Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

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This cheesy garlic pull-apart bread is a soft homemade yeast loaf made in a 9×5-inch pan, layered with garlic herb butter and melted mozzarella. Each fluffy fold tears away on its own, so there's no slicing at the table. Perfect with soup, pasta, and holiday dinners.

Easy Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread with Mozzarella and Herbs

If you've made my garlic butter dinner rolls, you know how much I love a soft yeast dough soaked in garlic butter. This loaf uses a similar tender dough and layers it with fresh rosemary, parsley, garlic, and mozzarella.

This bread is at its absolute best served warm. The cheese will be soft and stretchy, and the layers will pull apart cleanly. As it cools, it will still be delicious, but the texture becomes more set and less dramatic. 

It's an ideal centerpiece for sharing, whether served straight from the pan or alongside a warm marinara dip. Let me show you how easy it is!

Why You'll Love It

• Cheese and garlic in every layer: I spread garlic herb butter on each round of homemade dough, then add mozzarella before folding each one in half. They stand up in the loaf pan like pages in a book and bake into one tall, golden loaf. So you don't just get garlic butter on top. You get it all the way through the loaf.
• Soft, fluffy texture: Milk, butter, and an egg make this dough rich and tender. It bakes up golden on the outside and pillowy inside.
• Simple dough, made in a stand mixer: If you've made my bread machine white bread or my bread machine garlic bread, this is a great next step. The mixer does the kneading, and the shaping is easier than it looks.
• No shaping skills needed: You just roll small circles, spread, sprinkle, and fold. If you've made my spinach artichoke buns, this will feel very familiar.
• Fun to serve: Nobody needs a bread knife here. You set the loaf on the table, and everyone pulls off their own piece.
• The best soup partner: I love tearing off pieces to dip into my creamy mushroom soup or Tuscan white bean soup. Definitely try this loaf with my creamy roasted butternut squash soup and corn chowder.  It's also great with pasta night.
• Great for holidays and game days: Set the whole loaf in the middle of the table and let everyone pull off their own piece. It works for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, Super Bowl parties, and potlucks.  If you love cheesy, filled breads as much as I do, try my classic Italian-American stromboli, cheesy spinach artichoke buns, and crispy spinach and ricotta flatbread next.

The Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

This recipe consists of 3 components: a soft yeast dough, a garlic herb cheese filling, and a simple buttery topping. Scroll down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts.

1) Dough Ingredients

• Instant yeast: I used one standard packet (2 ¼ teaspoons). Active dry yeast works too. Just give it the full 10 minutes to get foamy before you move on.
• Bread flour: Using bread flour gives this dough extra strength and supports the layered shaping and the weight of the filling. The added protein creates more gluten, which helps the loaf rise upward and hold its structure. I prefer bread flour, but I've tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and it will still work if that's all you have.
• Whole milk: The warm milk provides the ideal environment for activating the yeast. It should feel warm but not hot (see the success tips below). Keep it at 105-110°F (40-43°C). If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast.
• Granulated Sugar: The sugar feeds the yeast and helps it begin fermenting.
• Butter and egg: Melted butter and a room-temperature egg give the bread its tender, slightly rich crumb. Let the butter cool a little so it doesn't scramble the egg.
• Salt and Garlic powder: I add it to the dough so the garlic flavor runs through the bread itself, not just the filling.

2) Garlic Herb Cheese Filling Ingredients

• Very soft unsalted butter: For the filling, make sure the butter is very soft, almost like a spreadable paste. This allows it to glide evenly over the dough without tearing it.
• Fresh garlic: Mince it very finely so it mixes evenly into the butter. Big pieces can taste harsh.
• Fresh rosemary and parsley: Fresh herbs give the best flavor.  You can swap in thyme, chives, or basil. If using dried herbs, use about 1 teaspoon of each.
• Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella gives you those stretchy, cheesy pulls. You can mix in some Parmesan, provolone, or white cheddar for more flavor.
• Salt: Brings out the flavor of the butter and herbs.

3) Topping Ingredients

• Melted butter: You will only need 1 tablespoon of it to brush on right out of the oven for a shiny, soft top.
• Flaky sea salt and fresh herbs: A light sprinkle adds crunch and color.

