From Scratch Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread are layers of soft homemade dough brushed with garlic butter with a blend of cheese in between each layer, baked to golden brown. Then, melted butter is brushed over the top of the warm bread with a sprinkle of salt and garnished with parsley. It will be hard to pull yourself away from this pull-apart bread, it is THAT good! If you are shorter on time, try my Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread made with store-bought biscuit dough.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Yeast: I used instant yeast, also known as quick-rise or fast-rising yeast, for the dough, which doesn’t need any time to be activated. If using active dry yeast, you will need to combine it with the warm milk and the sugar. Then, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, or activated. Following the activation, continue with the recipe.
Butter: You will need unsalted butter for the dough, the garlic butter, and to brush over the warm bread. I prefer unsalted butter to have control over salt added to the recipe. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the amount of salt.
Garlic Butter: Garlic butter will be brushed on each layer of the dough for plenty of garlic flavor in each bite. It’s a simple mixture of melted butter, garlic, chopped parsley, and salt.
Cheese: On top of each layer of garlic butter, I sprinkled a blend of shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese. You could use your favorite kind of cheese or cheese blend. Or, skip the cheese and add more garlic butter to each layer!
Topping: Brush melted butter over the warm bread and sprinkle a little salt over the top for added flavor.
Can I Make This Bread Without A Stand Mixer?
Yes! You can definitely make this bread without a stand mixer. First, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Next, combine the warm milk and butter (which you may need to melt). Pour the warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon. Once the dough starts to come together, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes or so. Then, follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Checking Pull-Apart Bread For Doneness
After cooking this pull-apart bread, you don’t want to pull it apart and see dough in the middle! To check that the bread is fully cooked, use these strategies:
- Look at the top and the edges. It should be a nice golden brown.
- Another way to check for doneness is by gently pressing on the center of the loaf. It should feel firm and spring back slightly.
- Without hitting the cheesy parts, check the internal temperature of the bread. It should read 190°F.
How To Store Pull-Apart Bread
This bread is best served warm, out of the oven. But, you can store leftovers if need be. To store the pull-apart bread, first, let it cool to room temperature. Next, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will last up to a couple of days at room temperature. Or, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the bread in the oven at a low temperature or in the microwave.
How to Freeze Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
This pull-apart bread freezes beautifully! Here are the best methods:
Unbaked (Recommended for Fresh Results): Assemble the bread completely (including the garlic butter and cheese layers) but do not bake. Wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To bake from frozen: Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake according to the recipe instructions, adding 5-10 extra minutes if needed.
Baked: Allow the bread to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil (or place in a freezer-safe bag). Freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Warm in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melty. For extra freshness, cover with foil for the first 10 minutes, then uncover for the last few minutes.
Pro Tip: For easier serving, you can freeze individual portions after baking. Wrap each piece well and reheat in the oven or microwave.
From Scratch Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ cup (184 g) whole milk, warmed (105°F to 115°F)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Filling
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (113 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup (56.5 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Toppings
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- kosher salt, for garnish
Instructions
Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the warm milk and butter until just combined.
- Knead on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too dry, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Or, add more flour if too wet until the dough reaches the desired consistency.
- Transfer dough to a greased medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Filling
- While the dough rises, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
Assembly
- Spray an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set out a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a clean surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Flatten each piece into a 4-inch round disc and place onto the lined baking sheet.
- To each round disc of dough, spread the garlic butter mixture. Then, top each with an equal amount of the shredded cheese mixture.
- Create 2 stacks of 6 discs of dough. Carefully place the dough stacks horizontally into the prepared loaf pan. Gently separate the pieces slightly. Cover the pan and let rise again until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- While the dough rises for the second time, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Bake the loaf for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil if the top starts to brown too quickly.
- Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt, and garnish with parsley before serving.
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Excellent. I saw this recipe on tiktok and someone else had stole it but someone else put your blog in the comments. I appreciate a recipe that is actually written out and written well.
I used bread flour instead of all purpose and it came out PERFECT!! so incredibly garlicky, buttery, and fluffy; I loved it!