Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread (Printable)

Golden sourdough loaf layered with garlic butter, mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 large round sourdough loaf (about 1.1 lbs)

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
06 - ½ tsp salt
07 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Cheese

08 - 7 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
09 - 3.5 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
10 - 1.75 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Using a serrated knife, cut the bread diagonally into ¾-inch wide slices, being careful not to cut through the base. Rotate and repeat to form a crosshatch pattern.
03 - Combine softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, chives if using, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
04 - Gently separate bread sections and spread the garlic butter mixture evenly into all crevices.
05 - Fill the cuts with mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses, distributing them evenly throughout the loaf.
06 - Place the loaf on the prepared tray, wrap loosely with foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
08 - Serve warm, pulling apart pieces to enjoy immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese melts into every crack, so each pull reveals strings of gooey goodness that nobody can resist.
  • It takes less than an hour from start to finish, yet everyone assumes you spent all day on it.
  • You can customize the herbs and cheese to match whatever you have on hand or what your crowd loves most.
02 -
  • Do not cut all the way through the bottom, or the loaf will fall apart before you even get it to the oven.
  • Softening the butter completely is critical, cold butter will tear the bread and will not spread evenly into the cuts.
  • Wrapping the bread in foil for the first bake keeps it tender, skipping this step can dry out the crust before the inside is ready.
03 -
  • Let the butter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before mixing, it will blend with the garlic and herbs much more smoothly.
  • Use a pastry brush to get the garlic butter all the way to the bottom of each cut, a spoon alone will not reach deep enough.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil during the final bake to prevent burning while the cheese finishes melting.
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