Quick Cheese Bread
Homemade bread is one of those things that I can absolutely never tire of. Eric and I love making bread together, and we even had a starter for quite some time. Yeast breads are certainly our favorite, but a great quick bread recipe is hard to beat. It comes in handy when you want homemade bread but don’t want to wait all day for it.
This bread has so many things going for it that I’m finding it hard to describe without sounding overly effusive. First and foremost, there’s cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Not only is there cheese inside and on top of the bread, there’s also cheese on the bottom crust, thanks to a sprinkling of Parmesan in the pan prior to baking. Cubes of cheese are baked right into the bread, leaving behind gooey, cheesy pockets. There’s not a bite of this bread that doesn’t have cheese in it. The crumb is rich and moist, everything a quick bread should be. Cayenne and black pepper add just a hint of spice and plenty of flavor. The bread is so aromatic that it’s hard to resist cutting into it as soon as it comes out of the oven. It’s worth the wait, though, and will stay good for a few days (if you can keep it around that long).
- COOK TIME:
- YIELD: 1 9-inch loaf
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
1¼ cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup sour cream
- 1
Place oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 350º. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle ½ cup of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom of the pan.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix in the cheddar using a rubber spatula, breaking up any clumps, until all the cheese is well coated with the flour mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, egg and sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, taking care not to overmix. The batter will be heavy and thick. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly over the top of the batter.
- 3
Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Remember when testing for doneness that a pocket of cheese may look like uncooked batter. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out and continue cooling for an additional 45 minutes before cutting.
WOW this looks amazing, I love the cheese on the bottom, such a hidden surprise. I will definitely be trying this!
Wow, that looks so yummy!
Homemade bread intimidates me but this sounds very manageable. And like it would pair perfect with chili or soup!
This one is so easy, and it really is great for chili and soup.
Yumyumyumyumyum. Drool. This looks so good!
The bread looks amazing, absolutely amazing!
This looks like the perfect bread for fall stews and soups. Cheesy pockets are you kidding!
Beautiful pictures Courtney! This would go well with your chicken soup!
I know what I’m making instead of cornbread for our next batch of chili. I wonder if I might be add pickled jalapenos to the mix? Maybe toss them with flour first. This looks great!
Yes, that sounds like a fantastic idea!
Oh my goodness does this ever look awesome. I can’t wait to make it!
In my book there is nothing better than cheesebread. I always eat way too much of it, but just can’t resist. This sounds great cause it is fast to make.
I just found your blog through Pinterest. And this looks so yummy!! I can’t wait to try it!
I just baked this (and cut into it about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven because I could not resist!)
So good, moist, CHEESY! Yummmmmm!
This sounds delicious! Is it possible to make it with any other type of milk? We don’t drink “cow” milk at our house so would soy, almond or coconut work? Thank you.
Andrea, I’m not sure since I haven’t personally tried it with that substitution, but it doesn’t hurt to try and find out. Good luck!
I have buttermilk that I need to use. Would that work in this Cheese Bread recipe instead of the milk?
Kathy, I’m not sure since I’ve never made it with buttermilk. However, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. Good luck!
I am new to your blog but so happy to have found it! I have found so many recipes that I want to try from your site and I just made this bread on Saturday. It was so delicious! And super easy to throw together. Just wanted to thank you for such an amazing bread recipe that I will definitely continue to make on a regular basis.
Thank you again and I hope you have a great week,
Rachel
I made thIs bread last night and crushed two garlic cloves in with the wet ingredients for a lightly garlicly yummy cheese bread, so good! Thanks for a versatile recipe! I’ll definitely keep this one around!
Oh yum! I will definitely try it with added garlic next time around because I’m a sucker for garlic bread. Thanks for the suggestion!