Blue Cheese Bread with Raisins and Walnuts
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Filled with chunks of blue cheese plus raisins, walnuts, and a touch of ground cinnamon, this blue cheese bread recipe is one of my all-time favorites to bake (and eat!) This twist on a traditional raisin bread recipe works just as well for breakfast as it does as an accompaniment to a bowl of soup, or as the base for a sweet grilled cheese sandwich. Try making this rustic blue cheese bread with Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort, or any of your favorite blue cheeses.
What Inspired This Blue Cheese Bread?
Several years ago, I took a baking class at Bread Ahead Bakery and School in London, where we learned how to make a fairly standard potato bread recipe. (I’ve adapted it here, if you’d like to give it a try.) Passionate and full of helpful tips, the course instructor mentioned something that really stood out: when making this recipe at home, he always added a handful of cheese. Ever since that class, I’ve loved finding ways to sneak as much cheese as is humanly possible into a loaf of bread, like my rustic cheese and olive bread, my ultra-cheesy pepper jack bread, or this blue cheese-packed loaf.
Blue Cheese Bread Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – You can use bread flour, all purpose flour (plain flour) or a combination of the two. You can also experiment with other flours, such as adding a small percentage of whole wheat (wholemeal flour) to the dough.
- Instant Yeast – You’ll need one packet, or about 7 grams, of yeast. I typically test my recipes with instant or “quick” yeast, but active dry will also work. If you plan to use active dry yeast, remember to allow time for the yeast to prove in warm water before mixing it with the other ingredients.
- Ground Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds that classic “cinnamon raisin bread” flavor. If you don’t like ground cinnamon, you can substitute another ground spice (such as my homemade mixed spice) or omit the spices for a more straightforward loaf of blue cheese bread.
- Fruit and Nuts – I’ve added raisins because I wanted to make a cheesy raisin bread recipe, but you can substitute currants, golden raisins, dried cranberries, dried cranberries, or even a handful of dried mixed peel. And if you don’t like walnuts, pecans would also be a nice choice. Omit the nuts if baking for someone with a nut allergy.
- Blue Cheese – Though divisive, I absolutely adore blue cheese. It adds a sharp, salty note to everything from salads and dips to potatoes and pizza. I love it on a savory galette or in a puff pastry pithivier, stuffed inside green olives, or wrapped inside a hand pie. But blue cheese is really, really great in a loaf of bread. This blue cheese bread recipe will work with any blue cheese, such as Stilton, Roquefort, or Gorgonzola.
Blue Cheese Bread Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Add fresh herbs. If you happen to have some fresh herbs on hand, finely chopped leaves of rosemary or thyme would be a nice addition to this rustic blue cheese bread.
- Get creative with scoring. When scoring the loaf, you can keep things very simple (a few snips with a pair of kitchen shears) or create more intricate designs with a bread lame or sharp paring knife.
- Don’t confuse kneading and inclusion. When adding the raisins, walnuts, and blue cheese, you want to mix just enough to make sure each addition is evenly distributed into the dough. Don’t confuse this process with kneading.
Blue Cheese Bread with Raisins and Walnuts
- Total TimeAbout 3 1/2 hours
- Yield1 10-inch round loaf 1x
A blue cheese bread recipe with raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon. Try making this rustic blue cheese bread with Gorgonzola, Stilton, or Roquefort!
Ingredients
7 grams instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
25 grams granulated sugar (2 tablespoons)
270 milliliters lukewarm water (1 1/8 cups)
400 grams all-purpose flour (or bread flour, or a combination of the two) (3 1/8 cups)
25 milliliters olive oil (2 tablespoons), plus more for greasing bowl
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
75 grams blue cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup, or 2 1/2 ounces)
100 grams raisins (2/3 cup)
35 grams walnuts, chopped (1/3 cup)
Instructions
Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, dissolve the instant yeast and granulated sugar in the lukewarm water.
Add the flour, followed by the olive oil, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt, making sure the salt does not come into direct contact with the yeast.
With a bench scraper, combine the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a generously floured countertop.
Knead by hand until soft and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
With your hands, work the raisins into the dough.
Work in the chopped walnuts.
Add the blue cheese.
Shape dough into a ball. Place in an oiled mixing bowl, then drizzle the top of the dough with more oil.
Cover and let stand in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch dough down.
Shape dough into a ball. Arrange on prepared tray.
Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 – 60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400° F (205° C).
Coat loaf in flour. With a bread lame or kitchen shears, score as desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Slice and serve immediately.
Helpful Breadmaking Tools
This blue cheese bread recipe doesn’t require much in the way of special equipment, but here are a few tools I recommend to help make the process easier:
- Bread Lame – For scoring the loaf.
- Elastic Food Storage Covers – To cover the bowl while the dough proves.
- Half Sheet Rimmed Baking Tray – For shaping and baking the loaf.
- Bench Scraper – For mixing the dough, and working in the inclusions.
- Parchment – To line the baking tray.
For more tool recommendations, feel free to visit this post about all of the breadmaking tools I love.
Other Bread Recipes You Might Enjoy
Miniature Soda Bread
Date and Rosemary Dinner Rolls
Fig and Rosemary Focaccia
Everything Bagel Bread
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
