Bread Machine Cheese Bread — Easy Homemade Loaf

Cheese Choices

I’ve made this recipe a number of times with different cheeses and all have turned out amazingly well.

I made a loaf with a ghost pepper cheddar cheese that was incredible. Spicy and cheesy and just wonderful. The cheese was a bit too hot for my taste buds plain but the bread dough seemed to cool the heat level some.

Sharp cheddar cheese provides a ton of flavor and is likely already on hand for many. There’s no reason you couldn’t use a mild cheddar cheese if that’s what you prefer.

Parmesan cheese would be great to serve alongside pasta dishes.

I only tested this recipe with hard shredded cheese, I can’t promise that it would work with a soft cheese, like brie.

Flour Choices

The recipe uses bread flour but you could likely substitute all-purpose flour and have similar results.

Substitute up to half of the bread flour with whole wheat flour, if you’d like some whole grain. If you wanted to do 100% whole wheat, you might need more water. I didn’t test it but in general whole wheat absorbs more water and so the results can’t be guaranteed.

Yeast Choices

I use instant yeast for ease in every bread machine recipe I test. If you wanted to use active dry yeast or bread machine yeast, simply follow your manufacturer’s instructions but I can’t say for certainty in what amount.

A Quick Note about Salt

The recipe only includes an addition 1/2 teaspoon salt – this is because cheese tends to be quite salty on its own and additional salt might be too much.

Add more or less based on the saltiness of your own cheese choice.

About My Bread Machine

My bread machine recipes are tested on a Welbilt Bread Machine. I bought it at a thrift store for $6.50. It makes great bread but every machine is different. Please follow any specific instructions provided by your bread machine manufacturer if they differ from how this recipe is written.

To Prevent Sticking

I had multiple loaves become hopelessly stuck to my bread pan and had to learn a trick or two to prevent it. Here’s what I do, if you’d like to try it:

After the final kneading cycle (for my machine there’s a 2 second third cycle of punching down), I remove the dough quickly from the machine, remove the kneading paddle and then spray the pan with some non-stick spray. Then I put the dough back in, close the lid and let the machine finish its rising and baking.

I use needle nose plier to remove the paddle.

This very simple step has stopped bread from sticking to the paddle hopelessly and coming out of the pan a broken mess.

Troubleshooting

My loaf didn’t rise well. Cheese can interfere with yeast activity if it’s added too early. Make sure you’re adding the cheese at the prompt or just before the end of the second kneading cycle — not at the beginning with the other ingredients. Also check that your yeast is fresh and that the water was warm but not hot.

My bread is dense. Dense cheese bread usually means too much cheese disrupted the dough structure, or the cheese was added too early and inhibited the rise. Stick to the 2 cup measurement and add at the right time. Also make sure you’re using instant yeast as the recipe is written — active dry yeast behaves differently in a bread machine.

The cheese clumped in one spot. This happens when the cheese is added all at once in a big pile. Try sprinkling it evenly around the pan rather than dumping it in the center, which helps it distribute during the final kneading.

My loaf stuck to the pan. See the sticking tip above — removing the paddle after the final knead and spraying the pan with non-stick spray is the most reliable fix. It takes about 30 seconds and makes a real difference.

The crust is very thick or hard. Try selecting a lighter crust setting on your machine next time. Cheese bread can brown more quickly than a plain white loaf because of the fat content in the cheese.

How to Serve

Serve this like you would any delicious bread. Use slices for your favorite sandwich fillings. Make grilled cheese on it for an even cheesier flavor.

Definitely serve alongside your favorite soup for a filling and tasty meal.

It’s great alongside pasta and perfect for dipping into marinara sauce.

For something on the sweeter side from your bread machine, this sweet Hawaiian bread is a reader favorite.

How to Store

Store any leftover bread or slices in an airtight container where it should stay fresh for about 5 days.

For longer term storage, wrap bread in plastic wrap or place into freezer bags and freeze.

Let frozen bread thaw at room temperature prior to storing. Use up frozen bread within 6 months for best flavor and to prevent freezer burn.