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
I love garlic bread and all that cheese N! Yum!😋
Poor Dozer has such a hard life just sleeping and doing what he wants to do. 😂
What’s not to love about carbs and cheese?! 😂
Awesome recipes as always..yummy spring rolls recipe. .Dozer you are adorable💕
Thanks Gillian!
This cheese and garlic cheese bread is awesome! I make my own bread, so it’s easy to adjust the loaf size. I love the photos of all your recipes.
Tried the lemon cream sauce with salmon last Christmas and evryone loved it. Never have sa lmon without it now and usually with couscous and asparagus. The sauce goues really well with the asparagus and the couscous soaks it a ll up.
Thank you for the detailed recipe. It tastes great too. Any ideas how to store and carry for a party 2 hours away will be very helpful.
Ask them if you can use their oven…just have everything prepped and ready to put together…works for me every time 🙂
OMG NAGI THIS IS AMAZING!! I’ve made it 4 times in a month & I’m about to pop a 5th one in the oven, it’s unbelievably yummy & easy. It’s actually so good, I felt guilty using store bought bread so I started making my own 😂 The basic white loaf from James Morton’s Brilliant Bread book works great, plus the book is perfect for beginner bread bakers 😊
Thanks again Nagi, you’re the best!
Flawless recipe! A different way to present a family’s favorite, thank you so much!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Alex, thanks for letting me know! N x
Ok so I love this recipe! It’s amazing!!!!! But for a bigger party I get a little weirded out about fingers digging deep into that base (I know, I know….I think children do this to you 😂). What are your recommendations on that one? Right before I serve, cut it all the way down? Or take a chill pill? 😂😂
How about mini plastic tongs for each person? sold in party supply stores.
Take a chill pill! 😂 No way around that one! N xx
Small forks for everyone to use
Does the baking time change if you do two at a time?
Hi Hillary! Just an extra 5 to 10 minutes! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
can u buy the bread the day before.
You sure can Zaeba!
Help! I forgot to add salt to my mixture. I made it ahead for tomorrow… do I dare try to sprinkle some salt in the creases before baking it or is it too risky and will likely be over salted? Will it taste good enough salt-less?
Sprinkle salt in cracks!! YOU MUST! 😂
Hi Navi….would love to make for our family Xmas gathering. We have alot of people and getting everyone to eat at once is tough to do. Once this cools a little is it still easy to eat or does it get hard and dry? Thx!
I’ve been making garlic bread this way since mid 80’s with using a French bread loaf cut diagonally and wrapped in aluminum foil when baking. Except I never thought to add mozzarella cheese. It’s still Crusty and pure heaven though. Nothing like it!! My family fights over it..but going to add the mozzarella cheese next time..no doubt it will be even better! 🙂
Hope you do try it Lynn!! 🙂
Made 2 for a party last month. They were both gone in less than 10 minutes. Next time I will have to make more as the party guests were upset that they were all gone.
Love hearing that Donald! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Love your resepies
Thanks you Bernard! N x
This was very yummy and I love how it’s a social piece for everyone to partake in. I may try the idea as winter cimmamon butter toast as well!
Thanks
Oooh imagine that!!
Will try this garlic bread at home.
Hope you do!!
Oh my word! I’m never making garlic bread any on earth way from now on! This is both because it’s really, really good to eat and because my husband and sons have told me that I’m no longer allowed to make it any other way! You were right, it disappeared in minutes!
I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed it Fiona, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Hi there took ur recipe jalapeno popper dip last yr to several potluck, everyone asking me for ur recipe, big hit. now i got a ques. on this chz and garlic crack bread, any suggestions would help. making this to also take to a potluck, but would have to make it at 2 in the afternoon and it will be served at 4pm. any helpful suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Hi Cecilia! Use a crusty loaf like sourdough and you can even reheat in the microwave! N xx
ok thank u i know they will love, it, question know do i cover it up when i reheat and what power and for how long
also was wondering can u use a whole french bread would that work, the bread u have on ur video, store doesnt always care them.
Hi nagi
When you pull off the bread pieces, what happens to the bottom crust that isn’t cut? It would seem that there would be an intact bottom
Thanks
Madeline cains
Ps it looks so delicious!😋
Gosh Madeline, seriously the base is the BEST part. Once people find out how good it is, they will fight over it!!! 😉 N xx PS Just rip it up and eat it 🙂