Jalapeño Cheddar Bread

This easy Jalapeño Cheddar Bread is a quick bread recipe with jalapeños, cheddar cheese and bell peppers all stuffed inside! It’s bold, flavorful, and just a little bit spicy.

A Savory Quick Bread with Peppers and Cheese

As much as I love sweet bread recipes (like Cinnamon Bread and Apricot Pecan Bread, to name just two), savory quick breads like this jalapeño cheddar bread are really special, too! There’s nothing like a savory, warm loaf right out of the oven – especially when that loaf is full of melting cheddar cheese and the spicy kick of real jalapeño peppers. The light, tender crumb is a delight to slice and serve, whether you’re scarfing it down fresh out of the oven, or serving it up with dinner.

You’ll notice I’m talking about quick bread, here, as opposed to yeast bread. Everyone loves an old-fashioned yeast bread loaf, but they do take time. Most yeast breads require at least one round of kneading and rising, and sometimes two. Well, not this recipe! Much like your favorite banana bread or cake batter, this one comes together in a snap and rises up to fluffy perfection with just a spoonful of baking powder. It couldn’t be simpler, or tastier!

If you love this jalapeño cheddar bread, make sure to also check out my Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread!

Jalapeño Cheddar Bread Is…

• Incredibly simple to make – no kneading required.
• Bold and flavorful thanks to plenty of cheese, black pepper, and jalapeños.
• Perfect for serving with your favorite chili or other entree.
• A great snack all on its own, maybe with a glass of ice-cold milk.
• Easy to bake, cool, and slice.
• Great to double, so that you can freeze a loaf for later.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

The list of ingredients to make jalapeño cheddar bread is short and sweet- or should I say savory? And you probably have most of these things in your pantry already.

• Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe.
• Sugar: Just a little sugar brings out the flavors of the cheese and peppers.
• Baking Powder: To make the bread rise. Do not use baking soda – these two are not the same.
• Salt and Pepper: Using both salt and a generous amount of black pepper gives the bread an irresistible zestiness.
• Cheddar Cheese: Shredded, sharp cheddar is what you’ll need. Pre-shredded is fine, or you can shred your own.
• Milk: Whole milk makes the jalapeño cheddar bread tender and moist.
• Oil: Vegetable or canola oil.
• Egg: One large, whole egg adds richness and helps the bread come together.
• Diced Jalapeño Peppers: I recommend removing the seeds and membrane of the jalapeños.
• Bell Pepper: Dice up some green and red bell peppers, or use just one color. Either way, it will be delicious!

How to Bake This Cheesy Bread

Since this is a quick bread recipe, it’s incredibly easy to bake. No kneading, rising, or proofing yeast here! If you can bake cookies from a mix, you can make jalapeño cheddar bread.

1. Prepare Your Oven and Loaf Pan. To begin, set your oven to preheat to 375°F. Grease an 8×3 inch loaf pan with butter or oil, or spray with cooking spray. You can also line it with parchment, if you like.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together your flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add the cheese, and gently toss the mixture so that the flour coats the cheese shreds.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and egg.
4. Mix the Dry and Wet Ingredients Together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the milk mixture into the well, and mix together lightly with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the Peppers. Fold in the jalapeño and bell peppers, and stir just until just combined. The batter will be lumpy.
6. Bake! Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and bake until the top is golden-brown. The loaf should spring back when pushed gently in the center. This will take between 45 and 50 minutes.
7. Cool and Serve. Cool the loaf in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes, and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm.

Helpful Tips

Want to know more about this bread? Read on for my best tips to make the perfect loaf- and happy baking!

• A Less-Spicy Loaf: If you feel that jalapeños are too spicy, just use Anaheim peppers or even some additional green bell peppers, instead. Removing the seeds and ribs from hotter peppers also makes them milder.
• Spicier Bread: If you want to up the heat in your bread, I recommend leaving the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños while you dice them up. This will definitely up the heat in your bread! You can also always add an extra jalapeño as well.
• Handle with Care: On that note, it’s important to avoid touching your face or eyes while working with hot peppers, and be sure to wash your hands and utensils well after preparing them. I recommend wearing gloves, if you have sensitive skin or if the peppers are strong.
• Cheese Options: Feel free to substitute Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or any other flavorful melting cheese that you like in this recipe.
• Browning To Quickly: If you check in on your bread and feel it’s browning too quickly on top, you can cover the top of the loaf lightly with foil as it bakes. This will keep it from browning more.

Serving Suggestions

This bread makes an amazing snack on its own, or a great addition to your favorite dinner! These are just a few of the mouthwatering recipes you could make with homemade jalapeño cheddar bread.

• Chili: Cheesy bread and your favorite chili (I like Chunky Beef Chili) are a winning combination. Don’t forget the sour cream!
• Chowder: Of course it also goes great with a chowder, like my favorite Bacon Corn Chowder!
• Chicken: Pico de Gallo Chicken, that is! Topped with fresh pico and baked to juicy perfection, this easy chicken dish Ian great with carbs on the side, and jalapeño cheddar bread is just the thing.

How to Store

I recommend storing jalapeño cheddar bread wrapped tightly, or placed in a zip-top bag with as much air as possible squeezed out. Pop it in the fridge and plan to use it within four days.

Can I Freeze Jalapeño Cheddar Bread?

Definitely! First, allow the bread to fully cool. Then wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Mark with the date, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before serving or warming.

More Easy Bread Recipes

Here are a few more great savory bread recipes:

• Irish Soda Bread
• Goat Cheese Garlic Bread
• Easy Homemade Bread Recipe
• Buttery Beer Bread
• Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

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