High Altitude Cheese and Herbs Buttermilk Quick Bread

This easy high altitude buttermilk quick bread is flavored with mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and fresh thyme. Just like its name, this cheese and herb bread comes together quickly, so you’ll have a warm loaf of bread to enjoy in about an hour. The bread is soft and fluffy, with a flavor reminiscent of buttermilk biscuits with herbs. Serve it warm with hot soup, slice it for sandwiches, or butter the leftover bread and griddle it to eat for breakfast with eggs and bacon.

You might also love these high altitude bread recipes for artisan style rustic no knead bread, honey whole wheat sandwich bread, and fluffy milk bread.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Stays Fresh for Days. With plenty of buttermilk to add moisture to the dough, the leftover bread will still be soft for days after baking.

Customizable with Herbs and Cheese. While I used mozzarella, thyme and Italian seasoning in my buttermilk quick bread, you can use any variety of cheese and herbs that you like for flavoring your bread.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Flour. All purpose flour gives the bread structure and strength.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavening agents, so the bread rises as it bakes.
• Salt. Enhances the flavor of the bread.
• Black Pepper. Complements the savory flavors of the herbs and cheese.
• Yeast. A buttermilk quick bread recipe doesn’t actually require yeast for leavening, since it gets its rise from the baking powder and baking soda. Since the yeast is not activated or proofed by warm liquid, the only purpose the yeast serves in today’s recipe is to add a little more bread flavor.
• Herbs. I used a combination of dried Italian seasoning (which typically includes oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, sage, and marjoram) and fresh thyme leaves to add flavor.
• Cheese. Grated mozzarella cheese melts into the bread, making it extra moist and delicious. Cheddar cheese or pepper jack would also be good options.
• Butter. Adds flavor and moisture.
• Eggs. Gives the bread strength so it doesn’t crumble apart, and adds moisture.
• Buttermilk. Buttermilk is very acidic, and the acidity tenderizes the bread for a soft, fluffy texture. You can also use kefir, which acts very similarly to buttermilk in baking. I used half buttermilk and half goat’s milk kefir.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. If using the USA 1-lb bread loaf pan, lightly brush the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. If using a pan that’s not non-stick, either line the pan with parchment paper, or grease it with non-stick baking spray or butter and flour.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, yeast, thyme and Italian seasoning, until well combined.
• Add the mozzarella cheese, melted butter, beaten eggs and buttermilk/kefir. Use a spatula to stir everything together just until combined into a thick, sticky, shaggy batter.

• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and a sharp knife or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool for about 30-40 minutes before slicing, if you want to serve the bread warm, or let it cool to room temperature.
• Cool the bread completely before storing in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Recipe Variations

• If you’re interested in other flavor variations, see the recipe variations section of my rustic no knead bread recipe. I have suggestions for combinations like garlic and thyme, rosemary and Parmesan, tomato and basil, and pepper and paprika.
• Just remember that when substituting different cheeses, some are much saltier than others. So while 1 – 1/2 cups of mozzarella or cheddar cheese won’t contribute too much extra salt, using that much Parmesan cheese might make the bread too salty.
• When using dried herbs or fresh herbs, remember that the flavor of dried herbs is more intense. Use about 1/4-1/3 the amount of dried herbs as you would if using fresh herbs (1 teaspoon dried vs 1 tablespoon fresh).

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

What size loaf pan did you use?

I used the 1-lb USA bread loaf pan, which is made of nonstick aluminized steel. It’s a fantastic loaf pan that I use often. The dimensions are 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75

How long does buttermilk quick bread stay fresh?

Stored in an airtight container or freezer bag at room temperature, your bread will stay soft and fresh for about 3-5 days. You can also wrap it well and freeze it for later for up to 3-6 months.

What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?

If you don’t have any buttermilk or kefir on hand, you can make your own sour milk. For every 1 cup of milk, add 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Stir the milk and vinegar together in a liquid measuring cup, then warm it slightly in the microwave or on the stove, to let it thicken and curdle.

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