This Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread is such an easy, delicious bread for any meal that would benefit from a little bread action on the side. The filling includes garlic herb butter and a whole lot of cheese for that perfect cheese pull. See notes for ways to change up the filling – this is such a versatile base to put your own spin on.
The bread is made in a simple one bowl recipe with only a little kneading. Then it gets knocked down, and cut into twelve. Roll out each piece into a small circle, brush with the herb butter and sprinkle with cheese. Fold the circle in half and layer up each semi circle before placing in the pan. Place in the pan with the open seam facing up. Bake then brush with a little more butter!
The dough itself comes together quickly and easily, with your classic bread ingredients! Two proves are needed for best results – but these are quick and fairly easy! This batch makes a good sized loaf, perfect to serve as a side to an Italian dinner. You can absolutely double to make two loaves to feed a larger crowd or you can freeze one of them. See instructions at the end for freezing.
How to Make Pull Apart Bread
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients needed: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, butter, eggs, and any desired fillings or seasonings.
- Make Dough: Activate Yeast: Warm milk slightly and dissolve sugar in it. Add yeast and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until foamy. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Combine Wet Ingredients: Melt butter and let it cool. Add eggs to the butter and mix well. Form Dough: Add the yeast mixture and butter-egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until a dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare Filling (if using): Prepare cheese, herbs, or any other desired fillings.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Cut dough into twelve equal pieces. Roll out the dough into circles. Spread your filling evenly over the dough. Stack the pieces on top of each other, then place the stack in a greased baking pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the pan with a cloth and let the dough rise for an additional 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the dough is rising.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
There are no specialist ingredients or equipment required for this bake. I can find everything I need at my local supermarket or grocery store. Use a 2lb loaf pan for best results. No need to line it as it should pop out really easily – just grease it prior to baking with some of the melted butter used in the recipe.
- All Purpose Flour
- Instant or Active Dried Yeast
- Whole Milk
- Salt
- Salted Butter
- Large Free Range Egg
- Dried Italian Herbs
- Shredded Cheddar
- Garlic
TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Melted Butter: Salted butter is absolutely best for this bake. If you don’t have any, use unsalted and simply salt to taste. Don’t be afraid of that salt shaker!
- Dairy: For the Milk use full fat if you can. This really helps the flavors come out and contributes to a better texture.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is the obvious choice for that stretchy cheese pull. That said, feel free to use any variety of cheese/cheese blends! An Italian blend or cheddar would be fun. Colby Jack, pizza mix – whatever you like the sound of!
- Rise Time: The recipe suggests a good one hour for the first rise. If your home is a little on the colder side, add 30 minutes to an hour. The key is that the dough has doubled in size or more.
- Bake Time: Make sure to keep an eye on them after the 15 minute mark to prevent them from burning. While still warm, I like to brush them with a little more butter before serving.
I make this Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread using a 2 lb loaf pan. For more savory baking, check out my Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread. For more baking inspiration and videos, head on over to my Instagram. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to drop it a star rating, leave a review or share a photo on your socials!
STORAGE and Make Ahead FOR Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread
To make this loaf ahead of time, you can make the dough and let it complete its first rise overnight. To do this, cover the bowl it is in using Seran wrap/cling film and place in the refrigerator. Take care not to leave much longer than overnight as it can get over proofed.
This loaf needs to be stored in a cool, dry place. Make sure to place in an airtight container prior to placing in a cupboard/in the pantry. It will also freeze really well, making this a great recipe to double batch so that some can be stored in the freezer for a later date. To freeze, place in an airtight container/ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in the fridge to thaw completely before serving.
As with any bread, this is definitely best served warm. If you don’t wolf it all down before it cools, I recommend warming up in the microwave for 30 seconds prior to serving!
Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 7 g (¼ oz) Packet Instant or Dried Active Yeast
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Granulated Sugar
- 175 ml (¾ cups) Whole Milk Warm (See Notes)
- 50 g (¼ cups) Salted Butter
- 1 (1) Large Egg
- 310 g (2 ½ cups) All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Salt
For the Filling
- 4 tbsp (4 tbsp) Salted Butter
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) Dried Italian Herbs
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) Minced Garlic
- 200 g (1 ¾ cups) Shredded Cheese like Mozzarella
Instructions
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add the yeast, sugar and warm milk. Let stand 5 minutes – it should 'bloom' and look a little bubbly. If not, your yeast may have expired.
- Mix in the butter and egg. Add in the flour and salt and mix to form a shaggy dough. Now, either let the stand mixer knead the dough for 5 minutes or pour the dough on a floured surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes. It should look smooth and elastic. Oil the bowl, place the dough back in.
- Let the dough rise 1 hour or so, until doubled in size.
Make the Filling and Assemble
- In a bowl, melt the butter and add the herbs and garlic. Set aside.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Take one piece of dough and roll out into a flat circle – about 1/4 inch thick. Brush on the garlic herb butter and sprinkle a good amount of cheese. Fold the circle in half to form a semi-circle. Repeat with all pieces of dough.
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin with some of the melted butter. Stack up the filled semi-circles of dough, with the open seam facing the same way. Place into the pan with the open seam facing upwards.
- Let rest 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃.
- Bake 45 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, brush with any remaining butter and let cool a little before pulling apart and serving!
Notes
- Milk: This should be warm but not hot. I usually put the milk in a glass jug and microwave it for 30 seconds. It should feel warm to the touch but not hot.Â
