How to Add Cheese to Sourdough Without It Melting Out

You love melty cheese in bread, but when you try to stuff it into sourdough the cheese often oozes out and pools under the loaf. You can learn how to add cheese to sourdough without it melting out, so every bite has a gooey center and a clean, crusty exterior.

This guide shows you which cheeses work best, how to prep and protect the filling, and step-by-step sealing and baking techniques. You’ll get precise temperatures, times, and pro tips so you can confidently bake stuffed sourdough that holds its cheesy filling. Read on and start making pin-worthy loaves today.

What You'll Need (ingredients + tools)

• Ingredients
  • 500 g bread flour, 350 g water (70% hydration), 10 g salt, 100–150 g cheese per loaf
  • Good cheeses: aged cheddar, Gruyère, fontina, or Monterey Jack
  • Optional: herbs, caramelized onions, cooked bacon
• Tools
  • Sharp knife, bench scraper, kitchen scale, oven with steam, digital thermometer
• Choose semi-firm cheeses that melt but retain structure. Avoid very soft cheeses that liquefy.

Prepare and Protect the Cheese

Prepping cheese correctly is the most reliable way to add cheese to sourdough without it melting out. Wrap wedges in parchment or chill fillings to slow melt and keep them in place.

• Cut cheese into 1/2–3/4 inch thick batons or cubes.
• Toss grated cheese with 1 tsp cornstarch per cup to absorb excess oil.
• Chill cheese pieces on a tray for 30–45 minutes before using.
• If adding wet fillings (onion, sauce), drain and pat them very dry.

Pro tip: use a small pillow of parchment around a cheese wedge. This creates a barrier that helps the dough seal and keeps the cheese from contacting the crust directly.

Stuffing, Sealing, and Baking (Step-by-step)

1. Shape and pre-stretch dough: After bulk fermentation, flatten dough into a rectangle about 8×6 inches.
2. Place cheese: Leave 1–1.5 inches of dough around edges. Add cheese pieces in the center, spaced 2 inches apart for multiple pockets.
3. Fold and seal:
   • Fold edges over cheese, then pinch seams tightly.
   • Turn seam-side down and use your palms to create surface tension.
   • For extra security, press seam with a little beaten egg wash (1 tbsp) to glue.
4. Final proof: Proof at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, or refrigerate for 1–4 hours to firm the cheese and relax the dough.
5. Bake with steam: Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside. Score gently. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and reduce to 430°F (221°C) for 15–20 minutes until crust is deep golden.

Warnings:

• Do not overfill—too much cheese increases chance of leakage.
• If seams look thin, fold twice or patch with extra dough.

Troubleshooting, Serving, and Storage

Troubleshooting common issues:

• Cheese leaked during baking: likely seam failure or overfill. Next time, chill longer and use egg wash on seams.
• Cheese oozed but stayed mostly inside: bake a minute longer covered, then finish uncovered to crisp crust.
• Soggy bottom: ensure oven shoestring steam only in first 15–20 minutes and preheat your baking surface.

Serving and storage:

• Let loaf rest 20–30 minutes before slicing so cheese firms slightly.
• Reheat slices at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes to refresh gooeyness.
• Store cut bread in the fridge up to 3 days or freeze wrapped for up to 3 months.

Variations and swaps:

• Use herb-coated cheese or add sautéed mushrooms for flavor.
• Try a cheese rope inside a baguette instead of a boule for a shareable pull-apart.

You now know how to add cheese to sourdough without it melting out, with exact measures, timing, and sealing tricks. Pin this guide for your next bake and try the parchment trick first — it makes a big difference. Which cheese combo will you bake into your sourdough first? Pin this guide for your next get-together and share with friends who love cheesy bread!