Once You Use This Tender, Pillowy Bread For Grilled Cheese, You Won't Go Back

Although you will see bread suggestions every now and then, most grilled cheese upgrades are more oriented toward outdoing the dairy or stacking more fulfilling fillings. Sure, the old grilled cheese mayo versus butter debate is always humming in the background, but just what carb those fats are coating is a much quieter part of the conversation. Switching up the bread can be a great way to upgrade grilled cheese, and swapping ordinary sandwich bread with a couple of fluffy slices of brioche makes a statement that will not be silenced.

Brioche is different from an everyday loaf due to its enriched dough. It is made with more butter and sugar than a basic white slice, plus a few game changing eggs. The result is a soft, pillowy, light crumb that crisps up beautifully on the outside and still manages to be substantial enough to stand up to plenty of gooey cheese, plus any add-ins you desire. Brioche constructs a grilled cheese so well, in fact, that those new to this use case will hardly believe that they haven't tried it before. It also adds a subtle sweetness that provides a nice contrast to the savory cheese. You can more or less slot in brioche without making any further grilled cheese adjustments. But there are also, as always, ways to optimize brioche for many wonderful grilled cheeses to come.

If you've made or bought brioche by the whole loaf, you'll want to slice it to about the same half-inch thickness you're probably used to for a grilled cheese. Any thicker and it becomes a barrier to the heat you will need to melt your cheese. Any of the best cheeses for grilling will, of course, work here too, but you might want to keep the brioche's relative sweetness in mind when pairing. You'll get a great flavor balance with classic, salty grilled cheese picks like American or cheddar. Something like an otherwise excellent gruyère, on the other hand, might start to skew too sweet, depending on your palate.

Little extras like a swipe of Dijon mustard inside, some thinly sliced cornichons, or a sprinkling of herbs de Provence would not only be delicious, but they would also nod to brioche's French origins. Jambon, the ham that beautifully partners with butter in jambon-beurre, is an obviously excellent protein pairing. And speaking of butter, brioche already has plenty packed inside. But swiping the exterior of the bread with a little more before you sizzle your brioche grilled cheese over medium-low heat is as great a use of the good stuff as any.