Jalapeño Popper Sourdough

Spicing Up the Bread Basket: Jalapeño Popper Sourdough Is Here!

If you’re anything like me, you know that the absolute MVP of any game day spread, holiday appetizer table, or casual get-together is the humble, glorious jalapeño popper. There is just something magical about the combination of spicy peppers, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and that rich, velvety blanket of cream cheese. So, naturally, as a sourdough baker, I looked at a plate of poppers and asked myself the ultimate question: Can I bake this into a loaf?
The answer is a resounding, cheesy, carb-loaded YES.
Today, we are taking those classic appetizer flavors and laminating them directly into a beautiful, blistered sourdough boule. Imagine cutting into a warm slice of bread and finding pockets of gooey cream cheese, melted sharp cheddar, crispy bacon bits, and the perfect kick of jalapeño. It’s spicy, it’s savory, and it might just ruin regular bread for you forever.

The Secret to the Stuffing
Baking with high-moisture inclusions like cream cheese can be a little intimidating, but the secret here is all in the prep. We are using cold cream cheese cut into cubes so it holds its structure during the shaping process, and sharp cheddar cubes for those dramatic, gooey pockets of melted gold.
When it comes to shaping, we treat this dough with love. Because it’s absolutely packed to the brim with goodness, we skip the aggressive tension-rolling—no tearing allowed in this kitchen!

The Hardest Part: Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing! I know the smell of melted cheddar and warm bacon swirling through your house is going to tempt you, but letting it cool ensures the cream cheese sets perfectly and the crumb stays light and airy.

Slice it up, toast it with a little smear of butter (or more cream cheese, if you’re living boldly), and enjoy the ultimate savory sourdough experience.

Are you team extra spicy, or do you keep the jalapeños mild? Let me know in the comments below if you give this loaf a try!

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Jalapeño Popper Sourdough

Created by Sue Mun

Makes One, Sourdough Boule

Instructions:

1. In a large glass or ceramic bowl, mix together the warm water and the ripe sourdough starter.
2. Add in the bread flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
   1. Stretch and fold #1. Using wet hands, stretch the dough into itself about 8 times or until gluten develops. The dough will be very sticky but will come together as you perform your stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
   2. Stretch and fold #2. Using wet hands, stretch and fold the dough into itself until it can not stretch anymore. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
   3. Stretch and fold #3. Repeat the steps from above. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. 
   4. Stretch and fold #4. Repeat the steps from above. This is optional but during this step, you can add in about 3 tbsp of the chopped jalapeño peppers and fold it in. Or wait to add in the inclusions during lamination. Cover the dough and rest for 30 minutes.
4. Cover and bulk ferment for 6-10 hours. Or until the dough has doubled in size and the dough peels away the sides of the bowl easily. If not, continue to proof longer. 

Shape the Dough:

1. Flip the dough over and gently stretch to a long rectangle.
2. Dollop some cold cream cheese on top of the laid out dough. Sprinkle on top some bacon bits, chopped jalapeño peppers, and some cheddar cheese on top as well.
3. Then gently make a book fold and then add more inclusions in a single line on top of the dough if you have any more inclusions left. Gently roll up the dough into a tight ball. If the dough feels too delicate, there is no need to do the candy-cane motion to create more tension to the dough. Since there is so much filling, you do not want to risk tearing the dough.
4. Dust with rice flour and place into banneton bread mold. 
5. Gently pull the edges of the round into the center of the dough. Just so it adds tension to the dough and helps improve oven spring when it bakes. 
6. Cover and proof in the fridge overnight (8-10 hours)

The Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 450F and place dutch oven in the oven to also preheat. 
2. Flip onto silpat or parchment and gently score the top of the dough using a lame knife.
3. Carefully place the sourdough into your hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. 
4. Bake at 450F for 25 minutes with the lid covered.
5. Lower the oven to 425F. Uncover the lid and bake again for 15-25 more minutes. Or until the internal temp is above 190F.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving.