Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman Jalapeno Cheese Bread is a loaded, cheesy French bread topped with butter, mayonnaise, white cheddar, pepper Jack, jarred jalapenos, green chiles, and olives, baked until bubbly in just 35 minutes.
This recipe comes straight from Ree Drummond’s Food Network page, featured on The Pioneer Woman episode “Market Meet-Up.” It is her spicier take on her classic Olive Cheese Bread, with jalapenos, pepper Jack, and green chiles stirred into the same butter-mayo-cheese base.
Mixing softened butter with mayonnaise is the trick that makes this topping work. The butter gives flavor and browning while the mayo keeps the spread creamy and prevents the cheese from breaking into a greasy puddle as it bakes.
Pioneer Woman Jalapeno Cheese Bread
Description
A cheesy, spicy spread loaded with two kinds of cheese, green chiles, olives, and jalapenos gets slathered onto crusty French bread and baked until golden and bubbling. The same mixture doubles as a cold dip with crackers.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 375F (190C).
- Mix the topping. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, mayonnaise, jalapenos, white cheddar, pepper Jack, olives, green chiles, and green onions. Stir until everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Spread onto the bread. Lay both French bread halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over each half, pushing it all the way to the edges.
- Bake until bubbly. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to brown in spots.
- Slice and serve. Let the bread rest for 2 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve hot.
FAQs
Why does Ree use both butter and mayonnaise in the cheese spread?
Butter brings the rich, toasty flavor you expect from cheese bread, but it can cause the topping to separate and turn oily under high heat. Mayonnaise contains egg, which acts as an emulsifier and holds the fat and cheese together as they melt.
The combination also makes the spread easier to work with at room temperature. Pure butter-cheese mixtures are stiff and tear the bread when you try to spread them, but the mayo keeps everything smooth enough to glide on without shredding the crumb.
Why use jarred jalapenos instead of fresh?
Jarred jalapenos are pickled, so they bring a tangy vinegar bite that cuts through all the fat in the butter, mayo, and two cheeses. Fresh jalapenos add raw heat but no acidity, which would make the bread taste heavy and one-dimensional.
The pickling also softens the peppers so they melt into the topping instead of staying crunchy. If you want more heat, add an extra tablespoon of the jarred jalapenos rather than switching to fresh.
What do the green olives add that you would miss without them?
The olives bring a salty, briny punch that balances the richness of the cheese and butter. Without them, the topping tastes flat because there is nothing to contrast all that fat and cream.
Chop them fine so they distribute evenly across every bite. If you skip them entirely, add an extra pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to replace some of that brightness.
Can you make the cheese mixture ahead of time?
Yes, and Ree specifically says the mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. It also works as a cold dip straight from the fridge with crackers or vegetables, so you get two uses from one batch.
When you are ready to bake, pull the mixture out 15 minutes before spreading so it softens enough to work with. Cold spread tears the bread, so a short rest on the counter makes assembly much easier.
Why slice the bread lengthwise instead of into rounds?
Lengthwise halves give you a wide, flat surface that holds a thick layer of the cheese mixture without it sliding off the edges. Rounds are too small and curved, so the topping pools in the center and leaves the crusts bare.
The flat halves also brown more evenly because the topping sits at the same thickness across the entire surface. After baking, you cut the halves crosswise into serving pieces that each have a full layer of melted cheese from edge to edge.
