Muscle Momma Sourdough

Cheddar and Onion Sourdough Bread Recipe

Back when I sold my sourdough, cheddar and onion was hands down my best-selling loaf. I’m actually shocked I haven’t put it on my blog sooner! The only reason is that it’s SO simple. If you can make a regular sourdough loaf, you can absolutely make this one. And it’s unbelievably delicious.

The cheddar melts into little pockets of rich cheesy flavor, and the dried minced onions rehydrate right in the dough, giving you that perfect onion flavor throughout without any extra moisture.

I love using dried minced onions because they’re easy to keep on hand and give consistent flavor without throwing off the hydration of the dough like raw onions can. This loaf has become a staple in our house, and I’m so happy to finally share it with you!

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Let’s Make a Cheddar and Onion Sourdough Loaf

Here is what you’ll need:

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 360g warm filtered water (80°F)
• 500g unbleached bread flour
• 10g salt
• 100g cheddar cheese (grated or cubed)
• 30g dried minced onions

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Instructions

1. Mix the Base Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 100g starter and 360g warm water. Using warm water about 80°F helps kick start yeast activity. Stir until you have a milky consistency. Add 500g bread flour and 10g salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for one hour. This rest gives the flour time to fully hydrate and helps build strength.

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2. Stretch and Folds + Add Cheddar and Onions

After the hour rest, it’s time to start doing stretch and folds to develop gluten for a more structured loaf. Before adding the cheese and onions, perform one set of stretch and folds.

Round 1:

1. With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it in the middle.
2. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides.
3. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Round 2:

1. Add a portion of the cheese and onions over the dough, then stretch a side of the dough up and fold it over itself.
2. Add more of the cheese and onions and repeat, continuing until everything is evenly layered throughout the dough.
3. Gently tuck any exposed cheese and onions inside the dough to keep the outside of the dough clean and smooth.

Round 3 and 4:

Complete a total of 3 to 4 stretch and folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart. For the third and fourth rounds, you can switch to gentle coil folds (grabbing from the middle and pulling upwards) to strengthen the dough while keeping the inclusions tucked inside. It’s important to keep the inclusions tucked inside the dough so nothing burns while baking.

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3. Bulk Fermentation

Let the dough ferment on the counter until it has roughly doubled in size, looks airy, and feels jiggly when you shake the bowl. How long bulk fermentation takes depends on your dough temperature.

I like to use this chart as a guideline, but I use the visual cues (mentioned above) to know when my dough is done. This may take some practice to get down if you’re new to baking sourdough.

Dough Temp	Time
80°F	5 to 6 hours
75°F	7 to 8 hours
70°F	12 hours
65°F	16 hours

Remember, the bulk fermentation time starts when you first mixed your dough in step 1.

Note: Dough temperature is different than your house temperature! I use a digital thermometer to temp my dough during bulk fermentation.

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4. Shape and Cold Proof

Once the dough has finished bulk fermentation:

• Shape it into a round or oval (you can find my shaping video tutorial here) trying to keep all onions and cheese inside the dough as much as possible.
• Place it seam side up into a rice floured banneton basket
• Cover and refrigerate for 14 to 24 hours

This long cold proof rehydrates the onions, deepens the flavor, and makes scoring easier.

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5. Bake Your Loaf

Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside.
Take the dough out of the fridge, turn it onto parchment paper or a silicone sling, and score the top. Place it in the preheated Dutch oven.

Bake:

• 30 minutes covered
• 15 minutes uncovered for a golden, cheesy crust

The bread is fully baked when the internal temperature reaches 205°F.

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6. Cool and Enjoy

Let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing so the crumb can set. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh onions instead of dried minced onions?
I don’t recommend it. Fresh onions add extra moisture to the dough, which can throw off hydration and affect the crumb. Dried minced onions rehydrate in the dough and give even onion flavor without changing the dough structure.

What’s the difference between using shredded or cubed cheddar cheese?
Both work, but when and how you add the cheese matters. Shredded cheddar works best when added during stretch and folds. If you plan to add the cheese during shaping or lamination, finely diced or cubed cheddar is a better option since it helps prevent separation and large holes in the crumb.

Why are there big holes or separation in my loaf?
This usually happens when shredded cheese is layered during lamination or when inclusions are not tucked inside the dough. Keeping all cheese and onions inside the dough during folds helps prevent this. Also, make sure you bulk fermented and proofed your dough long enough. Big, tunneled holes are a sign of under fermenting.

How do I know when the bread is fully baked?
The loaf is fully baked when the internal temperature reaches 205°F and the crust is golden.

Can I bake this without a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven gives the best oven spring and crust, but you can also bake on a preheated baking stone or steel with steam added to the oven. Baking in a loaf pan works as well. After proofing, turn the dough out of the banneton into the loaf pan, then cover with an inverted pan or tented foil for the first part of the bake.

How should I store this bread?

Let the loaf cool completely before storing. Keep it at room temperature in a plastic, paper bag, or fabric bread bag. It will stay fresh on the counter for about 2 days. If you do not plan to finish the loaf within a couple of days, freezing is the best option. Once fully cooled, slice the bread, place the slices in a freezer safe bag or container, and freeze. Pull out slices as needed.

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