This Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread is soft, fluffy and loaded with buttery garlic flavour, fresh herbs, chilli flakes and layers of melted mozzarella. Each piece pulls apart beautifully, revealing soft, cheesy layers underneath a golden, buttery crust. Finished with extra garlic butter while still warm, this homemade cheesy garlic bread is perfect for serving alongside pasta, soups, grilled meats or your favourite comfort food. If you love soft homemade bread with plenty of garlic, butter and cheese, this easy pull-apart bread is one you’ll want to make again and again.
Why you will love this recipe?
This Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread is the kind of homemade bread that makes any meal feel a little more special. It is easy to share, works beautifully alongside everything from pasta and soups to grilled meats, and can be customized with your favourite cheese or herbs. It is also a great choice for gatherings because everyone can simply pull off a piece and dig in. Served warm from the oven, it makes a comforting side that is hard to resist.
Expert Tips for Best Results!
- Keep the dough soft – Avoid adding excessive flour while kneading or shaping. A softer dough produces a lighter and fluffier pull-apart bread.
- Watch the top while baking – Because the garlic butter and cheese can brown quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil if the top becomes too dark before the centre is fully baked.
- Use softened butter – For the filling, the butter should be soft enough to spread easily without being melted. This helps keep the garlic butter evenly distributed between the layers.
- Check the centre – The middle of the loaf takes the longest to bake. An internal temperature of around 190°F / 88°C is a useful way to check that the bread is fully baked without relying only on its colour.
How to make Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread?
The detailed recipe is included in the Full Recipe below. The following pictures and instructions will help you understand the process better visually.
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
First, pour the lukewarm milk into a large mixing bowl and add the egg. Next, add the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt directly on top of the liquid. Mix everything together until a shaggy dough forms and the ingredients are evenly combined.
Step 2: Knead in the Butter
Once the dough comes together, knead it for about 3–4 minutes using an electric mixer or 5–6 minutes by hand. Then, gradually add the softened butter while continuing to knead. Keep kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth, soft and elastic. This should take around 5–7 minutes with an electric mixer or approximately 10 minutes by hand.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rise
Next, shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm, draft free place to rise for about 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Meanwhile, you can prepare the garlic butter filling.
Step 4: Make the Garlic Butter Filling
While the dough is rising, combine the softened butter, chopped garlic, dried parsley, fresh coriander and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly until the garlic and herbs are evenly distributed throughout the butter. Set aside a little of the garlic butter to brush over the bread once it comes out of the oven.
Step 5: Roll Out the Dough
Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release excess air. Then, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rough rectangle measuring approximately 12 × 16 inches. Try to keep the dough relatively even so the finished pull-apart bread bakes uniformly.
Step 6: Add the Garlic Butter and Cheese
Now, spread the garlic butter evenly over the entire surface of the rolled out dough. Make sure you reach close to the edges so every piece gets plenty of flavour. Next, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the garlic butter.
Step 7: Cut and Stack the Dough
After adding the filling, cut the dough vertically into strips. Carefully stack the strips on top of one another, keeping the layers aligned as much as possible. Then, cut the stacked dough into smaller segments that will fit comfortably inside your loaf pan.
Step 8: Arrange the Pull-Apart Bread
Grease a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan and arrange the dough segments inside with the cut sides facing upward. Importantly, do not force all the pieces into the pan if it looks overcrowded. The dough will expand as it rises and bakes, so any extra pieces can be baked separately in a small pan.
Step 9: Let the Bread Rise Again
Once the dough pieces are arranged, cover the loaf loosely and let it rise for about 45 minutes, or until the pieces look noticeably puffy. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 175°C / 350°F so it is ready when the second rise is complete.
Step 10: Bake the Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread
Once the loaf has become puffy, place it in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35–40 minutes. The top should become golden brown, while the centre should reach around 190°F / 88°C. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil and continue baking until the centre is fully cooked.
Step 11: Brush with Garlic Butter
Finally, remove the warm bread from the oven and immediately brush the reserved garlic butter over the top. The warmth of the bread allows the butter to soak into the golden crust and adds even more garlic flavour to the finished loaf.
