Cheese Bread Loaf (Super Soft!)

By Rebecca St. Clair

A cheese bread loaf that is warm, soft, and packed with cheesy goodness. Is there anything better than freshly baked cheese bread?

With a generous topping of crisp crusty cheese melted on top and a layer of cheddar cheese rolled and twisted throughout the loaf. Not to mention the bread itself is ultra soft and pillowy! This is the ultimate in decadent flavoured breads!

Cheese bread isn’t that much harder than any regular loaf to make but the taste and texture is out of this world! It is especially delicious made into extra cheesy grilled cheese sandwich!

What cheese is best to use for a cheese bread loaf

We typically use cheddar cheese, just because I like the classic look of the orange cheese swirled throughout the loaf.

I suggest using the type of cheese, or mixture of cheese, your family enjoys. However, some really great options you might want to try are,

• Gruyère– This cheese is slightly sweet, nutty, and salty. An amazing choice for cheese bread.
• Cheddar– This is, perhaps, the most popular choice for cheese bread. There are many varieties of this popular cheese. Marble, mild, sharp, and aged cheddars, to name a few. All would be ideal choices for cheese bread depending if you want a stronger or more subtle cheesy flavour.
• Asiago– I would use this as part of a cheese mixture. Asiago is a delicious hard cheese, similar to parmesan. It is frequently used in bread baking, usually melted on top.
• Mozzarella – This, very mild flavoured cheese, is perfect if you are wanting a very subtle cheese flavour. You know it’s going to be good, I mean pizza and mozzarella go hand in hand. So cheese bread with mozzarella, seems like a no-brainer!
• Gouda– This cheese has a sweet, light, buttery flavour. It is an excellent choice in baking, as it melts well. Try smoked gouda for a slightly different flavour.
• Provolone – This is a great semi-hard cheese. It has buttery, nutty flavours and can range from sharp to milk depending on the variety and age you choose.

Enriched dough

For this cheese bread recipe I’m using an enriched dough. This basically just means a dough that has been enriched with richer ingredients, or ingredients with a higher fat content.

This higher fat content will give you that dough that is super soft, tender, and pillowy. For this dough the richer ingredients include eggs, milk, and butter.

Even though cheese is a rich and high fat ingredient, it is not mixed in with the dough but more rolled in between the layers of dough, so we wont count this ingredient as part of the richness added into the dough.

Storage for your cheese bread loaf

This recipe is going to make enough for two cheese bread loaves. So, let’s talk about how we can store our bread to prolong the freshness!

At room temperature

You can absolutely store your bread on the counter. It will be at is softest and have the very best texture the first day. However, I find that the second day, after it has cooled and dried slightly, it is the perfectly sliceable bread loaf.

To prolong the freshness, try to keep the loaf stored in a paper bag. You can store it on the counter for 3 days. As the bread dries out, it is perfect for slicing and toasting!

Fridge

The fridge is not the best place to store your cheese bread loaf. The fridge is a natural dehydrator and tends to dry bread out very quickly. The temperature of the fridge will also change the overall texture of your bread loaf.

Freezer

This is the best option for storing your cheese bread loaf for longer storage. Store the loaf whole or presliced. To store your bread in the freezer,

• Allow the bread to cool to room temperature.
• Wrap the bread completely in plastic wrap or in a bread bag.
• Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• If you want to preslice the bread loaf before freezing, when you are ready to eat it, remove the slice and place it directly into the toaster. No need for defrosting!

How to make a super soft cheese bread loaf

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups warm milk 310 ml

1 Tablespoon sugar 15 ml

2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast (or 1 packet) 7 g

3 eggs

½ cup butter, softened 115 g

1 ½ teaspoons salt 7 ml

6 cups all-purpose flour 900 g

5 cups cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice) 400 g

Plus 2 cup cheddar cheese for topping 150 g

Method

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk and sugar.
2. Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside for it to soften and become foamy.
3. When the yeast is ready, stir in 3 beaten eggs, salt, butter, and flour.
4. Knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough ball. This should take about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8 minutes if you are kneading the dough by hand.

5. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

6. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and split in half.

7. Spread each out into a rectangle, you can use your hands or a rolling pin for this. The short side of the rectangle should be about the same width as your bread pans.

8. Place the cheese all over the top of the rectangle and roll the dough up into a log. Make sure to pinch it closed.

9. Cut the log in half lengthwise and twist the two halves around each other. Pinch both ends together to prevent it from unraveling. (This step is optional)

10. Place each twisted loaf in a greased loaf pan. Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot until just about doubled. (About 30-45 minutes)

11. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

12. Bake the loaves for 25 minutes.

13. Remove and apply a grated cheese topping. Return the loaves to the oven and continue to bake and melt the cheese on top for another 5-8 minutes.

14. Remove and cool slightly before slicing.

Hungry for more bakery quality bread recipes? These are popular with our readers! Scottish Kitchen Butter Rolls, Butteries, Old Fashioned Oatmeal Molasses Brown Bread, Easy Braided Bread Loaf

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