Ultimate Cheese Bread Recipes

THE BEST CHEESY GARLIC BREAD EVER RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the butter, herbs, garlic, and cheese and mix until smooth.
• Slice the baguette in half lengthwise, then spread the butter mixture to your liking evenly on the cut sides of the baguette (any leftover mix can be frozen for up to 1 month).
• Place the baguette on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown on the edges.
• Slice, cool, and serve!
• Enjoy!

BEST CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheese, baking powder, garlic powder and dill. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and honey. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. , Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (top will have an uneven appearance). Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

SIMPLY PERFECT HOMEMADE CHEESE BREAD (TWO WAYS)

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt and sugar* together. (Tip: If measuring your flour in cups, without a scale, hold back 1 cup to add as needed later). *If you're using honey or agave, add with the liquid ingredients instead.
• In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the water and buttermilk and whisk in the yeast until dissolved. Add this mixture, along with the melted butter, to the dry ingredients. Mix by hand or with a dough hook, until the mixture is combined, about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Continue mixing the dough, adding more flour in very small increments, as needed, until the dough becomes soft, smooth and tacky, but not sticky.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, adding more flour only if the dough is sticking to your hands or the work surface, then form dough into a ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and either refrigerate for up to 4 days, or allow to sit at room temperature until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes). (*Tip: I like to use an 8-cup glass measuring cup, so it's easy to see when it's doubled by the markings).
• Note: If you have refrigerated your dough, remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to bake, to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Grease two 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pans and set aside.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Dust each with a bit of flour and then, using a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle approximately 10 inches wide and 16 inches long.
• **If you are unclear about the shaping process for this bread, scroll up to the Recipe Video above this Recipe Card. You may wish to watch before starting the shaping process**
• For the Cheddar and Herb Bread: spread the shredded cheddar and herbs evenly over the surface of the dough. Starting with the shortest side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam together.
• For the Parmesan, Garlic and Herb: spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. Press lightly with the palm of your hand to press the toppings into the butter. Starting with the shortest side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam together.
• Shaping: Using a sharp knife, cut the roll of dough down the centre, lengthwise. Rotate each piece so that the cut sides are facing upward and place them side-by-side. Pinch together the farthest end. Keeping the cuts sides facing upwards as much as possible, place the right-side piece over the left-side piece. Straighen it up all up and then repeat, pinching together the end closest to you. If any cheese escapes, just place it back on top. Using a bench scraper or spatula, carefully lift the dough into the greased loaf pan. Repeat with the other dough log, then cover both with a greased piece of plastic wrap and allow to rise until the dough rises to about 1-inch above the side of the pans in the middle.
• Preheat oven to 350° F. (not fan assisted). Bake for 45-50 minutes total, but after 25 minutes of baking, rotate pans front-to-back in the oven and loosely cover with a piece of aluminum foil if necessary (if bread is already well-browned), to prevent the top from over-browning. Bread should reach about 185° internal temperature in the centre.
• Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for a couple of minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the bread and carefully remove the loaves to a cooling rack. Allow the loaves to cool for 1 hour before slicing. *Slicing hot or very warm bread will make for a gummy crumb, so resist the urge and let it cool :)

HOMEMADE CHEESE BREAD - EXTRA SOFT

Steps:

• Whisk the warm buttermilk, warm water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Add the butter, egg, salt, garlic powder, and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining flour. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. *If you do not own a mixer, you can mix this dough with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle!*
• Keep the dough in the mixer and beat on low speed for an additional 2 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes. (See video tutorial above if you need a visual of kneading dough by hand.)
• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter. Takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
• Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
• Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 9×15 inch rectangle (approximately). Sprinkle cheese all over the top, leaving a 1/2 inch border uncovered.
• Watch the video above to see exactly how I do this step. Tightly roll the dough into a 15-inch log. Place the log on its seam. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise. I find a serrated knife works best. Criss-cross one half, cut side down, on top of the other half- forming an X. Tightly twist the two together. Pinch the outer edges to seal as best you can. If you have any leftover cheese, cut a few small squares and tuck into the dough as shown in the video above. This is optional and simply for extra cheesy pockets! Place in prepared loaf pan and cover with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. (This step can get a little messy.)
• Allow the covered loaf to rest for 30 minutes. It will slightly rise during this time.
• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any cheese or butter that may drip down. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
• Whisk the melted butter, herbs, and garlic powder together. Drizzle or brush on top of dough.
• Bake until golden brown and, when gently tapped, the top of the loaf sounds hollow, about 45-55 minutes. If you find the top of the loaf is browning too quickly as it bakes, tent with aluminum foil. (I usually place foil on top after about 25 minutes.) Remove bread the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and cool loaf on the wire rack.
• Slice and serve. Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Leftover slices taste delicious when warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds.