How to Make Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread (Step-by-Step Photos)

This is a recipe overview. Scroll down for complete instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

• Activate the yeast: Stir together the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit until lightly foamy, then whisk in the melted butter and egg.

• Make the dough and knead: Add the flour, salt, and garlic powder to a stand mixer, pour in the milk mixture, and knead with the dough hook for 8-10 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and slightly tacky, but it shouldn't stick to a clean finger.

• First rise: Let the dough rise in a greased, covered bowl in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes, until doubled.

• Make the filling: While the dough rises, mix the soft butter, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and salt until smooth.

• Shape: Divide the dough into 14 balls and roll each into a 4-inch circle. Spread with garlic butter, sprinkle with mozzarella, and fold in half. Stand them up in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, open side up.
• Second rise: Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes, until noticeably puffy.

• Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40-45 minutes until deep golden brown. Don't press the folded rounds closed. Leaving them loose lets the layers separate in the oven, so they pull apart easily once baked. Tent with foil after 25 minutes if the top browns too fast.
• Toppings: Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with flaky salt, and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Pull apart and enjoy!

Top Tip: Activate the Yeast in Warm Milk with Sugar First!

It's a small step that makes a big difference in reliability. While instant yeast can technically be mixed straight into the flour, I recommend blooming it first so you can confirm that the yeast is alive and active before committing to the dough. After a few minutes, the mixture should look slightly foamy. This is your visual cue that the yeast is working properly and will give your bread a good rise. If nothing happens, it's far better to know now than after you've mixed the entire dough.

Success Tips

1. Get the milk temperature right. Temperature is one of the most important factors for success. The milk should feel warm but not hot. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast, and if it's too cool, the dough will rise very slowly. Aim for about 105-110°F (40-43°C).
2. Watch the dough, not the clock. Rising time will vary depending on your kitchen. In a colder environment, the dough may need closer to the full 90 minutes to double in size. You should always look for the dough to visibly double, rather than relying strictly on the clock.
3. Knead until smooth and stretchy. Whether you knead by hand or with a machine, take the time to fully develop the dough. It should become smooth and elastic, and if you gently stretch a small piece, it should thin out without tearing right away. This gluten development is what allows the bread to form those distinct pull-apart layers rather than baking into a dense loaf.
4. Use soft (not firm, not melted) butter for the filling. If the butter is too firm, it will drag and create uneven layers. If it's melted, it will soak into the dough rather than staying in defined layers.
5. Tent with foil if needed. If the top begins to brown too quickly during baking, loosely tent it with foil. This prevents over-browning while allowing the center to finish cooking.
6. Make sure the center is fully baked. Because this is a layered loaf, it's important that the middle reaches the correct temperature. Underbaking will leave the inner layers slightly doughy, so I recommend checking it with a thermometer if you have one. This is the best way to be certain.

What to Serve with Pull-Apart Bread

• Classic Italian-American Stromboli
• Spinach Artichoke Buns
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• The Only Chili Recipe You'll Ever Need
• Creamy Kielbasa Potato Soup

FAQ

1. Can I make this without a stand mixer? Yes. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until shaggy, then knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10-12 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
2. Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight for the first rise. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping. The cold rise takes a little longer, but the flavor is even better.
3. Why is the center of my bread doughy? The outside browns faster than the middle bakes. Tent the loaf with foil after 25 minutes and bake until the center reaches 190°F (88°C).
4. How do I know when the bread is done? The top should be deep golden brown, and the center should feel set. For the most reliable test, an instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 190°F (88°C). If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
5. Can I use store-bought dough? Yes. About 1 pound of store-bought pizza dough or frozen bread dough (thawed) works. Roll, fill, and shape it the same way.
6. Can I make it in a different pan? You can bake the folded pieces in a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet, standing them up in a circle. Start checking it at 30 minutes, since a wider pan bakes faster.
7. What should I serve with garlic pull-apart bread? It's perfect with soups like my beef and barley soup or creamy potato soup with bacon and cheddar. It's also great with pasta dishes like my slow-simmered sausage ragu or cheesy stuffed shells.