Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

A slice of cheesy bread being pulled away, showing melted herbs and cheese.

Cheesy Pull Apart Bread

A soft, buttery cheesy pull apart bread made from a simple yeast dough and filled with garlic, herbs, and parmesan. Each piece pulls away easily, with tender layers inside and lightly crisp edges.

Course App, Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Rise time 2

Total Time 3

Servings

Calories 159kcal

Author Kylee Ayotte

Equipment

Stand Mixer with whisk and dough hook
Mixing bowls
Rolling Pin
Bench scraper or pizza cutter
9x5 loaf pan
Parchment Paper
Pastry brush

Ingredients

For the dough

¼ cup butter
¼ cup water
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup sugar divided
¾ cup milk
¾ teaspoon salt
3 ½ to 4 cups flour 420g

For the cheesy garlic butter

¼ cup butter softened
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped can use dried
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter melted
flaky salt for topping

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Get prepped. Melt ¼ cup butter and let it cool slightly.
Activate the yeast. Warm ¼ cup water to about 105°F (40°C). Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer along with 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir to combine and let sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
Make the dough. Warm the ¾ cup milk to about 90°F (32°C). Add the remaining sugar, warm milk, melted butter, and ¾ teaspoon salt to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until incorporated, then switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides and feels slightly tacky.
Knead and rise. Knead the dough on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Make the cheesy butter. In a medium bowl, mix the softened ¼ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped, and ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese until fully combined.
Shape the bread. Grease or line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and roll into a large rectangle. Cut into 12 even rectangles. Spread the cheesy butter evenly over each piece, then fold each rectangle in half.
Assemble the loaf. Brush one side of each folded piece with 2 tablespoons butter (melted) and stand them upright in the prepared loaf pan, stacking tightly. Do not butter the outside of the final piece so it does not stick.
Second rise. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
Bake. Heat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Finish. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Let the butter cool slightly before adding to the dough.
The dough should feel tacky, not sticky.
Pack the folded dough pieces snugly for clean pull-apart layers.
Cover loosely during the second rise so the dough does not dry out.

Nutrition