Everything bagel sourdough bread infused with cheddar cheese is a delight that combines the robust, tangy flavors of traditional sourdough with the savory, aromatic notes of an everything bagel.

Each bite offers a complex, satisfying texture—crisp on the outside, with a chewy, airy interior that’s punctuated by the creamy, slightly sharp richness of melted cheddar.

The seasoning mix, typically featuring sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and a hint of salt, creates a burst of flavor that enhances the bread’s natural sourness and complements the cheese’s smoothness. This bread is an explosion of taste and texture, making it an irresistible treat for any cheese and bread lover!

everything but the bagel sourdough bread

Let’s talk cheese!

For this recipe, I used sharp cheddar cheese cut into cubes. However, I encourage you to choose your favorite cheese as any flavor would work.

The cheese can be shredded or cubed depending on your preference.

Shredded cheese melts and integrates into the crumb, offering a more uniform cheesy taste and a moist texture. This method ensures that each slice has a balanced, subtle hint of cheddar without overpowering the other flavors.

Cubed cheese, on the other hand, creates pockets of molten, gooey goodness throughout the bread. As the bread bakes, the cheese cubes melt into distinct pools, resulting in delightful bursts of intense cheddar flavor. This technique also enhances the visual appeal and adds an exciting textural contrast between the soft, cheesy pockets and the chewy sourdough crumb.

Both methods enhance the bread’s deliciousness in uniquely enjoyable ways!

Expert tips before baking everything bagel sourdough bread

Inclusions: Adding inclusions to sourdough does change the texture of the dough. It will feel slightly heavier and the cheese adds additional moisture. My best advice is to handle the dough delicately.

The rise of the bread: Everything bagel sourdough bread is infused with cheese so it won’t have the most robust rise when baking & that is to be expected!

Bulk fermentation: This bread was tested at 70 degrees F and required 7.5 hours for its first bulk fermentation. It also requires an additional 12-18 hour cold proof in the refrigerator. Watch the dough, not the clock. It should be more than doubled in size, jiggly, & have some air bubbles. Another sign is that the dough should easily drop out of the bowl. If it is excessively sticky or tearing the dough is overproofed. It can be made as focaccia bread if this happens.

Seasoning: I did put everything bagel seasoning into the dough, but this is optional. I enjoy the extra flavor it gives to the bread! It slows down the fermentation just a bit due to the garlic so keep this in mind.

everything bagel sourdough slice with seeds

Three ways to enjoy everything bagel sourdough bread

This bread is so delicious and flavorful, it can be enjoyed on its own with no spread! But here are a few ways to elevate the bread:

Toasted with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

Grilled cheese sandwich.

Crutons for soup or salad.

Each of these highlights the bread’s unique flavors and textures, making it a versatile and delectable addition to any meal.

How to make everything bagel sourdough bread: step-by-step

Timing may vary depending on the temperature in your environment. Watch the dough, not the clock.

Ingredients

500 grams of bread flour
80 grams of sourdough starter (active and recently fed)
9 grams of salt
350 grams of water (filtered)
150-200 grams of cubed or shredded sharp cheddar cheese (add more or less to your liking)
3-4 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning (1 tablespoon will be infused in the dough)

Equipment

Instructions

Note: ensure your sourdough starter is at its peak before mixing the dough. It should be active and bubbly.

Mix the dough

To your mixing bowl add the water and sourdough starter. Whisk using a fork until the starter has dissolved.

Next, add the bread flour & salt and mix until all of the flour has absorbed the water. I find using a dough scraper or your hands achieves this best. The dough will be shaggy.

Then, cover the mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the warmest spot in your kitchen for 30-45 minutes.

Stretch & folds

After the dough has rested, perform the first stretch and fold.

This is where you scoop your hand under a portion of the dough and stretch it a few inches and fold it to the opposing side. You will stretch and fold all 4 quadrants of the dough.

Once complete, cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour.

Perform 1 more stretch and fold at the 1-hour mark, cover the dough, and let it rest for 1 hour.

The dough should look smoother after each stretch & fold

Laminate the dough

After the dough has rested for 1 hour, remove the dough from the bowl and laminate the dough on a clean work surface.

To do this, start to stretch the dough as thin as possible in a large rectangular shape. Tip: mist your hands with water to avoid sticking.

Then, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning over the dough if using & most of the cheese. Set some aside for adding to each fold.

Then, fold the dough from the top & bottom adding the remainder of the cheese after each fold.

Roll it into a ball and place it back into the bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 1 hour.

Coil Folds

After the dough has rested for 1 hour, perform a coil fold. See the video below for reference. Because of the inclusions, gently coil-folding the dough is recommended. Tip: lightly mist your hands with water to prevent the dough from sticking.

Once complete, cover the dough, let it rest for 45 minutes- 1 hour, and perform the last coil fold. Ensure the dough is covered and allow it to rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.

Pre-shape the dough

Once the dough is ready to be shaped, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and create a round shape by using your hands or a bench scraper.

This is where you gently turn the dough repetitively and pull it towards yourself creating tension. See the video below for reference.

You may lose a few pieces of cheese during shaping and that’s ok.

After a round ball shape has been formed, cover the dough with a towel or bowl and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

Final Shaping

Line a plate with about 2-3 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning and set aside.

When it comes to final shaping, the dough can be shaped as a round boule or an oval batard.

I chose to do an oval batard-see video below for shaping. Gently handle the dough during shaping.

If using cubed cheese, a few pieces may poke through the dough, gently press them back into the dough.

Once the desired shape has been achieved, gently place it on the plate with seeds and move it around to ensure the top of the dough is generously coated.

Then place the dough in a linen-lined, lightly floured bowl seam-side up. If necessary, gently stitch or tighten the seams while in the basket.

Lastly, cover the dough with a towel or place it in a large ziplock bag and place it in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.

Score the everything bagel sourdough bread

The following morning preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with the baking pan inside for at least 30 minutes.

To make scoring the dough easier, I recommend placing it in the freezer for 20 minutes before scoring it.

When ready to bake, remove the bread from the freezer and invert it on a piece of parchment paper. Optional: the dough can be sprayed with room temperature water and sprinkled with more bagel seasoning if needed.

Using a bread lame or sharp razor score one slightly curved line down the middle of the dough (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep). Hold your tool at a 45-degree angle and start at the top of the dough going fast to the bottom of the dough.

Baking Instructions

Place the dough into the baking pan using the parchment paper and decrease the oven to 450 degrees F and bake for 25 minutes covered and 18-20 minutes uncovered.

Upon removing it from the oven place the everything bagel sourdough bread on a cooling rack for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing and enjoying.

Any leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container or bread bag of your choice for up to 2 days at room temperature.

cooling everything bagel sourdough bread

More sourdough bread recipes

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Everything Bagel Sourdough bread (with cheddar cheese!)

Everything bagel sourdough bread combines the savory goodness of everything bagel seasoning with the rich delight of cheddar cheese! Making it perfect for sandwiches or a snack on its own!

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Resting time1 1

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: everything bagel sourdough bread

Servings: loaf