I love anything thing cheddar jalapeno flavored and this cheddar jalapeno babka is no exception! This soft, enriched dough gets wrapped around cheddar and jalapeno pieces then baked so the cheese is nice and melty and the pepper’s flavor permeates the entire babka, it’s delicious!
A babka is a roll that has been cut in half then twisted together then baked in a bread pan. It’s simple to make but the layers look complex and kind of fancy. That’s one of the reasons this is such a fun thing to bake, plus it’s a rich and delicious bread.
I love to use this babka bread like you would a cheddar jalapeno bagel, you can add warm butter, cream cheese, use for a sandwich or as toast with some avocado and egg on top (one of my favorites). It can also be torn rustically and enjoyed during dinner, dipped in soup or sauces. However you eat it, it’s delicious!
What you need to make this Cheddar Jalapeno Babka: (full printable recipe is below)
Makes 1 babka loaf
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter – melted
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 cups all purpose flour – give or take
- 4 large jalapenos – seeds and stems removed, diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Egg Wash: (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment, add warm water and yeast and let sit for a minute.
- Add the sugar, salt, melted butter, egg and egg yolk and mix.
- Add the flour a cup at a time and add until a dough forms, you may use more or less than 4 cups.
- Knead dough for 5 minutes or until it feels smooth and almost gum like.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 1 hour.
- While dough is rising, sauté jalapenos in a pan for 5 minutes or until they soften slightly then set aside.
- Gently punch down the dough and roll it out into a large rectangle, roughly 12 inches wide by 10 inches high, it doesn’t need to be exact.
- Add the diced jalapenos over the top of the dough, followed by the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Roll the dough up into a roll, like you would a cinnamon roll.
- Once rolled, slice the dough down the middle of the roll so you have 2 pieces of the roll with the layers exposed.
- Now twist the two pieces of dough together to form a twist and place in a greased baking sheet. It is okay if cheese and jalapenos fall out during the rolling, just place anything that falls out on to top of the bread.
- Lightly cover the babka with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm location.
- While it is rising, mix together the egg wash ingredients and before baking the babka, brush the top with egg wash.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. and bake babka for 40 – 45 minutes or until center is baked, internal temperature should be between 190 – 200 F..
- You can cover the top of the loaf if it is getting too brown.
- Allow to mostly cool then enjoy.
Here are a few other breads you may love:
Spiced Zucchini Bread
Shortcut Focaccia Bread
Grandma’s Famous Cranberry Bread
Pumpkin Cornbread
Cheddar Jalapeno Babka
Cheesy babka with jalapeno pieces sprinkled through out this rich and decadent bread.
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter – melted
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 cups all purpose flour – give or take
- 4 large jalapenos – seeds and stems removed diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- Egg Wash optional
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment, add warm water and yeast and let sit for a minute.
- Add the sugar, salt, melted butter, egg and egg yolk and mix.
- Add the flour a cup at a time and add until a dough forms, you may use more or less than 4 cups.
- Knead dough for 5 minutes or until it feels smooth and almost gum like.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise for 1 hour.
- While dough is rising, sauté jalapenos in a pan for 5 minutes or until they soften slightly then set aside.
- Gently punch down the dough and roll it out into a large rectangle, roughly 12 inches wide by 10 inches high, it doesn’t need to be exact.
- Add the diced jalapenos over the top of the dough, followed by the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Roll the dough up into a roll, like you would a cinnamon roll.
- Once rolled, slice the dough down the middle of the roll so you have 2 pieces of the roll with the layers exposed.
- Now twist the two pieces of dough together to form a twist and place in a greased baking sheet. It is okay if cheese and jalapenos fall out during the rolling, just place anything that falls out on to top of the bread.
- Lightly cover the babka with greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm location.
- While it is rising, mix together the egg wash ingredients and before baking the babka, brush the top with egg wash.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. and bake babka for 40 – 45 minutes or until center is baked, internal temperature should be between 190 – 200 F..
- You can cover the top of the loaf if it is getting too brown.
- Allow to mostly cool then enjoy.