has not been good results. Flavor great hut after I had done my bulk fermentation per your instructions my dough has been so soupy and messy. I couldn’t even shape it to get into the banneton. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’m using the exact ingredients. I’m doing all my stretch and folds. I’m letting it bulk ferment for 50%. It rose beautifully. Help.
Hi Beth sorry to hear that. I have 2 thoughts. 1. if your dough temperature is warmer than 75 degrees, it is likely overproofing in that time. I would shorten your bulk fermentation time. 2. my other thought is if your starter is acidic which can lead to premature overproofing leading to a sticky, goopy dough. If you are in a warmer climate you can always do the overnight sourdough recipe with 50 grams of starter if that is the one you used before: https://countryroadssourdough.com/simple-sourdough-bread-recipe/
I have not made this and want to bake a jalapeño cheddar loaf this weekend. What suggestions/adjustments do you recommend for dough less than 75 degree? Mine is around 66 degrees.
Use warm water when mixing the dough and wrap up the dough container in a towel or something to help insulate. I have a few tips on how to warm up your dough here as well. https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-starter-warmer/
If the dough is cooler than 75 it will take longer for the first rise so just anticipate a longer rise time.
Can I use this recipe with chocolate chips as the inclusion
Absolutely!
I have made this recipe several times. Today I want to make three loaves. When you hit the three times button or even the two times button your ingredients do not change for the cheese and the jalapeños. It shows the same amount for one loaf versus two or three loaves do I double or triple those if I’m making two or three loaves? I use them pepper jack cheese, which is fantastic as well.
Hi Beth! I just looked and the grams update to 2x and 3x when I try it. The cups do not scale for any of the ingredients, that is just a limitation with the software I use. So while I always recommend using the gram amounts if you want to use cups you will need to manually multiply 2 or 3x.
Hi! When do you add the inclusions? In the recipe you mentioned during the first set of stretch and folds, but your YouTube video looks to be during the second or third set. Thank you!
Hi Ivy! Anytime during the stretch and folds is fine. I typically like to do it during the first or second set.
Just curious why only 50 grams of starter versus the 150 in your loaf with no inclusions?/
You can use that recipe as well and just add the mix-ins. I originally only shared the overnight recipe so that’s why all my inclusion loafs are based on that one.
I don’t really know how this turned out because I baked it at the temp and the time directed and I should have gone with my gut to bake longer cause it was raw in the middle. So disappointed. You really only bake for a total of 40 minutes.
Hi Windy so sorry that it was raw. If your loaf is raw in the middle it may have more to do with the bulk fermentation timing versus the bake time. I can’t say for sure but I highly recommend using a straight edge container to ensure the dough has risen 75% during the first rise. If you are getting it to rise then you can also temp your loaves to ensure they reach 205 degrees Fahrenheit before pulling them.
I have had great bread with this recipe and just so so bread. I believe it’s because I’m a little confused on the directions where you have an option to leave it on the counter or put it in the fridge. I don’t know where one end and the other begins. Also how long is it left on the counter?
I’d like to know what your bulk fermentation time is for your Jalapeño, Bacon, Cheddar is. Do you monitor your dough temperature and room temperature as well? Your loaf looks really good!
Hi! After reading the recipe, I am also a tad confused about when to add the bacon . Do you bulk ferment on the counter after the bacon is already added? So the bacon would be safe to eat after being unrefrigerated that long? I feel like if you add it during your pre-shape , you would de -gas the dough. Could you please let me know. I don’t want anyone to get sick lol Thanks
Hi we add cooked bacon all the time to the sourdough and leave it for a few hours before placing it in the fridge. The good bacteria in the sourdough starter helps to fight off any bad bacteria. However if you feel more comfortable adding it right before placing it in the fridge you can gently spread out the dough right before shaping and add the bacon then. It won’t degas the loaf just be gentle when working with the dough.
You mention adding in mix ins in step 2 and step 3 again so I’m a little confused. Also when you mention adding mix ins about 2 hours prior to shaping, how do you do that? Do you do stretch and folds again? Thanks. Just made your basic sourdough recipe and the bread came out amazing. So looking to try something different next time.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I updated the recipe and it is now removed from step 2. I put the toppings on top of the dough and then do a set of stretch and folds to gently incorporate the cheese and jalapenos. I’m so glad to hear my basic recipe went well!