No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread Recipe
This No Knead Jalapeño Cheddar Bread is a flavorful, easy-to-make artisan loaf with a perfect crisp crust and soft, cheesy interior featuring diced jalapeños for a mild kick. It requires minimal effort, no kneading, and slow fermentation for 12-18 hours to develop deep taste and texture, baked in a hot dutch oven to mimic traditional bread baking techniques.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 13-18 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 1.5 pounds / 680g) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons (390g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for dusting hands and surface
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant or active-dry yeast
Additional Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 1 cup (125g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (about 95°F / 35°C)
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coarse sea salt, yeast, diced jalapeño, and shredded cheddar cheese. Pour in the warm water and stir until a sticky dough forms. If the dough feels excessively wet, add an additional 2 tablespoons of flour. Shape it gently into a ball without kneading. Cover tightly and let it rest at room temperature for 12-18 hours until it doubles in size and has air bubbles.
- Shape Dough: Lightly flour a work surface and your hands, then turn the dough onto it. Gently shape the dough into a ball, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Place the dough ball onto a large piece of parchment paper suitable for high oven heat. Put the dough inside a bowl to prevent spreading, allowing it to rest.
- Score Dough: Using a sharp knife or bread lame, gently score an X into the top of the dough. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C). Place your Dutch oven with the lid inside to heat for 30 minutes to ensure it is extremely hot before baking.
- Bake Covered: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough along with the parchment paper and place it inside the pot. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid carefully and continue baking for an additional 8-10 minutes until the bread is golden brown. Test for doneness by tapping the bread; it should sound hollow. For accuracy, the internal temperature should reach 195°F (90°C).
- Cool Bread: Remove the bread from the pot and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing to set the crumb.
- Storage: Store leftover bread covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- No kneading is required; the long fermentation develops gluten and flavor.
- Use coarse sea salt for better flavor; regular table salt may taste flat.
- Adjust flour slightly if dough feels too wet for better handling.
- Very hot Dutch oven ensures a crispy crust and even baking.
- Parchment paper makes transferring dough into the hot Dutch oven safer and easier.
- Resting dough covered prevents drying out during the final proof.
- Tap test or using a thermometer ensures perfectly baked bread.
- Cooling bread before slicing ensures better texture.
Keywords: No knead bread, jalapeño cheddar bread, artisan bread, easy bread recipe, homemade bread, spicy cheese bread