Step 12: Serve Warm
Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving, then pull apart the individual pieces while they are still warm. The soft bread, melted mozzarella and buttery garlic filling make this Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread especially delicious straight from the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the lukewarm milk with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and let it sit for 10–15 minutes. Once it becomes foamy, continue with the recipe.
Why did my pull-apart bread turn out dense?
Dense bread can result from under-kneading, insufficient proofing or adding too much flour. Make sure the dough becomes smooth and elastic and allow it enough time to double during the first rise.
Can I use cheddar instead of mozzarella?
Yes. Mozzarella gives you a particularly stretchy, mild filling, but cheddar, Monterey Jack or a combination of cheeses can also work well.
How should I store Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread?
Once cooled, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly before serving to bring back its soft texture.
Can I freeze this Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread?
Yes. Once completely cooled, wrap the bread tightly and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Watch How to Make it!
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Full Recipe
Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread
This Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread is soft, fluffy, buttery and packed with garlicky flavour, with layers of melted mozzarella tucked between every piece. Baked until golden and finished with extra garlic butter, this cheesy pull-apart bread makes an irresistible side for pasta, soups, grilled meats or any cozy dinner.
Ingredients
For Dough:
- 3 and 1/4 cups bread flour (414 g)
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar (24 g)
- A little over 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup softened butter (57 g)
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp lukewarm milk (225 ml)
For Garlic Butter Filling:
- 1/2 cup softened butter (113 g)
- 4-5 chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
For layering:
- Shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Pour the lukewarm milk into a large mixing bowl, then add the egg. Add the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Mix everything together until a shaggy dough forms and there are no large patches of dry flour remaining.
- Knead the dough for about 3–4 minutes using an electric mixer with a dough hook, or 5–6 minutes by hand. Once the dough starts coming together, gradually add the softened butter in small portions.
- Continue kneading until all the butter is absorbed and the dough becomes smooth, soft and elastic. This should take approximately 5–7 minutes with an electric mixer or around 10 minutes by hand. The finished dough should feel soft and slightly tacky rather than stiff.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and leave it somewhere warm for approximately 90 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, combine the softened butter, chopped garlic, dried parsley, fresh coriander and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly until the garlic and herbs are evenly distributed throughout the butter. Set aside a small amount for brushing over the baked bread.
- Once the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to release some of the excess air. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle approximately 12 × 16 inches.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving the reserved portion aside for later. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella generously over the buttered dough so each layer will have plenty of melted cheese.
- Cut the filled dough vertically into strips. Carefully stack the strips on top of one another, keeping the layers aligned as much as possible. Then cut the stacked dough into smaller segments that will fit comfortably into your loaf pan.
- Grease a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan and arrange the dough segments inside with the cut sides facing upward. Avoid packing the pan too tightly because the dough needs room to expand during the second rise and while baking.
- Cover the loaf loosely and let it rise for approximately 45 minutes, or until the pieces look noticeably puffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 175°C / 350°F.
- Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes, until the top is beautifully golden and the centre reaches around 190°F / 88°C. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Remove the bread from the oven and immediately brush the warm loaf generously with the reserved garlic butter. Allow it to sit for a few minutes so the butter can soak into the warm layers.
- Serve the Garlic Butter Pull-Apart Bread warm while the bread is soft and fluffy and the mozzarella is still deliciously melted. Pull apart individual pieces and enjoy alongside your favourite meal.
Notes
- I used a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan and had 3–4 pieces of dough left over. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as the dough needs room to expand. If you have extra pieces, simply arrange them in a small greased baking dish and bake them separately.
- This recipe uses instant yeast, so it can be added directly to the dough without proofing. However, if you’re using active dry yeast or you’re new to working with yeast, I recommend proofing it first. Add the yeast to the lukewarm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar and let it sit for 10–15 minutes. Once it becomes foamy or bubbly, you can continue with the recipe.
If you like Bread recipes like these, you should definitely check out my:
1) Buffalo Chicken Garlic Bread
2) Cheesy Jalapenos and Chicken Stuffed Bread
