Easy Dill Pickle Cheddar Bread
If you’ve never tried dill pickle cheddar bread, you’re about to meet your new obsession. It’s tangy, cheesy, and baked up in a Dutch oven so it comes out with that bakery-style crust and a soft, pillowy crumb inside. Basically, it’s everything you want in bread—but sassier.
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Think of it as the love child of your favorite grilled cheese and a crunchy pickle spear. You know that moment when you bite into a sandwich and the pickle juice drips a little and you’re like, yes, that’s the good stuff? That’s what this bread delivers, all in one bite.
Why You’ll Love This Dill Pickle Cheddar Bread Recipe
- Easy to make – Everything gets mixed together in one bowl, kneaded for a few minutes, and then the magic of yeast does its thing. No complicated techniques or hard to find ingredients.
- Crusty outside, soft inside – Thanks to the Dutch oven, you get artisan bakery vibes without the fuss.
- Big flavor – Tangy pickles + melty cheddar = your new dream team.
- No fancy gear – Just a Dutch oven, a bowl, and a spoon. No mixers, no drama.
- Crowd-pleaser – Family, friends, or nosey neighbors… everyone’s going to ask for seconds.
- Versatile – Perfect for sandwiches, dunking in soup, or just snacking warm with butter.
The Dutch oven does the heavy lifting here. No need to stress about creating steam in the oven or messing with pans of hot water. You toss the dough in, cover it, and let magic happen. The lid traps steam, giving you that glorious crackly crust.
This recipe is surprisingly simple. No professional baker vibes required—just basic pantry and fridge ingredients, chopped dill pickles, shredded cheddar, and a little patience while the dough rises. You’ll mix it, cover with a damp tea towel at room temperature, let it rise, shape, and then bake it until golden. Slice it, slather with butter, and try not to eat half the loaf standing at the counter. (No judgment if you do.)
Serve it with soup. Use it for the ultimate ham sandwich. Or just tear off hunks and dip them straight into ranch. Your house is about to smell like a dream, and trust me—your family will circle the kitchen like hungry sharks.
Ingredients Needed
- Bread flour: I used a strong bread flour (14g protein). This is perfect for a good rise and fluffy crumb.
- Shredded cheddar: I recommend freshly shredded cheddar for a better crumb. The anti-caking agents in the pre-shredded cheese prevent it from melting smoothly. You can use mild or sharp cheddar, depending on your preference.
- Chopped and drained dill pickles: choose your favorite ones for the best tasting experience.
- Yeast: I used rapid rise instant yeast (no blooming required).
- Salt: I used Celtic salt.
- Water: lukewarm water.
Instructions
- Use the large box grater holes to grate the cheddar.
- Chop finely the dill pickles and squeeze the pickle juice out as much as you can.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast.
- Fold in chopped pickles and shredded cheddar until evenly distributed.
- Add warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough by hand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Pro tip: if the dough is too sticky, leave it to rest for about 10 minutes before you attempt again. If the dough is still sticky, then you can add small amounts of extra flour. Use small increments to avoid a dry dough.
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 – 2 and a 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size (depending on the room temperature of your kitchen).
- Once risen, turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round boule. Let it rest for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.
- Carefully remove Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour on the bottom and place the dough inside (caution: the Dutch oven is extremely hot!). Score the dough with a sharp knife or a scoring lame (about half an inch deep). Cover with the lid, and bake for about 45 minutes.
- Remove lid and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing (if you can wait that long!).
Note: if you are using a stand mixer to knead the dough, you should reduce the kneading time by about half. The dough should be smooth and elastic and not break when gently stretched. For stand mixer kneading, add the chopped pickles and the shredded cheddar at the end of the kneading process. Mix it until well incorporated.
Storage and Freezing Tips
- Room Temperature: Store cooled bread in a bread box or bread bag for up to 3 days.
- Freezer Friendly: Slice the bread, pop it in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Toast slices straight from the freezer.
- Pro tip: Warm it in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked magic.
Serving Suggestions
This bread is bold, so pair it with meals that can handle the flavor punch:
Sandwich Ideas:
- Classic ham and Swiss with a swipe of mustard
- Turkey club with crispy bacon and mayo
- Roast beef with horseradish sauce
- Grilled cheese upgrade (yes, more cheese is always welcome)
Soups That Love This Bread:
- Creamy tomato soup
- Chicken noodle soup
- Loaded baked potato soup
- Beef chili or turkey chili
FAQ
Can I use plain pickles?
Yes, of course. Dill pickles add an extra level on the flavor profile, but plain pickles are delicious just as much. Use whatever you have on hand.
What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
You can bake the bread on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet. Place an oven-safe dish of water on the bottom rack to create steam, which helps with the crust.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
Yep, but freshly shredded cheddar melts better. Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that can make it a little less gooey.
Do I have to use sharp cheddar?
Nope. Mild cheddar works, or even pepper jack if you like some kick.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
You can swap the bread flour with all-purpose flour but you might need to reduce the water in the recipe by about 15g-30g. All-purpose flour needs more kneading than bread flour to strengthen the dough, as all-purpose flour has a lower percentage of protein. Also, fermentation time might increase slightly as the dough made with all-purpose flour takes more time to rise.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely. Bake, cool, and freeze. Or bake the night before—you’ll still get great flavor the next day.
So grab that jar of pickles hiding in the back of the fridge, and let’s turn snack time into bread time. This easy dill pickle cheddar bread is the fun, flavorful upgrade you didn’t know you needed—but you’ll definitely make again.
Easy Dill Pickle Cheddar Bread
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven (6qt)
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups bread flour 550g
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar 160g
- 1 cup finely chopped and drained dill pickles 130g
- 1 ¼ cup water (lukewarm) 300g
- 1 ½ tsp rapid rise instant yeast (or active dry yeast) 7g
- 1 ½ tsp salt (I used Celtic Salt) 8g
Instructions
- Use the large box grater holes to grate the cheddar.
- Chop finely the dill pickles and squeeze the pickle juice out as much as you can.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast.4 ½ cups bread flour, 1 ½ tsp rapid rise instant yeast (or active dry yeast), 1 ½ tsp salt (I used Celtic Salt)
- Fold in chopped pickles and shredded cheddar until evenly distributed.2 cups freshly shredded cheddar, 1 cup finely chopped and drained dill pickles
- Add warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.1 ¼ cup water (lukewarm)
- Knead the dough by hand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Pro tip: if the dough is too sticky, leave it to rest for about 10 minutes before you attempt again. If the dough is still sticky, then you can add small amounts of extra flour. Use small increments to avoid a dry dough.
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 – 2 and a 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size (depending on the room temperature of your kitchen).
- Once risen, turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round boule. Let it rest for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.
- Carefully remove Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour on the bottom and place the dough inside (caution: the Dutch oven is extremely hot!). Score the dough with a sharp knife or a scoring lame (about half an inch deep). Cover with the lid, and bake for about 45 minutes.
- Remove lid and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, until golden brown and crusty.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing (if you can wait that long!).