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 used a turkey baster for the garlic butter and it made the whole process a lot easier
What a great idea Amber! 🙂 N x
Can’t wait to try this!
Hope you try and LOVE IT!! 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi! I am going to make the Cheesy Garlic Crack Bread Sunday for a Father’s Day BBQ. It can be tricky around here sometimes to find an un-sliced loaf. I found a loaf by a company called Parisian Star Bake-at-Home Sourdough. It is a ‘shelf stable’ loaf that is partially baked, it is supposed to stay fresh until November! It is already browned, but says to bake it 12-15 minutes at 425. Any suggestions for adapting this loaf to your recipe? There is a 75 degree baking temperature difference.
I’m sorry for the later reply Valeries, but unfortunately I don’t know! But if you bake it and it’s nice and crusty it should work great!!
My family loved this! Thank you for the great recipe.
WOAH! You made this already??? WHOOT!!! So glad your family loved it! N xx
Cheese and garlic bread was awesome. Big hit here!
That’s fantastic to hear Cindy!
Hi, Nagi! This was an amazing idea. Love that you stuffed a crusty bread loaf with cheesy, garlicky goodness. We’ll be trying this really soon. I also like how you’ve added the photos of the other two cheesy bread recipes into the post. Nice touch. 🙂
Hope you do try it!!!
Hi I am having IFB 30 L Convection Microwave Oven (30SC3). I dont know how to bake this Garlic Bread.
Can you help me
Hi Shilpa, does that work like a normal oven? 🙂
Hi Nagi, I want to thank you for your Cheese and Garlic Bread recipe. It was amazing!!! Melting hot garlicky-cheesy substance was so delicious! Thank you again!
I’m so pleased you like this Julia! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x
This looks so good! I’m going to try it maybe with mozzarella, gruyere and parmesean cheeses.
Oooh! I hope you do!
I have been making this bread for years, almost the same exact recipe – I add chopped sweet onion to mine.
TIP: I use a squeeze bottle with a wider opening to distribute the melted butter/garlic between the slices.
Yum!! Thanks for sharing!
Great tip! Thank you!
That’s so cool to hear!!
I tried this cheese garlic bread recipe and it tastes just awesome. I also recommend everyone to try this recipe at least one time you will love it.
Thanks for sharing these recipes.
That’s so fantastic to hear Ankit! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it! – N xx
I use clarified butter for this recipe, no other changes. I am making it right now and I think it might be the 30th time. This is soooooo good.
WHOOT! So pleased to hear that BJ, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Hi this looked so good I am trying it tomorrow. If I didnt use a foil to wrap the bread would it be ok to put in the oven without any wrappings around it?
Hi Stace! Just turn the oven down a bit and bake for slightly longer 🙂 I just don’t want the crust to burn before the cheese melts!
Hi Nagi , I have been dying to try this recipe for friends and family, so today I made it with a small crusty roll and it was amazing !! I did go a bit mad with the garlic but it was lovely and can’t wait to try it with ham and eggs . Also it will be great with a BBQ .
Many thanks Lynne Chetty
Oooh! Glad to hear you enjoyed it Lynne, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Delicious! I used a large roll to test the recipe and it was perfect with a bowl of soup. It really is quite easy and well worth the little bit of extra time and effort.
Thanks for the great review Kathleen! I’m SO pleased to hear you enjoyed it! N xx
This was the recipe that led me to your website – and I finally made it tonight. I made it with a 4 seed Vienna loaf and it was absolutely delicious – as are all of the many recipes I’ve tried. Thanks so much Nagi 😀
So pleased you enjoyed this Frances! It’s wickedly delish, isn’t it 🙂 Happy to hear you’re enjoying other recipes too, thanks for letting me know! N xx
The hubby and I just made this for our Brinner. Amazing! Loved it. I shared it so all my foodies can try it too!
Fantastic to hear Christine! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
Sounds wonderful! Can I make ahead, wrap in plastic wrap and then heat in microwave instead of oven? Perfect for family reunion if I make a bunch of them! This year we will be at hotel in wine country and plan a big BBQ with all the sides and we do like our Garlic Bread! Thanks!
Hi Jonni! If you make this with a crusty sourdough as I have, then once you bake it, you can actually reheat in the microwave because the crust stays crusty even when microwaved. 🙂
I don’t remember how I got here, was just reading the net, but so glad I did. I’m pretty sure it was a comment somewhere about no washing up. Had to check that out…(right down my alley). I am a senior and live alone, so I have no one to help me eat this big ole thing, but I want it so bad…..! Do you think I could make it with a sourdough roll? It would fit perfectly in my toaster oven. I for sure am going to do the bowl thingies. I’m going to make several and freeze so I can have them for brunch, don’t eat breakfast, never have. Also going to make the ones with tortillas. See which one I like better. All your recipes look so good, I just got through eating dinner, but they are making so hungry I’m going have to go find something to eat….!
Oh what a good idea to do it with rolls! I’m definitely going to try that, because I looked at this recipe, started to drool, but nearly dismissed it because I couldn’t get through this loaf in a week – though I would be willing to try!
Hi Patricia – woah! Making individual sized ones, what a brilliant idea, thank you!! I will try it myself! I think it would be great with a sourdough roll, the only thing is that it would need to be a largish one (I think) otherwise there is too much crusty crust?? That’s my initial thinking. I will try it!!
Is it still tasty when the bread gets cold? I’m thinking about serving it on a brunch-buffet, so it maybe will not be finished off immedeatly. =)
Hi Mika – sorry to say this really should be served warm!!
Thank you so much for your quick reply. There will be a chance to try this recipe another time for sure.