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Home Collections Party Food

Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)

By Nagi Maehashi
577 Comments
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Published29 Dec '18 Updated24 Jun '25
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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!

Cheese and garlic crack bread - this cheesy garlic bread is outta this world! recipetineats.com

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!

Overhead photo of Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread) fresh out of the oven

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!

How do you make Cheese and Garlic Pull Apart Bread?

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….

Hand pulling up out a piece of Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread)

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…..

Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread) in the middle of being devoured

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

Hand pulling up out a piece of Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread)

CHEESE and GARLIC CRACK BREAD
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Cheese and garlic crack bread - this cheesy garlic bread is outta this world! www.recipetineats.com

Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 30 minutes mins
Appetizer, Side Dish
4.93 from 151 votes
Servings8 – 10
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Recipe video above. This is garlic bread – on crack! Great to share with a crowd, or as a centre piece for dinner accompanied by a simple salad.

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
Prevent screen from sleeping

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:

1. Make Ahead – The best way to make ahead is to use softened butter instead of melted butter, mix with garlic, salt and parsley then smear into the cracks. Stuff with cheese, wrap and refrigerate or freeze. To cook, thaw then follow recipe instructions to bake.
To make ahead so that it just requires a brief 2 minute reheat in the microwave to serve, you must use a crusty sourdough loaf. Bake per recipe (including unwrapped stage), then wrap it up in foil and let it cool. Refrigerate up to 3 days, then to serve, just microwave for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on high just to melt the cheese again. Because the crust gets so crusty in the oven, it stays crusty even when reheated in the microwave. 
2. Bread type – The denser the bread, the better the pieces will hold together when pulled off. Sourdough works best!
Use already baked bread, not uncooked bread dough.
3. “Speedy Tip”  **Update** A reader reminded me of a fabulous “SPEEDY” tip that I should share with you! Instead of melting the butter, cream it. Then cut diagonal slices (in one direction only) and use all the butter and generously spread it in each crack, on both walls. Then cut the bread to make diamonds and as you drag the knife through the bread, it will spread the butter into the new crevices you are cutting. This doesn’t provide quite the same even coverage of butter but for a speedy version, it is a small compromise. Thank you to CJ for the tip!
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 10.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 58gCalories: 191cal (10%)Carbohydrates: 19.5g (7%)Protein: 2.5g (5%)Fat: 10.9g (17%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Cholesterol: 26mg (9%)Sodium: 374mg (16%)Potassium: 15mgFiber: 1.4g (6%)Sugar: 1.4g (2%)Vitamin A: 350IU (7%)Vitamin C: 0.8mg (1%)Calcium: 90mg (9%)Iron: 0.5mg (3%)
Keywords: Cheese Bread, Cheesy Bread, Crack Bread, Pull Apart Bread
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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577 Comments

  1. Nicky @ Kitchen Sanctuary says

    September 23, 2014 at 4:39 am

    Hi Nagi, I’ve seen a few versions of this but your looks the best by a mile. I’m pinning for the weekend!

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      September 23, 2014 at 8:14 am

      Thanks Nicky!! Appreciate your kind words!

      Reply
  2. Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T says

    September 23, 2014 at 2:31 am

    Oh my goodness…this bread! I can see how it would be very addicting. Pinned and sharing! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      September 23, 2014 at 8:15 am

      DANGEROUSLY addictive…..!!

      Reply
  3. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    September 22, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    I am seriously impressed with this garlic bread recipe! It looks totally cheesey, delicious and packed full of yummy flavours. Definitely need to recreate the recipe.. pinned!

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      September 23, 2014 at 8:16 am

      And definitely DON’T count calories, just get stuck into it!!

      Reply
  4. Meggan | Culinary Hill says

    September 21, 2014 at 10:58 am

    This looks gorgeous AND tasty, my favorite qualities in food! And so few ingredients, I am in love. I am also excited to hear the best bites are at the bottom. It makes sense because the extra goodness would collect there, but you just never know! I could see myself offering up the bread at dinner and then when all the nibs are picked off, whisking off to the kitchen by myself with the base to secretly devour it. Shoot, did I say that out loud??? Pinning! Oh and: I have never seen such amazing photos of garlic bread in my life!

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      September 21, 2014 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks Meggan! Appreciate your kind words…and erm yes, I have been known to run off with the base!

      Reply
      • Beverly says

        September 30, 2014 at 8:43 am

        5 stars
        Can you make this GF?

        Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          October 1, 2014 at 3:15 pm

          Hi Beverly – I haven’t tried it with gluten free bread! I don’t know gluten free bread at all to be honest. But if it bakes well and goes crispy on the outside then it should work!

          Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          September 30, 2014 at 6:00 pm

          Hi Beverly, you can definitely make this gluten free! I have made this for a friend using gluten free bread and it work perfectly 🙂

          Reply
      • Erniesmom says

        September 30, 2014 at 6:44 am

        Perhaps I’m missing it but I can’t find a printer friendly icon. I hate using up my printer ink for ads and info not pertinent to the recipe.

        Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          October 1, 2014 at 3:16 pm

          Hi Connie! The print button is under the image. My website has been slow loading though because of high traffic so the page may not have loaded properly. I’ve also put the recipe (just the recipe) on my Facebook page so you could download/print it from there!

          Reply
        • Liz says

          October 1, 2014 at 2:27 pm

          Just copy and paste on note pad or email and print from there…

          Reply
        • Sheila says

          October 1, 2014 at 8:14 am

          Look under the pic of the loaf. The print is there.

          Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          September 30, 2014 at 6:02 pm

          Hi Erinie! My website has been insanely busy so there may have been loading problems but I emailed the recipe to you! 🙂

          Reply
          • Carm says

            November 29, 2014 at 3:39 am

            Nagi, Could you please email me a copy of the recipe also. Thanks, I really appreciate it!

          • Nagi | RecipeTin says

            November 29, 2014 at 7:00 am

            Sure Carm! Coming now 🙂

          • Beryl Ferranto says

            October 9, 2014 at 1:24 pm

            5 stars
            Don’t have a printer but would u sending it to me so I could get someone else to print it for me. It looks sooooo good. Mt husband is Itlaian and he would love this and so will I. Thanks in advance.

          • Nagi | RecipeTin says

            October 9, 2014 at 6:44 pm

            Hi Beryl! I just sent you an email with the recipe – let me know if you don’t get it and I’ll resend 🙂

          • Amy says

            October 8, 2014 at 3:42 pm

            Nagi, I hate to take advantage or be a copy cat but I, too, am having some printer pains myself (it just quit on me today!) Any chance you could email this recipe to me also? I sure would appreciate it! Many thanks. It looks too good to pass up!

          • Nagi | RecipeTin says

            October 8, 2014 at 4:19 pm

            No worries Amy! Emailing to you now 🙂

          • Amy says

            October 8, 2014 at 3:36 pm

            Nagi, I hate to take advantage or be a copy cat but I, too, am having some printer pains myself (it just quit on me today!) Any chance you could email this recipe to me also? I sure would appreciate it! Many thanks. It looks too good to pass up!

          • Nagi | RecipeTin says

            October 8, 2014 at 4:24 pm

            Hi Amy! Just emailed it to you 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!

          • Ben Bell says

            October 6, 2014 at 12:13 am

            Could you please email me the recipe as well; I am having trouble as well. Can’t wait to try this; it looks delicious!! Thanks

          • Nagi | RecipeTin says

            October 6, 2014 at 11:53 am

            No worries Ben! I just emailed a PDF of it to you 🙂

  5. CakePants says

    September 21, 2014 at 12:52 am

    Is it bad that I don’t want to make this for an event or gathering, I just want to eat it for dinner? I haven’t even tried it yet, but I’m already addicted!

    Reply
    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      September 21, 2014 at 8:59 pm

      Ha! I totally approve of that! I’ve been known to make a meal of this…. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        December 5, 2014 at 7:32 am

        I bet it would be amazing dipped in some tasty marinara…that’s your veg!

        Reply
        • Nagi | RecipeTin says

          December 6, 2014 at 6:51 am

          That’s hilarious Sarah!! And SO RIGHT!

          Reply
  6. Amallia @DesireToEat says

    September 20, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    The pictures are so amazing, that the garlic bread looks so appetizing by just looking at the pictures. Bravo!

    Reply
    • Gary Hart says

      December 17, 2014 at 5:01 pm

      We should start a Cooking Show together. You have great taste!!

      Reply
      • Nagi | RecipeTin says

        December 17, 2014 at 6:05 pm

        Amallia or me?? If Amallia, I agree, she has fabulous taste!!

        Reply
  7. ATasteOfMadness says

    September 20, 2014 at 10:06 pm

    This looks amazing! I like anything where you can see the visible cheese strings. I’m totally drooling!

    Reply
  8. Lyubomira says

    September 20, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    5 stars
    I’m planning to try making this because it looks absolutely delicious! Doesn’t seem too difficult to make to either 🙂 Great eye catching pictures Nagi !

    Reply
    • deepika says

      August 15, 2016 at 12:42 am

      5 stars
      Hi! i have question. if i don’t use unsalted butter and instead go for the salted one, will it be okay?

      Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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