THE ULTIMATE CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Add 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp of warm water to a bowl. To the water, add the yeast and a small pinch of sugar. Stir to combine. Let the yeast get happy in the water for about 8 minutes.
• I normally use a KitchenAid Mixer to mix and knead the dough but you can certainly do it by hand (but kneading the dough will take longer). To the mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
• After the yeast has bloomed for about 8 minutes, add it to the mixing bowl with the olive oil. Turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and allow the ingredients to combine - scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the flour gets incorporated. After one minute, if the dough is a shaggy mess and hasn't formed a ball, there is not enough water in it. Just add an additional teaspoon of warm water and mix another 30 seconds on low. Depending on the humidity and time of the year, you may or may not need the additional teaspoon of water. Once the dough has formed into a fairly cohesive ball, turn off the mixer and allow the dough to rest for four minutes.
• After four minutes have elapsed, knead the dough on low speed using a dough hook for about two minutes (setting number 2 on a KitchenAid mixer). If you are kneading the dough by hand, it will take about 6 to 8 minutes. After the dough has been kneaded, form it into a smooth ball.
• Spray a medium-size bowl with cooking spray. To the bowl, add the dough and spritz the top with a little more cooking spray to keep it from drying out. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
• After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and cut the dough into two pieces of equal size. Form the dough into balls, cover, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. This rest period will make it easier to roll out the dough.
• After about 10 minutes, roll each piece of dough (using a rolling pin) into an elongated oval shape about 19" long by about 4.5" wide. If the dough stretches back too much when rolling it out, as it often does for me, cover the dough and let it rest another five minutes. Invert a sheet pan or cookie sheet so that the bottom is facing up. Add a piece of parchment paper to the top of the inverted sheet pan. Next, add both ovals of dough to the parchment, side-by-side, about 1 - 2" apart. The dough should run nearly the entire length of the sheet pan. Spray a large piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray. This will keep the plastic wrap from sticking as the dough rises a second time. Place the plastic wrap on the dough - making sure that it is completely covered by the plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes.
• About 20 minutes before the dough has finished rising, preheat the oven to 325°F The rack should be in the center position.
• After the dough has finished rising for 50 minutes, uncover the dough. It should look puffy. Use your index finger to gently create little divots in the dough about 1" apart - leaving a 1/2" border around the dough untouched. This will keep the dough from rising too much in the center when it bakes. Sprinkle each oval with some kosher salt (or sea salt). Place the dough and sheet pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turning the pan once during baking.
• After 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven. The bread should still be very blond in color. Because the outside edges of the dough brown faster than the inside edges, spin each piece of bread around 180 degrees so that the inside edges are now facing outward. Each oval will get 3.5 oz of cheese. Place all of the cheese in an even layer - leaving a 1/2" border around the bread. If you get the cheese too close to the edge, it'll melt over the sides. If you accidentally spill some garlic powder on the bread before you put on the cheese, I won't tell anyone. Just make sure you do not accidentally get the garlic powder on the edges of the bread or it will burn. Return the bread and sheet pan to the oven and continue baking an additional 22 to 25 minutes or until the cheese has started to brown on the edges. Slide the bread onto a wire rack and allow it to cool before eating. It's great at room temperature but can been eaten warm as well.
• * A special note about the cheese:.
• Pre-shredded cheese does NOT work in this recipe. I prefer using pre-sliced Sargento New York Sharp White Cheddar cheese, which is available in most grocery stores. It's not overly sharp and does not produce an oil slick after it melts like some cheddar cheeses can. That said, any good quality brick of sharp white cheddar will work. When using the pre-sliced Sargento, I fold over each piece of cheese so that it is double in thickness. If you are cutting the cheese yourself, make sure that each piece is about 1/8 to 1/4" thick so that it melts properly.

ULTIMATE CHEESE TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat a broiler. Place the bread on a baking sheet and broil it 1 to 2 minutes per side, until lightly toasted.
• Spread the bread with a thin coating of mayonnaise, then Dijon mustard. Top with 1 pinch salt. Add the shredded cheese and sprinkle with oregano.
• Place the toast bake on the baking sheet. Broil again for about 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!