When I was growing up, my family spent most Friday nights at this pizza place by our house but I never actually wanted their pizza, I only had eyes for their cheesy bread. It was like garlic bread on steroids… the perfect combination of crunchy and soft, and not only topped with what was probably copious amounts of butter, but also a layer of ooey-gooey, melty cheese. But even then, it wasn’t all about that cheese, it was also very much about (maybe even mostly about) the creamy layer beneath that held all the garlic flavor. This Jalapeño Popper Cheese Bread is my grown-up version of that bread. Like that childhood cheesy bread of my dreams, this is indulgent enough that you probably shouldn’t eat it every day even though you very much want to, but this one has just a bit of a kick for those of us who like things a little spicy.

What Do I Need To Make Jalapeño Cheese Bread?

First, you need French bread. And not a fancy baguette. I’ve found that the best kind of bread for this is those inexpensive loaves from the supermarket deli. They’re not TOO crusty and their width gives you plenty of surface area for the toppings.
You’ll also need: cream cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, two jalapeños, some mayo, a couple of cloves of garlic, and some salt.

You might be noticing the absence of butter. Really, you don’t need it. Our goal here isn’t for the spread to soak into the bread the way butter does, it’s more to create a creamy and comforting layer of deliciousness that sits beneath the cheese. You can carry this strategy over to many other kinds of cheesy bread — I promise you’ll want to.

How Do I Make Jalapeño Cheese Bread?

It’s easy.

First, you’re going to chop your jalapeños. Well, to be more specific, you’re going to slice one and dice the other.

Then, in a bowl, you’re going to stir that diced jalapeño into the cream cheese (softened first!), mayo, cheeses, and garlic and spread that mixture over both halves of the bread.
The sliced jalapeños go on top and then it bakes in the oven until it’s golden brown and melty.

I know I said that there’s a layer of creaminess below the cheese but I’m telling you to mix the cheese right into the cream cheese and mayo. But that’s how it works out. You end up with kind of a toasted layer of cheesiness on the top and deliciousness creaminess below it. (With just enough of a kick.)