Chocolate Orange Stilton Peanut Butter Chip Bread Braid

There are kitchen experiments… and then there are the moments when you look down at your mixing bowl and think, Well, this is either going to be genius or a beautiful disaster. This Chocolate Orange Stilton Peanut Butter Chip Whole Wheat Bread Braid was absolutely one of those moments - well, maybe. I actually KNEW with my heart and soul that it would be totally delicious.

It started as a craving, turned into a dream, and somehow ended up as a loaf that tastes like a cozy winter evening wrapped in a quirky British rom‑com.

It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s nutty, it’s tangy, and it has no business being as good as it is—but here we are. The whole wheat dough gives it heartiness, the orange brightens everything, the chocolate and peanut butter chips bring the comfort, and the Stilton… well, the Stilton is the plot twist that ties the whole story together.

If you’re ready for a bake that’s bold, a little mischievous, and guaranteed to spark conversation, this braid is about to become your new favorite adventure.

AND, this is why it works:

Sweet + savory is a power couple. Chocolate and peanut butter chips bring familiar, comforting sweetness, while the Stilton adds a salty, tangy counterpoint. Instead of competing, they balance each other the way salted caramel or chocolate‑covered pretzels do.

Orange is the great unifier. Citrus has this magical ability to brighten heavy flavors and tie unexpected ingredients together. The orange zest and juice lift the richness of the chocolate and peanut butter while smoothing out the boldness of the cheese.

Whole wheat dough grounds the chaos. With so many big personalities in the filling, the hearty, slightly nutty whole wheat dough acts as the anchor. It keeps the braid from becoming dessert‑level sweet while giving it structure and depth.

Texture keeps every bite interesting. You get melty chocolate, creamy peanut butter chips, pockets of soft Stilton, and the chew of whole wheat bread. It’s layered, it’s dynamic, and it makes you want another slice just to see what the next bite will be like.

It’s playful, but it’s not random. Every ingredient has a job: richness, brightness, salt, sweetness, aroma, texture. When they come together, the result is surprisingly harmonious—like a quirky ensemble cast that shouldn’t work on paper but absolutely steals the show.

And the braid makes it beautiful. Enough said.

Chocolate Orange Stilton Peanut Butter Chip Bread Braid

1 ½ cups warm water
1 ½ tsp. dry active yeast
2 Tbs. honey
3 oz. European butter, room temperature
6 oz. Chocolate Orange Stilton cheese, room temperature, broken into pieces
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 oz. peanut butter chips

Mix together the warm water, yeast, and honey. Allow to bloom for 10 minutes.

Add the butter and cheese. Using a mixer, blend until well combined.

Add the flours, ½ cup at a time, and mix well.

Fold in the peanut butter chips.

Loosely cover with a towel and allow to rise at room temperature (at least 68°F) for 2 hours.

Divide the dough into thirds.

Over parchment paper, roll the thirds into long rounds and then braid into a full loaf.

Transfer to a parchment-lined bread loaf pan.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool for 30-40 minutes, until easily sliceable, but still warm.

Enjoy with warm butter or mascarpone cheese.