Savory Cheddar Chive Bread (Printable)

Golden bread infused with sharp cheddar and fresh chives offering a tender crumb and crispy crust.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Cheese & Herbs

05 - 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
06 - 1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, plus extra as needed
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and black pepper until well blended.
03 - Stir in grated cheddar and chopped chives until evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
04 - Create a well in center of bowl. Pour in buttermilk and melted butter. Mix with wooden spoon or hands until shaggy dough forms. Add additional buttermilk by tablespoon if mixture is too dry.
05 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Gently knead just until dough comes together—do not overwork. Shape into round loaf approximately 7 inches in diameter.
06 - Transfer loaf to prepared baking sheet. Using sharp knife, cut deep X across top of loaf.
07 - Bake 30–35 minutes until deeply golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
08 - Cool on wire rack at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No yeast means no proofing, no waiting, and no anxiety about whether your dough will rise
  • The sharp cheddar creates these incredible melted pockets throughout the crumb
  • Buttermilk keeps it tender while that deep X score gives you the perfect rustic crust
02 -
  • Overworking the dough makes soda bread tough, so stop as soon as it holds together
  • That hollow sound when tapping the bottom is your real doneness indicator, not just the color
  • Soda bread dries out faster than yeast bread, so eat it within 2 days or freeze it
03 -
  • Cold buttermilk can shock the baking soda and reduce its effectiveness, so let it sit out for 10 minutes
  • Grate your cheese from a block and toss it in a tablespoon of flour before adding to prevent clumping

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