Bacon Cheese Bread (Quick Bread!)
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Gooey bacon cheese bread is full of savory bacon, cheese and lightly flavored with green onions. This recipe makes a soft and chewy quick bread that makes an amazing side dish or snack.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Bacon Cheese Bread
- Thick, Chewy Bread– Make a bread that is thick, moist, gooey and savory all in one bite.
- No Yeast Needed– This golden brown loaf is a quick bread, and doesn’t need the extra attention you will need with a yeast bread.
- Perfect side dish– Perfect as a side with soup, this delicious bread also works with cozy meals like meatloaf!
Ingredients For Bacon Cheese Bread
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- salt
- baking powder
- baking soda
- eggs
- buttermilk
- olive oil
- cooked bacon diced, cook bacon before mixing this bread dough and pat it with paper towels
- cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- green onions diced, about 2 large green onions
Baker’s Buttermilk Swap
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a glass measuring cup. Then fill the measuring cup with milk to the one cup measure and stir. Let the mixture sit for at least five minutes, then you can add it to the recipe in place of buttermilk.
How To Make Bacon Cheese Bread
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 1-pound metal loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan) with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until well blended.
- Crack two eggs into a medium-sized bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add buttermilk and olive oil to the eggs and mix until combined.
- Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined and a dough forms.
- Add the diced bacon, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and diced green onions to the dough. Fold in with a silicone or rubber spatula into the dough, then transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the loaf for about 40 minutes then top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake about another 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cheese bacon bread comes out clean with no raw dough.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove from the pan and allow the bread to finish cooling. Then slice and enjoy.
Variation Ideas
This cheese bread recipe can be customized to your own tastes! Here are a few ways easy ways to adjust this recipe.
Add More Bacon
Four slices of bacon was perfect for my family in this bread. If you really love bacon though you can add up to eigh slices of diced bacon to this loaf. When adding any bacon be sure to cook the bacon first. If the bacon is precooked, crisp it in a pan before adding it to the bread dough for best results.
Swap The Cheese
Cheddar cheese works well in this bread, but you can also try other flavors too. Colby, monterey jack cheese, gruyere, or even gouda in this savory flavorful bread recipe. This recipe will work best with semi-hard cheese that shreds easily.
Swap The Green Onions
I recommend swapping the green onions with chives, which are really similar in flavor but slightly thinner and smaller. You can also leave the green onions out if you prefer.
Try Adding Olives
Kalamata olives or green olives can be a delicious addition to this bread. I recommend using about 1/3 or 1/2 cup of olives.
Remove any pits and slice the olives into pieces. Then fold the olive pieces into the dough at the same time that you would add the cheese, bacon and onions.
How To Add Jalapenos
Whether you like things really spicy, or just give your bread a little zip, adding jalapenos to this quick bread is delicious. You can chop up the peppers and put them both in the bread, or lay slices on top of the bread. I recommend adding between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of jalapenos and leaving out the green onions if you add jalapenos.
You can use fresh or pickled jalapenos. If using fresh jalapenos I recommend wearing gloves. Carefully remove the seeds from the pepper (you can use a knife or a spoon) before adding to the bread. Learn how to slice and chop jalapenos safely here.
What Do I Serve Bacon Cheese Bread With?
My favorite meal to serve this delicious recipe with is by far soup. The savory bread goes so well with so many types of soup, but especially tomato-based soups in place of cornbread or a thick crusty loaf of bread. Try this bread with my slow cooker tortellini soup, this creamy tomato soup, with turkey chili, or my chunky slow cooker cheesy potato soup. I’ll usually make this cheesy bread in place of my cheesy biscuit pull apart bread which uses refrigerated biscuit dough.
This bacon cheese bread is also delicious with classic beef meatloaf or mini turkey meatloaf muffins, with a side of roasted honey glazed carrots on the side.
You can swap this bacon cheddar bread into your meal as a bread on the side almost anytime you would serve dinner rolls. It’s also great for breakfast as a side with eggs or even as a side for sausage potato breakfast casserole.
How Long Does Bacon Cheese Bread Last?
Store leftover Bacon Cheddar bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. This bread should be stored in the refrigerator due to the meat and cheese in the bread.
More Delicious Bread Recipes
Homemade Garlic Knots
Irish Soda Bread With Raisins
Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
Bacon Cheese Bread
Equipment
- 1 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan A 9 by 5 inch loaf pan also works
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 slices cooked bacon diced
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- ½ cup green onions diced, about 2 large green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 1-pound metal loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan) with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until well blended.
- Crack two eggs into a medium-sized bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add buttermilk and olive oil to the eggs and mix until combined.
- Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined and a dough forms.
- Add the diced bacon, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and diced green onions to the dough. Fold in with a silicone spatula into the dough then transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the loaf for about 40 minutes then top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake about another 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove from the pan and allow the bread to finish cooling, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
Buttermilk Swap
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a glass measuring cup. Then fill the measuring cup with milk to the one cup measure and stir. Let the mixture sit for at least five minutes, then you can add it to the recipe in place of buttermilk.Using Precooked Bacon
You can substitute storebought precooked bacon into this recipe. You’ll need about one tablespoon of chopped bacon per strip if the bacon is already chopped, or about 1/4 cup. If using precooked bacon crisp up the bacon in a large skillet before adding it to the dough. I don’t recommend using imitation bacon bits in this recipe.Using a Thermometer
One way to tell if the inside of the loaf is done cooking is to use a food thermometer to test the center of the loaf. This bread will be finished baking when the inside reaches 200 degrees farenheit.Glass Vs. Metal Loaf Pan
When cooking quick bread, I recommend using a metal loaf pan. You can use glass, but a glass pan will take a little longer to heat which may mean your loaf may need to cook for a little longer than recommended by the recipe.Can I Use A 9 x 5 Loaf Pan Instead of a 8.5 by 4.5-inch pan?
