Ok, so I know that almost everyone is on a diet starting today. It’s a new year after all and everyone is determined to shed those holiday pounds.
I’m totally not going to help your cause today. That said, I have a soup recipe that will be coming up in a few days that is very healthy and will balance things out. But I have to tell you, that healthy soup goes swimmingly well with this Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread.
A heap of freshly grated cheddar cheese and a pile of crispy thick cut bacon baked into a hearty loaf of bread that gives Panera a run for its money.
A cheese bread is not a cheese bread without a cheesy crust, right? And if we’ve already gone this far, what harm will a little more bacon do?
When bread comes out of the oven, everyone is happy. When this comes out of the oven, everyone is speechless.
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 3¼ cups warm water
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2¾ cup cheddar cheese, fresh grated not bagged
- 10 strips cooked thick cut bacon, chopped and divided
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- In a large mixing bowl combine water, yeast, salt and sugar. Allow mixture to sit for several minutes.
- Add flour, two cups of cheese, ½ bacon and fresh ground black pepper. Stir with spoon until combined. Dough will be shaggy. Don’t stress if it looks messy. It will come together in the end.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour.
- After an hour, turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. It does not need to be completely smooth. Just knead it long enough to come together and place dough into a loaf pan.
- Cover loaf with remaining cheese and bacon. Cover with towel and allow to rest for thirty minutes.
- Bake in a 400º oven for fifteen minutes. Cover loosely with foil and reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for another 25 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake for another 5 minutes.
- NOTE! Readers have alerted me that the pan I use is apparently larger than the standard 9×5. Therefore, either divide the batch in half and make two smaller loaves, or cut off about 1½ cups of the dough for a taller loaf. Use the leftovers to make a couple of mini loaves or bake in muffin cups.
Recipe is pinned for later use
I will definitely have to pick up a bunch of bacon next time I go to the store. This looks easy and amazing
That’s the beauty of this bread. Easy and delicious. I love when good food is simple.
ooo so far my pin of it has 19 repins
AWESOME
You are the best. Thank you for pinning. I’ve received lots of Pinterest visits today.
Oh My! This is a delectable looking recipe that I can’t wait to try Melanie! Bacon is always on my approved list of ingredients!!
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it.
Just out of curiosity, why fresh grated not bagged cheese? I’m assuming taste reasons…
Patti- Good question. Fresh grated cheddar has a better flavor and melts better. The bagged stuff doesn’t really create that crispy cheese crust. So, it takes a little more effort, but it’s totally worth it to use fresh grated.
I also think bagged grated cheese contains corn starch and other stuff to keep them from sticking together. That would ruin the overall flavour and outcome, right?
I don’t think it would ruin the flavor, I just don’t think it would be as amazing. I figure if you are going through the effort to make bread, grating cheese isn’t too much more effort in the grand scheme of things, lol. Might as well use the good stuff.
No, you’re not helping but this is unbelievably good. But I can’t wait for the soup recipe that goes with this incredibly bread!
The worst part about this is that I just happen to have all the ingredients in my kitchen right now… which kind of means I HAVE to make it, right?
Ah well, I never really expected the New Year’s diet to last very long anyways… 
This looks divine, and it would make one decadently happy hubby. I’m curious what size of loaf pan you used. It seems like it might be a tad much for my 9″x5″ pan. I’d be so sad to lose bacony goodness to a scorched little mess on the bottom of my oven.
That is a great question. It is a larger stoneware pan, but I don’t know the capacity. I think you could safely split the dough in half and have two smaller loaves.
Cut the batch in half and make two loaves or cut off about 1 1/2 cups of the dough and use that for muffin cup or mini loaf pan loaves. I updated the recipe to suggest that for others. Thanks for the feedback.
Wow, this bread looks amazing. Love the small bites oh bacon. Yeah, looks really delish!
It overflowed in a 9×5 pan.
I’m sorry that happened for you, but this recipe has always behaved for me. Not sure how to tell you what happened since I wasn’t in your kitchen.
Making this RIGHT NOW! Yum! Happy Superbowl!
Made this yesterday. OMG was it delish….
Thank you for the feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this bread three times, all three of the batches were eaten up fast. Can start making it in the afternoon and be ready to eat by dinner time. I do believe that this will be a present given to my family members and friends for their birthday, Christmas or just give it to them just because. Even got it approved by a 6 and 9 year old, they wanted to have more. Taste delicious dunking it in tomato soup or by itself. I add a little bit more cheese than the recipe says, my family are avid cheese lovers so they do not mind at all.
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I just pinned (and printed it). I can hardly wait to make it.
I’m making this tomorrow. To go with fresh out of the ground new potato soup!! I rarely eat bread (or potatoes), but I simply can’t pass this by!!!
This goes so well with potato soup. Fantastic choice! Enjoy!
My little neighbor can eat like a horse and she loves bread, bacon and cheese. In hospital but can’t wait til she gets home and able to eat because this be the first thing I bring to her door! Thanks tons