Baking / Loaves & yeast breads
Sharp Cheddar Cheese Bread
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One bowl, no yeast, no rising, and a loaf comes out with sharp cheddar in every slice and a crown of it on top. Let it cool fifteen minutes before you cut it, if the kitchen will let you.
The short version
Toss sharp cheddar with the dry ingredients, stir in milk, egg and melted butter just until mixed, top with more cheese and bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes. Slice after 15 minutes of cooling.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Use sharp cheddar and shred it yourself. Sharp cheese still tastes like cheese after baking, and bagged shreds carry coating that keeps them from melting into the crumb.
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Add mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne. You won't taste either one. They make the cheddar taste sharper.
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Toss the cheese with the flour first, and save some for the top. Coated shreds stay spread through the loaf instead of sinking, and the cheese on top bakes into a crisp, golden crust.
What you need
the usual suspects
- All-purpose flour2 cups
- Granulated sugar1 tablespoon
- Dry mustard powder1 teaspoon
- Cayenne pepper⅛ teaspoon
- Sharp cheddar8 ounces
- Scallions2 large
- Whole milk1 cup
- Egg1 large
yes, all of the butter
Steps
deep breath. you’ve got this.
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Heat the oven, line the pan
Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder and cayenne.
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Coat the cheese
Add 6 ounces of the cheese and the scallions and toss until every shred is coated with flour. Set the remaining 2 ounces aside.
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Mix the batter
Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in a measuring cup. Pour it over the flour and cheese and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour shows. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Too much stirring makes the loaf tough.
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Pan and top
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Scatter the reserved cheese over the surface.
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Bake
Bake until the top is deep golden, the edges have pulled slightly from the pan, and a skewer in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. If the cheese on top browns too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the last 10 minutes.
A skewer through a pocket of melted cheese looks wet. Poke the bread beside the cheese.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool a little, then slice
Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment onto a rack. Wait another 15 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets. Serve warm.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Swap in any melting cheese you like, such as Gruyère, pepper jack or Monterey Jack. Keep the total at 8 ounces.
- Add up to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, thyme or rosemary, or 2 slices of crumbled cooked bacon, with the cheese.
- For muffins, divide among 12 lined cups and bake at 350°F for 20 to 24 minutes.
- Storage. Wrapped, at room temperature 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days. Sliced and frozen in a zip-top bag, 3 months. Warm slices in a toaster oven or toast them with butter.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why is my cheese bread dry?
Usually it baked too long or the flour was packed into the cup. Spoon and level the flour, and pull the loaf as soon as a skewer comes out clean.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
You can, but shredding a block takes two minutes, melts better and tastes sharper. Pre-shredded is coated to stay loose, so it melts less evenly.
Can I use buttermilk instead of milk?
Yes. Use 1 cup of buttermilk and add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. It gives a slightly tangier, more tender crumb.
What should I serve with cheese bread?
Tomato soup, chili, and any stew or pot of beans. It's also good toasted with butter for breakfast.
Is this the same as Brazilian cheese bread?
No. This is a cheddar quick bread baked in a loaf pan. Brazilian pão de queijo is a chewy cheese puff made from tapioca flour.
From the table
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Published October 29, 2026.