Quick & Easy Cheesy Australian Damper Bread Recipe

Name: Quick & Easy Cheesy Australian Damper Bread Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 450 g self raising flour; 1/2 tbsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 120 g parmesan (grated *10g held back for sprinkling); 1/2 tbsp basil; 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tbsp mustard powder; 30 g pepperoni (chopped); 15 g jalapenos (*OPTIONAL); 30 g sundried tomatoes (*in oil, chopped); 1 tbsp oil (from sundried tomatoes jar); 225 ml Warm water

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An easy Australian damper bread made in the oven with simple ingredients and packed with delicious cheesy Mediterranean flavours. With a scone texture, it's made with self-raising flour, sundried tomatoes, jalapenos, pepperoni, and more!

The first time making damper, I was inspired by a delicious Lorraine Pascale damper bread from her book, Home Cooking Made Easy. Although only more recently, I discovered it was actually called Australian bread.

You may have heard it as bush bread, Aussie damper bread, or camp fire bread, associated with Aborigines. But it's essentially a self-raising flour bread that doesn't require kneading, yeast, or time to prove.

With a 4 ingredient bread base, we love to bake it with cheese, herbs, sundried tomatoes, and other pantry staples. And once baked, it's great for pulling apart while warm and serving with lashings of butter and dipped in soup.

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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
🛒 Ingredient Notes
📋 Instructions
👩‍🍳 Substitutions
⚖️ Variations
🔪 Equipment
❄️ Storage
💡Pro Tips
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
❓ FAQ
🍽️Pairing
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

Here are just a handful of reasons why we think you'll love this cheesy damper bread:

There's no skill needed
Uses basic ingredients from the pantry
Easy damper bread recipe for kids to make
Easy to make a sweet or savory quick bread
A quick and easy bread ready in 40 minutes
No need for yeast mixture, kneading or proving
Just like the early European settlers in Australia did, it's great for adding whatever you have at hand

🛒 Ingredient Notes

Please see the printable recipe card with exact damper ingredients and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.

labelled ingredients needed fir vhesy Australian damper bread

Self raising flour - this is about 3 ¾ cups self raising flour. This is plain flour or all purpose flour with a leavening agent added for a good bread rise
Baking powder - for an extra boost to rise in a large round
Seasoning - this is a good pinch of salt and black pepper, although note, the parmesan naturally adds an extra salt taste
Parmesan cheese - grated *10g held back for sprinkling
Herbs and spices - dried basil, smoked paprika and mustard powder. Note, you can use whatever fresh herbs you wish. In my original recipe years ago, I used fresh rosemary, thyme, etc
Pepperoni - this is diced, or any meat such as chopped bacon and cheese, shredded ham, etc
Jalapenos - this is optional for some heat, or you can swap for sliced olives, capers, or use the same weight in chilli paste, etc
Sundried tomatoes - these are chopped and mixed in as we love sundried tomato bread. Alternatively, you can swap for tomato paste for tomato flavoured bread. Also, if using one in oil, you can use this instead of the olive oil
Olive oil - or you can use melted unsalted butter (or salted and skip the extra salt in this recipe)
Warm water - this is 1 cup water, or you can or you use 1 cup milk for a softer bake

📋 Instructions

First, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius fan, 220c conventional, gas mark 7 or 425 F.

dry ingredients in a kitchen aid mixing bowl for easy damper bread

1. First, hold back 3-4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.

Then in a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together with a spatula.

If using a food mixer: use a paddle attachment and mix well combined.

wet ingredients poured into the dry ingredients for a quick self raising bread after bringing it together in a stand mixer

2. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then pour the wet ingredients in and mix with a butter knife until it combines.

Now bring it together with your hands.

For Kitchen Aids: mix on speed 2 until just combined.

round damper bread cob on a lined baking sheet with silicone mat

3. Place dough on a lined baking sheet and shape it into a large round loaf shape (like a cob) or 6 small balls for cheese damper rolls.

Then with a sharp knife, score some criss crosses.

Note: for a very sticky dough, shape dough on a lightly floured surface.

large cheesy damper bread roll topped with grated parmesan cheese

4. For the next step, sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top of the bread.

Then bake your damper in the oven for 40 minutes and serve.

Note: to test to see if your oven damper is ready, the top of dough should have a hollow sound when tapped.

Tip: If it is golden brown halfway, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking.

How to Cook Damper in a Fire

This easy damper recipe can also be made in a preheated and floured Dutch oven on hot ashes as the base of a camp oven for 40 minutes. Also, place lid on with hot coals on top of the Dutch oven lid during the cooking process.