Yes, you can swap a 9 x 5 inch pan. Because the pan is slightly wider, I would recommend checking the loaf five to ten minutes early as the loaf may bake a little quicker.Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
Hi there. I was looking at instruction #1 and #2. Am I lining two loaf pans with parchment paper? Both number 1 and 2 tell me to do the same thing. I’m wondering if the recipe makes two loaves.
Thanks!
D.G.
Hi there, Thanks for your comment. No, that’s actually an error that I missed where I think I had rewritten the line to include the size of the pan, and then missed deleting the original. The recipe only makes one loaf. Thanks for your note though, I’ve edited the instructions so the step is now only in there once. Hope you enjoy the bread!
I made this last year for Christmas to go with Hot Crawfish Dip, everyone LOVED it, including me! Now, this year, it has been requested again. It looks like it will be on our table from now on. It really is delicious!
I want to include loaves of this delicious bread in a basket for the church auction. Do you think it will bake correctly in mini loaf pans? Do think there’s enough dough for 3 pans? Besides adjusting cooking time, any other cautions?
Hi Pam, I haven’t made this recipe in mini loaf pans before, but it sounds like you have a good handle on it to start. (already watching the cook times!) If it at all helps, the bread should measure 200 degrees when it is cooked through, which you can use any cooking thermometer to measure.
If this was a yeasted bread I would say you could fit it in three mini loaf pans, as if it’s a little less then you’re expecting you can let the bread rise a little more and that can help to fill out the pan. Since this is a quick bread I would recommend starting with the assumption that one loaf will fill two mini loaf pans. I don’t want you to end up coming up short with your loaves. Once you bake the first round you will have a better idea. Other then that, happy baking! I hope they are a huge hit for your church auction! Please let me know how it goes, I’d love to know!
Heaven help me!!! This is sooo darn good that I’m now make as the whole “dinner” instead of a side dish! This deliciousness pairs so well with pimento stuffed olives & pickled onions!!! Elastic waistbands, here I come!!! 👍 ❤️
Loved it!! The perfect accompaniment to my Three-Bean Chili 😋 It was sooo easy to put together, too. Most ingredients were on-hand, but I appreciate your buttermilk hack so I didn’t have to go buy any! Thanks!!
We had Seafood Gumbo for Christmas dinner. I made 3 loaves of this bread. Just delicious! Served it with Hot Crawfish Dip. Everyone loved it. I’m glad I found this recipe. Thank you!
Can this be made with gluten free flour? Any modifications that would be needed? Looks so yummy!
I have not made this recipe with gluten free flour. I would suggest finding a recipe made for gluten free baking, as gluten free baking can be very different from regular baking and the results will vary a lot, sorry!
Can I make this bread with gf flour like 1to1 that has zanthum gun in it. and would you bake it at same temperature? I’m Celiac and need to use gf flour
I would use a gluten free specific recipe Darlene. Typically most baking can’t be swapped 1 for 1 when making items gluten free. Sorry, I haven’t made this recipe with gluten free ingredients before.
is the bacon raw or do we cook it first
Use cooked bacon in this recipe.
Can I use self rising flour and omit the baking powder and soda
I wouldn’t, I haven’t tried it and don’t know that it would give the bread enough lift. It’s a pretty thick bread and if you don’t have enough baking powder and soda in the recipe it will fall in the center of the loaf.
Baked it, froze it, thawed the night before in the fridge, put it in the oven in the foil wrap (as you suggested for freezing) @ 325 for approx 20-25 minutes. I kid you not, it was the first item to disappear on that brunch table and the guests were looking for more. This is a keeper! I also used real bacon bits (from Costco) and it worked out great.
P.S. the everything bagel butter was also a hit with the bread. Next time I’ll try just putting the seasoning on top before baking because believe me, I’m making this again and again and again. 😍😁
Thank you for your suggestions.
Could you tell me if this bread can be made ahead (baked, not raw dough) and frozen? And if so, how long will it keep. I’m planning a large brunch and this bread sounds like it would be a nice addition to the table served with “everything bagel” butter curls or plain butter for that matter. What do you think?
That sounds delicious! I have not tried freezing this particular quick bread, but every quick bread I have ever frozen did freeze well. I would recommend wrapping it in aluminum foil or freezer paper before storing in a large freezer zip-top bag. You could also slice it and freeze individual slices, but you would need to wrap the slices. I would expect it would freeze well for 2-3 months before the texture would start to go downhill if wrapped and frozen properly. Hope that helps, and I hope your brunch goes well!
Really enjoyed it. So easy to make and everyone lived it. I did a little twist, i purchased maple syrup bacon and it turned out amazing.
Oh, I like your twist Cindy, yum!
Hello! I want to try this recipe but I don’t habe buttermilk. Where should I add 1 tbsp of lemon juice? Should I add it to 1 cup water or 1 cup milk? Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!
Hi Mina- Add the lemon juice to the milk, I will adjust that in the notes to be more clear. You add the lemon juice to the measuring cup, and then add the milk until you reach a full cup so you have the right amount of moisture. Give it a stir and let it sit for at least five minutes and the milk will turn into a substitute you can use that is similar to buttermilk. Hope that helps!