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Halloumi and Mint Bread

This soft buttery yeasted bread is loaded with classic Cypriot flavors – halloumi, onion, and mint. Baked until golden brown, this cheese bread is truly irresistible. It’s flaky, savory, salty, and simply the best!

halloumi and mint bread on wire rack

Pillowy soft dough, diced halloumi, onion, and mint. Need I say more?

This Halloumi and Mint Bread is a labor of love – it takes time and patience. The dough must rise overnight, and after it’s filled and shaped, the bread must rise again for another hour and a half before it’s baked. It’s a process. But 100% worth it.

It’s a really rewarding feeling when you take this halloumi bread out of the oven. And an even better feeling when you take the first bite. The bread is buttery, soft, and flakey. It’s salty from the halloumi, sweet from the onions, and mint really brings all of the flavors together. 

slice of Cypriot Halloumi Bread

Halloumi and Mint Bread Ingredients

Let’s go over the ingredients you will need to make this delicious Halloumi Bread!

  • All-purpose flour: I always use unbleached all-purpose flour in my baking. You can use all-purpose gluten free flour if you need to with great results as well!
  • Sugar: Use your favorite granulated or organic cane sugar! This is the one that I use in all of my baking. The sugar feeds the yeast, so don’t omit this!
  • Dry Yeast: Use active dry yeast. Make sure that your yeast is not old and it is still alive.
  • Eggs: Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature for the best results. If you are vegan, replace the eggs with flax eggs. Check out the notes section of the recipe for flax egg substitutes.
  • Butter: I always bake with salted butter. It doesn’t contain any flavorings that unsalted butter has. Just two ingredients; cream and salt. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer, you may just need to increase the sea salt by ¼ tsp in the recipe! Make sure that the butter is at room temperature
  • Halloumi: You will need about 1 pound of halloumi. I usually use 2 whole packs. 
  • Onion: Use yellow onions and make sure that you dice them finely. 
  • Mint: I like to use a combination of fresh and dried mint in this halloumi bread. If you don’t have any fresh mint, just add an extra teaspoon of dried mint to the filling mixture.

How To Make Halloumi Bread

Even though this Halloumi and Mint Bread takes a lot of time and patience, the process is quite simple. I’ll walk you through all of the steps to make sure you end up with the perfect flakey bread!

unbaked savory babka

  1. Prepare the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast on low speed. Next, add the eggs and lukewarm water. Mixer on low speed to combine all of the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium/high speed and knead for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the salt. Turn on your mixer to medium speed and add the butter pieces, one at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated into the dough, knead on medium/high speed for 5 more minutes. 
  2. Refrigerate dough overnight. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight, or at least 6 hours. 
  3. Prepare the filling. The next day, you can prepare the filling. Combine the diced halloumi, grated halloumi, chopped onion, mint, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  4. Roll out dough and shape. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. It should have risen slightly. On a well floured surface, roll the dough into a 16-inch square and spread the filling over the dough, leaving ½-inch border uncovered. Starting from one end, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to trim off the edges and cut the log in half. Place one half on top of the other to a form a cross shape. Twist both ends to form a spiral and transfer the dough to a parchment line loaf pan.
  5. Second rise. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 1 ½ hours. 
  6. Brush with egg wash and bake. After the second rise, brush the top of the dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  7. Cool and slice. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack before slicing it.

halloumi bread on wire rack

Halloumi and Mint Bread FAQs

What is halloumi?

Halloumi is a cheese made in Cyprus. It is made from a blend of goat’s, sheep’s, and cow’s milk. It is a semi-hard brined cheese with a spongy texture. It is salty and sometimes flavored with mint. Because of its high melting point, halloumi is ideal for grilling or frying. You can find halloumi in Mediterranean stores and specialty supermarkets. Due to its increasing popularity, you can also find halloumi at stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. 

How do I shape halloumi bread?

For a visual representation on shaping halloumi bread, check out this video from Food and Wine.

How do I store halloumi and mint bread?

To store any leftovers, cover the bread and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also 

Can I freeze halloumi bread?

Baked bread freezes great! To freeze bread, allow the loaf to cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Thaw unwrapped bread in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To re-heat the bread, wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes.

slices of halloumi bread

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slice of halloumi, mint, and onion bread

slice of Cypriot Halloumi Bread

Halloumi and Mint Bread

Angelina
This soft buttery yeasted bread is loaded with classic Cypriot flavors - halloumi, onion, and mint. Baked until golden brown, this cheese bread is truly irresistible. It’s flaky, savory, salty, and simply the best!
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 21 hours 36 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Cypriot
Servings 1 loaf, 10 servings
Calories 345 kcal

Ingredients 

  • 2 1/2 cups 313 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup 55 g sugar
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup 120ml lukewarm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 7 tablespoons 98 g butter, room temperature and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Filling

  • 2 packs halloumi about 1 pound
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped*
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon salt adjust depending on saltiness of your halloumi

Instructions 

  • Prepare the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast on low speed. Next, add the eggs and lukewarm water. Mix on low speed to combine all of the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium/high speed and knead for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the salt. Turn on your mixer to medium speed and add the butter pieces, one at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated into the dough, knead on medium/high speed for 5 more minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight, or at least 6 hours.
  • Prepare the filling. The next day, prepare the filling. Dice 1 1/2 packs of halloumi into 1/2-inch cubes. Finely grate the remaining 1/2 halloumi. Combine the diced halloumi, grated halloumi, chopped onion, mint, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Line a 9 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of overhang on each of the long sides. Lightly grease, and set aside.
  • Roll out dough and shape. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. It should have risen slightly. On a well floured surface (the dough will be a little sticky), roll the dough out into a 16-inch square and spread the filling over the dough, leaving ½-inch border uncovered. Starting from one end, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to trim off the edges and cut the log in half. Place one half on top of the other to a form a cross shape. Twist both ends to form a spiral and transfer the dough the prepared loaf pan.
  • Cover the loaf pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 1 ½ hours. 
  • Preheat oven 375°F.
  • After the second rise, make an egg wash by whisking the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle the sesame seeds. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
  • Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Discard the paper and let the loaf cool on a wire rack before slicing it.

Notes

*If you do not have fresh mint, add 1 more teaspoon of dried mint to the mixture.
  • Shaping bread: For a visual representation on shaping halloumi bread, check out this video from Food and Wine.
  • Store: To store any leftovers, cover the bread and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also 
  • Freeze: Baked bread freezes great! To freeze bread, allow the loaf to cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Thaw unwrapped bread in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To re-heat the bread, wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 16gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 275mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was and tag @bakedambrosia on Instagram

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