If you don't have camp fire ashes, you can place it in the oven.

bush bread, sliced and topped with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley

👩‍🍳 Substitutions

Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make for this Italian style herb and cheese bread:

Gluten-free - Make a gluten free damper by using GF self-raising flour
Dairy-free - Use strong vegan cheese, or make your own homemade vegan parmesan cheese
Low fat - Use high protein/low-fat Parmesan cheese or another low-fat cheese substitute
For low-carb: Use almond flour for a keto damper mix or another low-carb flour substitute

spreading butter on a freshly baked slice of damper bread with cheese

⚖️ Variations

Here are some different ways you can make this traditional Australian bread recipe:

Rosemary and garlic damper - mix in fresh rosemary and the pulp from a roasted bulb of garlic
Fruit damper bread - add 2 tablespoon of golden syrup (AKA cocky's joy in terms of Australian food), and 1 cup of dried fruit
Christmas damper - use dried mixed fruit and add warm spices like 1 tablespoon mixed spice or allspice. Then swap some of the water or milk with orange and lemon juice and zests for a citrusy taste
Three cheese damper: you could add different cheeses to the bread, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or feta.
Meat feast damper - swap for cooked ground beef, crispy lardons, etc
Shape the bread differently: You could shape the bread into different shapes, such as a loaf, a cob, braid, or for a BBQ damper recipe, wrap this damper recipe on a stick or branch and cook over an open fire
Flat bread damper - flatten the bread like dropped scones and cook in a cast iron skillet or under a grill
Lemonade damper - try mixing delf raising flour with lemonade, milk and ground cinnamon as seen here by Out n About Australia. The bubbles should help it rise as do Australian lemonade scones
Beer damper - make a beer damper, or coconut ginger beer damper

You might also like these buttermilk cheese scones.

overhead view of sliced cheesy self raising bread on silicone baking mat

🔪 Equipment

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Taking a bit from a buttered slice of damper bread

❄️ Storage

Storing - we prefer eating homemade damper bread freshly baked and cooled for 10 minutes. But it can be stored in an airtight container or bread bin for up to 3 days.

Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and eat cold, or toast in a toaster, grill, or griddle pan.

💡Pro Tips

If it is golden brown halfway, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking
To test to see if your oven damper is ready, the top of the dough should have a hollow sound when tapped. If not, continue to bake
For a more intense flavour, use a flavoured oil (I like to use the oil from the sundried tomatoes)

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

The Cheesy Italian Damper Bread is so versatile, it can be served in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Billy tea & damper - some Australians swear by the traditional damper combination served with a freshly brewed cup of Billy Tea.

Stews - it's perfect to eat as a giant American biscuit, savoury scone or dumpling with a beef stew or slow cooker sausage casserole

As a snack: This bread is so moist and flavourful, it's perfect toasted or served warm with a spread of butter and cream cheese as a satisfying appetizer

On a charcuterie board: traditional recipes like damper bread are a great addition to a charcuterie board. Pair it with baked camembert with honey, cured meats, cheeses, fruits, pates, or a big bowl of hummus for supper

Bruschetta - pan fry or toast slices under a grill top with chopped tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, and extra virgin olive oil.

Garlic bread - slice and spread with homemade garlic butter before baking slices in the oven, then enjoying as a great side dish with pasta dishes

For sandwiches: This cheesy Italian Damper Bread would be great for making sandwiches. Fill it with your favorite ingredients, such as ham, chicken, cheese, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, etc

As croutons: Dice, drizzle with oil, and toast to make as croutons on top of your favourite soup recipes, salad, or stews for a delicious, crunchy topping

❓ FAQ

Can you make Damper bread with plain flour?

To make damper bread with plain or all purpose flour, you need to add 1 teaspoon of baking powder per every 100g, So this recipe would require 4.5 teaspoon of baking powder, plus ½ tbsp.

What is damper bread?

Damper bread (AKA campfire bread) is a type of bread that is traditionally made in Australia and New Zealand. It is made with self-raising flour, water, and salt, and it is often cooked in a camp oven over a campfire.

What are the benefits of using self-raising flour in this recipe?

Self-raising flour is a type of flour that has baking powder already added to it. However, as it is baked in one large cob, I add more to make it a fool proof recipe.

How do I know if the bread is done baking?

The bread is done baking when it is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when you tap it.

Can I cook damper in foil?

Cooking damper in foil can be done as seen here, but I recommend wrapping it up several times and hanging it from a fire pit tripod to prevent the base from burning.

Can I make damper bread dough ahead of time?

To make the bread ahead of time, make and shape the dough. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the bread from the fridge and let it come to room temperature before baking.

🍽️Pairing

Whether you're making plain, sweet, or savoury damper bread, here's what we think it pairs well with:

You can find our best soup recipes here, perfect for dunking your buttered damper bread!

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