The Cheesecake Factory has become an American standby in the restaurant industry in the past two decades. Whether it's the huge menu, from seafood to burgers to pasta, or it's the delicious varieties of cheesecake slung from the glass case, there's something for everyone at the chain. While some of the dishes aren't the healthiest, there's something to be said for throwing caution to the wind and enjoying a meal there regardless of calories or saturated fats. And the one thing that keeps people coming back to cheesecake might not be the cheesecake itself. It's The Cheesecake Factory's famous brown bread.
If you've visited the restaurant and asked for no sourdough rolls in your bread basket, you're not alone. The famous brown bread is a slightly sweet, always warm luxury given to you for free at the restaurant, and it's the favorite part of the meal for so many people.
The Secret Behind Cheesecake Factory's Bread
So what makes The Cheesecake Factory brown bread so special? It has to do with the sweetness, which is attributed to both honey and molasses. It tastes a bit like the rich, sweet bread offered at steakhouse chains, like Texas Roadhouse or Outback Steakhouse. Served warm and spread with just a bit of butter, the bread is a perfect beginning to your meal (and we're not going to judge if you decide you need it for dessert, too, because it's just that good).
But if you can't get to the restaurant in person, you have other options to get your brown bread fix. The Cheesecake Factory has an online store, where you can find everything from cake mixes to The Cheesecake Factory coffee creamers so that you can bring The Cheesecake Factory home. And now they're offering Cheesecake Factory bread to purchase, which means you can have tasty bread any time you want it.
Cheesecake Factory
The famous brown bread is available in three options: heat and serve dinner rolls, a two-pack of mini baguettes, and pre-cut sandwich loaves. The rolls and baguettes are best when you heat them in your oven for five minutes at 350 degrees, according to their website. The sandwich bread is ready to eat (and just imagine making a grilled cheese with that brown bread).
If you're not willing to spend the money to buy the Cheesecake Factory bread online, there are copycat recipes out there to enjoy the Cheesecake Factory at home! A honey wheat brown bread is essentially the style, and you can use loaf pans or a baking sheet. The caramel color of the loaf's inside is the best surprise, and though the taste is similar to a rich black bread, the honey adds a lightness that keeps it sweeter.
Here's one of our favorite iterations of this honey wheat bread from Kitchen Trials with Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread recipe. Sans bread machine, the recipe relies on a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. The honey wheat bread adds a tastier flavor than the all-purpose flour used in white bread.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Recipe
For the ingredients, you'll need:
- warm water
- sugar
- instant dry yeast (1 package)
- bread flour
- whole wheat flour
- cocoa powder
- espresso powder (or instant coffee)
- salt
- butter, softened
- honey
- molasses
- cornmeal, for dusting
You don't need a bread machine for the full recipe, and though the loaves are baked on a baking sheet, you can also use a cast iron skillet for the same effect. While you might think the recipe has brown sugar, it uses only a tablespoon of white, leaving the molasses and honey to add sweetness.
This loaf is easy and delicious, with ingredients easily found at the grocery store, and its serving size is six mini wheat dinner rolls. It has a prep time and cook time of 30 minutes each. However, the total time is 4 and half hours, so it's best to plan ahead. When you're done, store in a room temperature place with plastic wrap.
To view the full directions of the delicious bread from Kitchen Trials' copycat Cheesecake Factory bread recipe, check it out here.
READ MORE: Here's Everything That's Gluten-Free on the Cheesecake Factory Menu
This article was originally published on February 23, 2018.
