RECIPES • SOURDOUGH
A savory sourdough loaf filled with sharp cheddar and jalapeños — start in the morning and bake it fresh the next day.
This jalapeño cheddar sourdough is one of those loaves that makes the kitchen smell especially good when it comes out of the oven.
The dough is filled with sharp cheddar and jalapeños, giving you little pockets of melted cheese, a gentle kick of heat, and a deeply golden crust.
I especially like this schedule because most of the work happens during the day. Start the levain in the morning, mix and fold the dough before lunch, shape in the late afternoon, and let the refrigerator do the rest overnight.
The next morning, the loaf can go straight from the refrigerator into the oven.
🌿 Little Z’s Kitchen Note
Don’t let the clock decide when bulk fermentation is finished. Watch the dough. When it’s puffy, jiggly and has risen about 30–50%, it’s ready to shape.
A Cozy Sourdough Bake
Why You’ll Love This Loaf
This bread has everything I love in a savory sourdough: a crisp crust, chewy interior, tangy sourdough flavor, melted sharp cheddar and little bites of jalapeño throughout.
Using only bread flour keeps the recipe simple and gives the finished loaf a lovely chewy texture. The overnight cold proof also makes the schedule surprisingly manageable.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Levain
- 35 g active sourdough starter
- 35 g bread flour
- 35 g water
Dough
- 100 g ripe levain
- 375 g water
- 500 g bread flour
- 10 g salt
🌶️ Cheddar & Jalapeño
- 100 g sharp cheddar, grated
- 100 g jalapeños, diced and well drained
Make sure the jalapeños are well drained so they don’t add too much extra moisture to the dough.
Plan Your Bake
Morning Start, Next-Morning Bake
Here’s an example schedule for starting the loaf around 7:00 AM.
| 7:00 AM | Make levain |
| 10:00–11:00 AM | Mix dough, flour & salt |
| 11:30 AM | Stretch & fold #1 |
| 12:00 PM | Stretch & fold #2 + add cheddar & jalapeños |
| 12:30 PM | Stretch & fold #3 |
| 1:00 PM | Stretch & fold #4 |
| 1:00–4:00/5:00 PM | Continue bulk fermentation |
| 4:00–5:00 PM | Pre-shape |
| 30 min later | Final shape |
| ~5:00 PM | Refrigerate overnight |
| 7:00–9:00 AM next day | Bake straight from refrigerator |
Step by Step
How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough
01 • 7:00 AM
Make the Levain
Mix together 35 g active starter, 35 g bread flour and 35 g water.
Cover loosely and leave at room temperature until bubbly, well risen and active, usually about 3–4 hours.
02 • 10:00–11:00 AM
Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, mix 100 g ripe levain with 375 g water until the levain is mostly dispersed.
Add 500 g bread flour and 10 g salt at the same time.
Mix everything together until there are no dry patches of flour and the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass.
Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
03 • 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Stretch & Fold
Do 3–4 sets of stretch and folds, approximately 30 minutes apart.
During stretch & fold #2, gently add:
100 g diced, well-drained jalapeños
Gently fold the dough over the cheese and jalapeños so they become distributed throughout without tearing the dough.
04 • 1:00–4:00/5:00 PM
Continue Bulk Fermentation
After the final stretch and fold, leave the dough covered at room temperature to continue bulk fermentation.
Rather than waiting for it to double, look for dough that is puffy, jiggly and smoother on top, with roughly a 30–50% rise. You may also see bubbles developing around the sides.
The exact timing will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
🌿 Watch the Dough, Not the Clock
If your kitchen is warm — around 75–78°F (24–26°C) or warmer — the dough may reach a 30–50% rise before 4:00 PM. If it does, move on to shaping earlier rather than waiting for the scheduled time. This helps prevent overproofing during the overnight cold proof.
05 • 4:00–5:30 PM
Pre-Shape & Final Shape
Turn the dough onto the counter and gently pre-shape it.
Let it rest uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Do the final shaping, then transfer the loaf seam-side-up into a well-floured banneton.
06 • OVERNIGHT
Cold Proof
Cover the banneton and place it in the refrigerator for approximately 12–16 hours.
There’s no need to bring the dough back to room temperature before baking the next morning.
07 • NEXT MORNING
Bake Straight from the Refrigerator
Preheat your Dutch oven at 500°F (260°C).
Once the Dutch oven is thoroughly heated, take the loaf directly from the refrigerator. Turn it onto parchment paper and score the top.
Carefully transfer the loaf into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and immediately lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C).
Covered: 20 minutes
Uncovered: about 20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown
Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and let it cool for at least 1–2 hours before slicing.
🧀 A Little Cheese Tip
A few pieces of cheddar near the outside of the dough may caramelize against the crust while baking. Those crispy, golden cheese edges might just be the best part.
Quick Recipe
Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough
1. Make the levain and let it rise for about 3–4 hours.
2. Mix 100 g ripe levain with 375 g water. Add 500 g bread flour and 10 g salt. Mix and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Complete 3–4 stretch and folds, about 30 minutes apart, adding the cheddar and jalapeños during fold #2.
4. Continue bulk fermentation until the dough is puffy and has risen roughly 30–50%.
5. Pre-shape, rest for 30 minutes, then final shape.
6. Refrigerate for approximately 12–16 hours.
7. Bake straight from the refrigerator: 20 minutes covered + about 20 minutes uncovered at 450°F (232°C).
Worth the Overnight Wait
Sourdough takes a little patience, but that’s part of what makes it special. Most of the time in this recipe is simply letting the dough ferment while you go about the rest of your day.
The next morning, you get a warm loaf with a crisp crust, pockets of cheddar and just enough jalapeño to make every slice interesting.
Simple days. Creative moments. Little joys.
Little Z’s Corner
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