Cheese Sourdough Bread

This easy cheese sourdough bread recipe makes a loaf that is soft and chewy, and filled with a swirl of cheesy goodness. You don’t need a Dutch oven; it’s baked in a regular loaf pan!

Bread and cheese are two of my favorite foods, so I absolutely love this bread, especially when it’s warm or toasted with butter! It also makes extra tasty grilled cheese sandwiches – the toasted cheese on the outside is my favorite!

It has a softer texture than regular sourdough, so if you opt for a shorter bulk fermentation, some people might not be able to tell it’s sourdough. But if you like the tang, let the dough sit longer in the fridge.

For my traditional sourdough bread, I use the stretch and fold process to develop the gluten in the dough. But that process, although easy, takes at least a couple hours.

This cheese sourdough bread recipe is made in a stand mixer, so all of the kneading is done at once! If you don’t have a stand mixer or Bosch, you can knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes on the counter, or you can use the stretch and fold method I use for my overnight sourdough.

FAQ:

Do I need yeast for sourdough bread?

No, true sourdough like this sourdough cheese bread does not need commercial yeast. The fermentation process is what makes the dough rise. That’s why it’s essential that your start is bubbly and active.

What cheese is best for sourdough bread?

We like cheddar, but any cheese that melts well will work. Sharp cheddar gives a stronger flavor, but my kids prefer mild. You can also use a mixture of cheeses for different flavor profiles. Get creative!

Does it matter what kind of pan I use for sourdough?

For a traditional round, artisan style loaf, you need to bake sourdough in a heavy round pan with a lid (I use a 4-quart Dutch oven). Baking the loaf with the lid on keeps the steam trapped, so you get a chewy loaf with a higher rise.

But for this recipe, you can just use a regular loaf pan. Most of the photos in this post are of a loaf baked in a 9×5″ pan. The loaf bakes faster, but is wider and not as tall. If you use a smaller 8×4″ pan, your bread will take a bit longer to bake, but will be slightly taller like the loaf below.

Both pans work great!

How to make cheese sourdough bread:

1. ACTIVE STARTER – For successful sourdough bread, you must use active, bubbly starter. I test my starter by placing a spoonful in a cup of cold water. If it rises to the top, it’s ready. If it sinks, the start needs to sit longer or be fed again.
2. AUTOLYSE – Combine the water, active starter, oil, honey, egg, and about 1 1/2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth. Cover the dough and let it sit for 15-30 minutes so the flour can soak up moisture and the gluten can develop.
3. KNEAD – Add the salt, and enough additional flour that the dough starts to pull away from the bottom of the bowl. Mix at low speed for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. You should be able to take a small piece of dough and stretch it thin enough that you can almost see through it before it breaks apart.
4. BULK FERMENTATION (FIRST RISE) – Transfer the bread dough to a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. (Or let the dough rise for 6-8 hours in a warm place.)
5. FORM – Dump onto a counter that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle 14-16 inches long and 8 or 9 inches wide. (As wide as the loaf pan you are using.) Sprinkle cheese evenly over the dough and roll up tightly; pinch the edge together to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit across the top of the dough.
   Twist the dough and place it in a greased loaf pan.
6. FINAL RISE – Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise for 2-4 hours, or until almost doubled.
   Preheat your oven to 375°.
7. BAKE – If desired, you can sprinkle a bit of grated cheese on top of the bread before baking. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. The internal temperature should be at least 195 degrees.
   
8. COOL – Dump the bread out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. We like to eat it warm, but for clean slices, you need to let it cool completely.

PRO TIP: For a more moist, chewy loaf, place a metal pan on the lowest rack of your oven before you preheat it. When you place the loaf in the oven, add 3-4 ice cubes to the hot pan. It will create steam in the oven.

Cheese Sourdough Bread Recipe Variations:

• Try using different cheese. Any cheese that melts well, such as mozzarella cheese, pepper jack, gruyere cheese, or colby jack work great. But you could also pair mild cheese with some parmesan cheese, asiago cheese, or another sharp crumbly cheese.
• You can replace a cup of the white flour with freshly ground whole wheat flour. Add it with the start and water, and in step number 2 of the recipe card, let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.
• If you want a softer crust, you can brush melted butter over the top of the loaf when you take it out of the oven.

More sourdough recipes:

• Multigrain Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Discard Biscuit Recipe
• Overnight Sourdough
• Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
• Sourdough Coffee Cake
• Overnight Sourdough Waffles

If you love melty cheese, you’ve got to try this sourdough cheese bread! It’s simple but delicious!