Aunt Ruth's Cheese Bread

Name: Aunt Ruth's Cheese Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 10 oz. (283 g) extra sharp cheddar cheese (block, not shredded); 2 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) butter, softened (salted is fine); 3 cups (360 g) bread flour; 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (1 packet); 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt; 1 1/3 cups (315 ml) warm water (110°-115° F/43°-46° C); 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) butter, melted (salted is fine)

by Becky at The Bake Dept

1 loaf

1 hr 20 min

Aunt Ruth's Cheese Bread. It's an epic bread. One with a long, legendary, history from a remarkable woman. Cheese with bread in it. Make this.

Let me get a couple things out of the way here. This bread is otherworldly, first and foremost. It's a very simple recipe with very few ingredients but it will blow your cheesy mind.

You can make this in a mixer or you can make this by hand.

There are a few hard and fast rules to this simple, easy bread though but don't panic, it's not complicated. Note, there are no substitutions; make this as written to get the right results:

use extra sharp cheddar only
use cheese in block form, not shredded
freeze the cheese a few days ahead for improved crumbles
butter the pan liberally, liberally, and use real butter

There are a few more tips and important notes about this recipe, so come on by The Bake Dept for more.

For my Aunt Ruth's secret tip for getting her bread to rise, hit up the post!

Obviously you're gathering this is not a health food post. This is a live life to the fullest post. I am not apologizing one single bit.

My Aunt Ruth was truly one of a kind, one of the very best people ever. It's such an honor to finally have this recipe and be able to share it with you, carrying on her wonderful legacy.

If you're looking for more bread recipes, swing on by The Bake Dept!

It's just so good. So good. So. Damn. Good.

Happy baking! And be sure to drop by The Bake Dept for more on this along with lots of other terrific baking recipes!

Aunt Ruth's Cheese Bread

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Recipe details

Yield 1 loaf
Time spent: Prep time: 25 Minutes Cook time: 55 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 20 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

10 oz. (283 g) extra sharp cheddar cheese (block, not shredded)
2 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) butter, softened (salted is fine)
3 cups (360 g) bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (1 packet)
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
1 1/3 cups (315 ml) warm water (110°-115° F/43°-46° C)
1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) butter, melted (salted is fine)

Instructions

Several days ahead of baking, freeze the extra sharp cheddar. Just prior to baking, defrost the cheese on the counter and let it come to room temperature.
Liberally butter a metal 9x5 loaf pan with the first portion of butter and set aside.
Crumble the cheese blocks into various sized crumbles and set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer, add the flour, yeast, and salt and stir to combine. Slowly stream in 1 cup of the warm water using the paddle to reach a firm dough. Use the remaining 1/3 only as needed 1 tablespoon at a time.
Switch to a dough hook and knead for 5-8 minutes or knead by hand for 8 minutes. The dough will smooth and be firm.
Place the dough on a work surface and work the crumbled cheese in by hand. Give the dough a quick shape similar in shape to the loaf pan, set it in the pan, and brush with the remaining melted butter.
Allow the bread to rise for 30-60 minutes. Start checking the rise at 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C). When the dough is ready, bake for 55 minutes.
Cool the cheese bread in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
Best served sliced thick, slightly warm from the oven or toasted and buttered liberally.

Comments

Lenora Wadsworth on Apr 24, 2023

Can you mix in jalepeno peppers?

1 Reply
- Becky at The Bake Dept on Apr 24, 2023
  
  I haven’t tried it personally, but most likely you could. Thanks for a great question!
  
  Like
Mim49090343 on Apr 28, 2023

I am wondering if you can use Asiago Cheese instead of the cheddar? Thank you for sharing this recipe it looks so good!

4 Reply
- Becky at The Bake Dept on Apr 28, 2023
  
  You might be able to though as I haven’t tried it, I can’t speak to the results. Let me know how it goes! Thank you!
  
  Like

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