Twice-Baked Bacon And Cheddar Bread Recipe

If you're looking for a bread that's a total crowd-pleaser no matter what the occasion, this twice-baked bacon and cheddar bread is the one you've been waiting for. This loaded bread covers all the bases — salty, cheesy, oniony, and buttery — for a loaf that's impressive enough to bring to a dinner party or potluck but still casual enough for a weeknight meal. Serve it as a decadent appetizer or alongside a bowl of soup, chili, or a seasonal salad, and it'll be gone in no time. Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse raves, "This bread is super fun to make — you can even get kids involved in the process. It's also over-the-top cheesy and delicious, and it garners lots of oohs and aahs when you pull it out of the oven."

The crisp, golden brown exterior of the bread gives way to a feathery, light center, with each piece coated in melty sharp cheddar cheese, pieces of crispy bacon, sliced green onions, melted butter, and a sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper for a little heat. Feel free to take this recipe as a starting point and come up with your own variations — diced jalapeños, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, and chopped herbs would all make great additions.

The bulk of this recipe is handled by pantry staples. To make this twice-baked bread, lukewarm milk and granulated sugar help get instant yeast ready to go. Feel free to substitute in active dry yeast if that's what you have on hand. Bread flour, with its high protein content, helps create an elastic dough with good gluten development, yielding a crusty exterior and a feathery interior. All-purpose flour can be used in a pinch. Kosher salt enhances the flavor of the dough, and unsalted butter is added slowly to help create richness and a tender, buttery crumb. 

After the pull-apart loaf is baked, each section is opened up and stuffed with crumbled bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. Feel free to swap the bacon with turkey bacon if needed, and the cheddar for any type of cheese you prefer, including Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or others. Green onions add an oniony bite and pop of color, but chives can be used in their place. Black pepper is sprinkled on for a touch of peppery heat, and melted butter is drizzled all over for extra tenderness and to help create even browning. If you like a little extra heat, feel free to sprinkle on cayenne pepper at this stage. After baking, flaky sea salt can be added for an extra bit of saltiness.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, stir to combine milk, yeast, and sugar.

Add flour and salt, and knead on low to medium speed until a dough forms, 2–3 minutes.

Kneading on low to medium speed, add a few cubes of butter at a time, waiting until each round is absorbed by the dough before adding more, until all butter has been added.

Continue to knead for 5–6 minutes, until the dough is smooth.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and set aside to rise until doubled in size, 1–1 ½ hours.

Spray to coat a bundt or tube pan with baking (or cooking) spray.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.

Roll out into a 12-inch square.

Cut the dough into 16 (somewhat even) squares.

Stack squares of dough into the prepared pan.

Cover and set aside to rise until the dough is puffed and marshmallowy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 375 F.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Return the bread to the pan, then gently pull the top of each portion of bread apart to make it easy to fill.

Stuff each portion of bread evenly with bacon and cheese.

Sprinkle evenly with green onion and black pepper. Sprinkle on cayenne pepper, if desired.

Drizzle the top of the bread evenly with melted butter.

Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately. Garnish with flaky sea salt while hot, if desired.

The question of how long this bread will last is an easy one to answer — not long at all! When served hot, this twice-baked bacon and cheddar bread is guaranteed to be pulled apart and gobbled up long before any other dish on the table. 

If you do happen to have leftovers, this bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reheat, covered, in a preheated, 375 F oven until warmed through. You can also freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months, preferably in slices for quick thawing. If freezing larger pieces, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a preheated, 375 F oven. Individual slices can be quickly heated in a toaster oven or preheated oven before serving. 

For the freshest flavor and presentation, consider drizzling the bread with additional melted butter and sprinkling with cheese before reheating. Garnish with fresh green onions, chopped herbs, or a dash of freshly cracked black pepper before serving.

This twice-baked bacon and cheddar bread makes a terrific appetizer for just about any event, from a game day or holiday gathering to a picnic, potluck, or brunch. It's casual enough to set on the table for breakfast or lunch and indulgent enough to kick off a fantastic dinner. 

Pair this bread with other dishes accordingly: For breakfast or brunch, serve with a side of scrambled eggs, quiche, hash browns, fruit salad, and any other brunch favorites. For lunch, serve with soup or salad. Plate it up as an appetizer or side dish for dinner, pairing it with crudité or a charcuterie board, or with a hot spinach or artichoke dip as a first course. For the main course, set the bread on the table for everyone to grab a slice, whether you're serving chili, soup, stew, barbecue, or roast chicken. It also lends a festive touch to a classic holiday meal. 

This bread can be prepped ahead and baked fresh when you're ready to serve it. To make this twice-baked bread in advance, prepare as directed through Step 10. Cover and refrigerate overnight (the bread will rise slowly in the refrigerator as it sits). Bring the loaf to room temperature, then proceed with Step 12 as directed. The slow fermentation that occurs in a cold environment extends the rise time while also boosting the flavor and texture of the dough. Who knew that having a dough work around your schedule could actually improve it?

If you won't have quite enough room in your oven on the day of serving, cut the bake time down by preparing the bread through Step 14. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Proceed with stuffing and baking the bread on the day of serving as directed.