This Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread is EPIC! “Crack bread” is an appropriate name for this because it’s garlic bread – on crack…..
It’s basically a cheesy garlic bread, but so much more fun AND delicious! Cheese, garlic and bread – in pull apart bread form. You can’t go wrong. Guaranteed to be the most popular thing at any gathering you take it to!
A CHEESY PULL APART GARLIC BREAD
“You will never be able to look at garlic bread the same again….”
If you haven’t tried this Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread before, let me warn you now: garlic bread will never be the same again. It’s like a pull apart bread, but tastes like garlic bread plus you have the mozzarella cheese which stretches wonderfully as you pull bits off.
This is INSANELY delicious. I especially love the way the bread is cut into diamond shapes so you can tear bite size pieces off. Every piece is garlicky and buttery and oh-so-cheesy…….
“Kids go NUTS over this…. and adults turn INTO kids when they get stuck into this!!”
This is one the kids go NUTS over, don’t say I didn’t warn you! And grown ups turn into little kids when they get stuck into this. I made this for a dinner and let me tell you, it took 5 hands about 30 seconds to demolish this!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHEESY BREAD IN THE WORLD!
Best bread – The best bread to use for Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread is crusty sourdough or another dense type of bread, but it works well with plain crusty loaves as well.
The reason it works better with sourdough is because the bread is denser so the bread tends to hold together better when you pull bits off. But believe me, there is no compromise on flavour if you use other types of bread! In fact, in the photo I chose to use a crusty Vienna loaf because it was on special.
Best cheese – I really recommend using mozzarella cheese for this, you want it to stretch and pull when you tear the pieces off.
Other flavourings – I kept the flavours quite simple, going for a garlic bread with cheese, but you can go really wild with the flavours for this! Ranch dressing, kick of chilli, other herbs – the possibilities are endless!
When it comes out of the oven, it’s all golden, crusty and buttery on the inside and you know that’s just the start of the eating experience that’s about to commence….
….then the devouring begins…. that cheesy pull! That buttery, garlicky bread!! And yet, and yet, there’s even more to come….
THE BASE IS THE BEST BIT!!
Everybody goes so nuts over the cheese bits that you pull out, but my favourite part is the base of the bread. All the butter and cheese drips to the bottom and it bakes so nice and crispy…..
PULL APART BREAD for parties!
This is a great centrepiece for a dinner that could just be accompanied by a fresh salad to make a complete meal. Or as a fabulous appetiser or party food – think game day!
It’s by far the most requested party food by my family and friends. I usually make it at home then take it to the venue and bake it there. The best way to make ahead is to use softened butter instead of melted butter and slather it into the cracks, then stuff with cheese. Wrap and bake before serving.
But you can even bake it in advance then reheat quickly in the microwave as long as you use a crusty sourdough. The crust gets so crusty when you bake it, it stays crusty even if you reheat it in the microwave.
Go forth and enjoy! Make this cheesy garlic bread once, and you’ll be asked to make it again and again and again…. – Nagi x
CHEESE and GARLIC CRACK BREAD
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 crusty loaf , preferably sourdough or Vienna
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or other melting cheese)
Garlic Butter
- 100 g / 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter , softened
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Combine butter, garlic and salt in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave. Stir through parsley.
- Cut the bread on a diagonal into 2cm/1″ diamonds but do not cut all the way through the bread.
- Use your fingers or a knife to pry open each crack and drizzle in a teaspoon of butter and stuff in a pinch of cheese. This might sound like a bit of an effort, but I promise you it is worth it! You don’t need to be super neat, it’s nice to have some of the butter drizzled over the crust.
- Brush surface with remaining butter.
- Wrap with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has mostly melted, then unwrap and bake for 5 – 10 minutes more to make the bread nice and crusty.
- Serve immediately. (See note 1 for best make ahead methods)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Yesterday, today, tomorrow… #HardLifeOfDozer
Oh, this is my very big addiction. I tried a lot of varieties of cheese with it and every time it turn out to be just perfect. Thank you for the really great inspiration!
I know, it’s INSANELY delicious, isn’t it??!
This looks so fun! I’m going to make this tomorrow for dinner. Thanks!
Hope you LOVE it!! 🙂
I cannot wait to make this for my son’s annual big Christmas party Dec 13th! I am making 3! lol A cheese and garlic one and I want to play around with it and make a cheese and pepperoni one, AND I thought of coming up with a bacon and cheddar version! I will post back with how they all came out! 🙂
Oooh!! I love ALL those variations!!! N x
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit….well for the people that were in the kitchen, because once it came out of the oven, it never made it out the room lol. I felt bad because my husband didn’t even get any. Like most, I spend basically all of Thanksgiving Day in the kitchen as do most of my female guests. They like to watch me cook, not help lol. I’m a tad territorial about my kitchen lol. I will be making it again this year, but this time I will make two, one for the kitchen and one for the living room. Thanks for the great recipe! I look forward to many more.
After it comes out of the oven, of course you want to dig in.But of course it is hot. Use tongs to pull out the pieces. Works great!
BA HA HA!!! That is SO FUNNY!!!! Cook’s perks, that’s what I say! And yes, make sure you make two this year!!! I can’t wait to get home and make a big thanksgiving spread to share on my blog – thank you for the idea to include this in my menu! What else made your thanksgiving menu? N x
This looks AMAZING!!
