Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread
This Cheddar Cheese Sourdough Bread is an easy, cheesy loaf made with active starter—perfect for beginners and delicious toasted or as a base for sandwiches.
Servings 12 slices
Calories 250kcal
Equipment
- Straight-sided container (optional, for bulk fermentation)
- Proofing basket or bowl lined with tea towel
- Bread sling or parchment paper
- Lame or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons (330 grams) warm water 80-90℉
- ½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter or "fresh" discard (1-2 days old)
- 4 cups + 3 tablespoons (500 grams) bread flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to 1 ¾ teaspoons if using Morton's brand or table salt
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- Rice flour for dusting proofing basket
- 2 ice cubes for steam
Instructions
- About 6–12 hours before starting, feed your starter so it’s active, bubbly, and doubled in size.
- In a large bowl, whisk together warm water and active starter. Add bread flour and salt, mixing until a rough dough forms. Cover and rest 20 minutes.1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons (330 grams) warm water, ½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter, 4 cups + 3 tablespoons (500 grams) bread flour, 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- Add ¼ of the shredded cheddar cheese to the top of the dough. With lightly damp hands, lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up as far as it will go without tearing, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90°, add another ¼ of the cheese, and repeat. Continue around all four sides. Gather into a rough ball and place it seam-side down in the bowl. Cover and rest 20 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process 3 more times (4 sets total), resting 20 minutes between sets.8 ounces cheddar cheese
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, puffy, and bubbly, about 4–12 hours depending on temperature and starter strength. A straight-sided container helps track the rise.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently stretch into a rectangle. Fold one long edge toward the center, then the opposite long edge. Repeat with the short edges. Flip seam-side down and gently round into a ball to create surface tension. Rest 20 minutes, then repeat shaping process to redistribute air and build extra tension.
- Transfer the dough seam-side up to a rice flour–dusted proofing basket. Cover and refrigerate overnight (12–16 hours).Rice flour
- Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside and preheat to 450°F. Allow the Dutch oven to heat an additional 30–45 minutes once the oven reaches temperature.
- Flip dough onto parchment or a bread sling, score the top, then transfer carefully to the hot Dutch oven. Add 2 ice cubes for steam and cover. Bake 40 minutes covered, then uncover and bake another 5–10 minutes until golden brown.2 ice cubes
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool at least 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Storage: Store uncut or sliced bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze sliced bread for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 2.6mg
Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.
