Cheddar Jalapeno French Peasant Bread is a delicious twist on one of our favorite homemade carbs, French Peasant Bread.  It’s no-knead, super simple, and only a handful of ingredients.  My kids LOVE this bread. So when I was making a couple of batches last week, I thought I’d change it up a little and throw in some cheese and jalapenos…and we loved it!  But really, when you combine bread and cheese, it’s pretty hard to go wrong, and this recipe is proof!

You don’t need a mixer…just a bowl and spoon to mix everything together! No kneading, no stress. You can even make the dough ahead of time and put it in the fridge until you’re ready for it. It couldn’t be easier! You don’t even have to make it perfectly round…its rustic look is part of the charm of this wonderful little bread.

 Cheddar Jalapeno French Peasant Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast (or 1 package)
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, cut in half
• 2 Tbsp jalapeno juice (from the jar)
• 2-3 Tbsp melted butter
• cornmeal (for sprinkling on the pan)

Directions:

1. Add the yeast, water and sugar to a mixing bowl, stir until dissolved.
2. Add the salt, flour, cheese, jalapeno slices and juice.
3. Stir until thoroughly combined, but do not knead.
4. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat) and sprinkle with cornmeal.
6. Divide dough in half and form into two rounds. Place on prepared pan and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes-1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
8. Brush the tops of the rounds with half of the melted butter.
9. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then REDUCE the temperature to 375 and bake an additional 15 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter.
11. Serve warm.

Notes:

• I have tried baking it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, instead of changing the temperature part way through. It didn’t get as nicely browned, so even though it will work to use a constant temperature, I still recommend the method described above. It only takes a few second to reduce the temperature and the results are better.
• This bread has a mild jalapeno flavor and isn’t very spicy. If you like more spice/flavor, add more jalapenos or juice (but if you add extra juice, I would recommend reducing the water by the same amount.
• I like to cut the jalapeno slices in half because I prefer smaller bites of jalapenos. If you like whole slices, then leave them whole! The bread will not be affected either way.

Looking for something delicious to serve with your new favorite bread? Try some of our favorites!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs // Creamy Potato Soup // Chicken & Broccoli Casserole