Jalapeno Honey Bread is focaccia bread baked with garlic butter, mozzarella cheese, and jalapeno peppers and then topped with honey, more garlic butter, and parmesan cheese. Try my Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread for another variation of a popular bread.
Jalapeno Honey Bread
This recipe starts with my homemade focaccia bread (which is so good on its own, by the way). Then, it’s topped with garlic butter, cheese, and a sweet and spicy combination of honey and jalapeno peppers. The bread is baked in a skillet for a crispy outside crust and soft center.
Bread Ingredients
There are three parts to this recipe–focaccia bread, garlic butter, and toppings.
Warm water: When adding warm water to the yeast, it should be between 90 and 110°F.
All-purpose flour: You could get away with using cake flour, but the bread may rise a bit more.
Jalapeno peppers: You have some control over the spiciness of the jalapenos you choose. The older the pepper, the spicier it will be. Looking at a pepper, the older ones will have stress marks, like little white lines or flecks on the flesh. The younger (less spicy) peppers will have clear shiny flesh.
Honey: I recommend topping the bread with about 1/8 cup of honey. You can always add more to taste.
How to Make Focaccia Bread Dough
To make Focaccia Bread, start by preparing the dough. In a large bowl, combine the yeast, water, and sugar. Stir this together and let it rest for five minutes. While that is resting, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt.
Pour half of the oil mixture into the yeast mixture, setting the other half of the oil mixture aside for later. Stir in the flour and put the dough into a greased bowl. Cover the dough with a tea towel for about an hour, resting in a warm place, or until the dough has doubled in size.
How to Make Jalapeno Honey Bread
After you have let the dough rest and double in size, it’s time to bake in all that flavor. Preheat the oven to 450°F and pour the remaining oil mixture into the bottom of a 12-inch cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet. Use a pastry brush to coat the skillet. Add the dough to the skillet and spread it out to the edges. Next, dimple the dough with your fingers. You don’t need to press down hard, just make dents so the oil can settle in.
In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the garlic butter. Brush half of the mixture on top of the dimpled focaccia bread dough. You will add the other half of the garlic butter after the bread has been baked. Top with mozzarella cheese and jalapeno peppers. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
Finally, top the baked bread with honey, the remaining half of the garlic butter, and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, as it is best when warm.
Can I Make this Bread without a Cast-Iron Skillet?
Yes! No cast-iron skillet, no problem. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet to make this, you can use a baking dish. Use a 9×11-inch baking dish or even a 9×13-inch dish (but the crust will be thinner). Follow the instructions as written.
More Bread Recipes
Jalapeno Honey Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 cup warm water, 90°F-110°F
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Garlic Butter
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Toppings
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1-2 medium jalapeno peppers, sliced
- ⅛ cup honey
- parmesan cheese, grated (for garnish)
Instructions
Bread
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, and salt.
- Pour half of the oil mixture into the yeast mixture. Set the remaining oil mixture aside.
- Add flour to the oil and yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add dough to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rest for 1 hour in a warm place, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Assembly
- When ready, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Pour the remaining oil mixture into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Use a pastry brush to coat the skillet.
- Add the dough to the skillet and work the dough to the edges. Use your fingers to create dimples in the dough.
- In a small bowl mix together butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, and salt.
- Brush half of the mixture onto the dough. Reserve the rest.
- Top with mozzarella cheese and jalapeño peppers.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
- Top with honey, remaining garlic butter, and parmesan cheese.
- Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Can I make this dough in advance & cook a day or two later? If so, when & how should it be stored?
Please – I forgot , what this is in degrees of Celsius ??? Here in Bavaria / Germany we use this scale !
I dont have cast iron skillet..what other pan can i use ?