I’m one of the youngest members of my family, and this year for Thanksgiving I’ve been asked to bring the bread…
I know, they must have great trust in me to bring such an important dish (side note: my cousin’s only responsibility is the ice so I didn’t feel so bad).
Anyways, how many loaves do you recommend making to feed about 20 people?
Thanks:)
20!
Hi Karley! BA HA HA!! What does that say when you’re given ICE to bring! 😉 Oooh, you will blow your family away with this one! As a side for 20 people, I would suggest making 3 loaves, so 6 people per loaf. But because this bread is going to steal the show (it’s THAT good!) I suggest you consider making 4!!!
Lord help me.
I had to giggle. 🙂 You got it in one!
I wanted try this while we are camping this weekend. Do you think it would heat up ok on the bbq?
Hi Carrie! If you are able to do it without direct heat, then yes it will reheat fine! Cook it beforehand then all you need to do is reheat / remelt the cheese. 🙂
Nagi,
Your recipe is perfect.
I Posted in my blog with your link.
Is it ok?
Kisses….
Emilia
Hi Emilia! Of course that’s ok. SO glad you loved it!!
thank you so much for this recipe. I make it every time we have spaghetti and meat sauce.
I do the bead and my husband makes the meat sauce
sincerely
iris
I’m glad you love this Iris! I love the vision I had of you and your husband cooking together in the kitchen 🙂 <3
This isn’t even fair!! We didn’t stand a chance of resisting this! My spouse loves his garlic bread, until now. I made this & he practically died of bliss. He was so happy when it was still delicious the next day. Then the 3rd day he was sad that it was all gone. You’re absolutely right, it’s crack bread!
Try brushing the top with a balsamic vinegar reduction when you take it out of the oven. Stellar!
If you want to take it over the top, brush it with a balsamic vinegar reduction when you take it out of the oven.
Oooh!! Now THAT’s an idea I haven’t tried before! I’ll give it a go next time!!
How can i email this to friends. I don’t see a link.
HI Judy! There is a button with an envelope on it at the top 🙂 That’s the Email button!
I saw this recipe and I had to make it since I frequently make lasagna for my family and I just have to say MMMMM. I usually make homemade garlic bread, but nothing like this. I will continue to make this.
Lasagna + Garlic Crack Bread = combination from heaven. Where’s my dinner invite?! 😉
Just wanted to know if you can cut the bread in slices instead of diamonds?
Hi Kayla! You sure can, the bread will just “bloom” a bit more when you open the foil. 🙂
This was absolutely delicious, but didn’t pull apart like the picture shows. The top part of the bread pulled away, but the cheesy goodness stayed behind. We ended up just tearing of chunks. I know I cut it deep enough, at least as deep as the picture shows. Any advice?
Hi Michelle! I have some tips in the notes, this happens if you use a soft loaf rather than a crusty loaf like sourdough 🙂 I’m glad you loved the flavour though! Isn’t it insanely addictive? 😉
this looks great! I was wondering, how the uncut bottom parts work out? does everyone eat the pull out parts then the bottom butter soaked part is left? I want to make this for a friend who is home with a new baby as a part of an italian dinner, just curious as to the mechanics of it since I have not yet made it for myself. thanks for the great post!
The bottom part is the BEST!! 🙂 The most buttery and cheesy!!! You will FIGHT over the bottom!!
This was fun and easy to make and OMG – so delicious! It was a hit at the party. I wasn’t going to make something that required the oven because it was 100 degrees today, but I was so drawn to this ‘crack’ bread. So glad I did. It was a hit at the party last night.
I’m so glad you made it too!!! Clearly YOU were the hit at the party!! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know you loved it!! 🙂
Out of all the pull apart breads, your recipe caught my eye.
Going to try it.
Wondering, can I make ahead before bringing it over to friends house?
Thanks in advance
Hi Chris – you sure can!! I was pretty amazed – by using a very crusty bread, like sourdough, you can freeze it after baking, defrost, then reheat in the microwave. Because the crust is SO crusty, it stays crusty even when microwaved! But it is better made fresh so what I like to do is assemble it, wrap in foil then freeze it. Then I just pop it in the oven (frozen) when I’m ready to serve it. Hope you and your friend love it! 🙂
Can this be made with olive oil instead of butter?
Hi Mary! It most definitely can. 🙂 You’ll get a yummy olive oil / garlic / cheese flavour!
Hi Nagi,
I really dislike butter, can this be made with olive oil instead?
Hi Mary! It sure can 🙂
I made this bread during the holidays for our monthly card playing gathering using LaBrea Bakery’s Rosemary Olive Oil Loaf bread. Oh My Goodness, everyone LOVED and went wild over “crack bread”. Since then, they have begged me to make it again. I will make 2 loafs for this month’s gathering hoping they will turn out as delicious as the first loaf. Hopefully i can find the Rosemary Olive Oil bread again – I think this bread contributed to the wonderful flavor.
Hi Pat! I am so glad you enjoyed this 🙂 It’s very dangerous, once you make it for friends, they hassle you to make it over and over!!! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed it! 🙂