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
This was Outrageously Yum, capitals intended.
SO GLAD to hear that! 🙂
I just made this now, was delicious,
Thx for posing it
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Gail, thank you for letting me know! N x
I am so excited about your recipes. Just discovered you on FB. Everything looks great. Can’t wait to make the cheesy garlic bread and read other recipes. It all looks great. Just signed up.
Thanks Patricia! I do hope you try and enjoy some of my recipes! 🙂
Hi Nag,
I made this once for my kids (4 and 6), and they now ask for it all the time. Thanks!
Kate
Awesome! So glad to hear that Kate, thanks for letting me know! N x
I have prepared your bread twice for dinner guests and they truly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Ingrid! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
If I were to use salted butter, how much salt would I add? Or omit altogether?? TIA!
Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Phyllis! Sorry for the late reply, I was out of range for a while 🙂 Just omit altogether! N x
I am trying this for the first time today!!!!!!
I can’t wait ?
I am trying this recipe for the first time today! I can’t wait!!!!!
Ooh! Hope you love!
Have been looking (drooling) over this recipe for a while…its in the oven now and i can’t handle waiting! Thank you so much!
Ooh! Hope you love it Melody!
Just wondering if you don’t have garlic can you use garlic powder?
Hi Caitlin! Sorry to say that’s not the same. 🙂
This is SUCH a good idea, I am only 13 but I know good food, and this is it! The only thing I don’t like is how hard it is to cut the bread, do you have any tips
Ba ha ha! You DO know good food, this is epic! So the trick with the bread is to hold it together while you cut it, like shown in the video. So it depends how big the loaf is compared to the size of your hand 🙂 Also are you using a bread knife? N x
Made it tonight with a sourdough round loaf, it was a great hit with the family!
I used the updated tip of creaming the butter instead of melting it, and first sliced and buttered laterally, then sliced diagonally and buttered those diagonal cuts, then stuffed the cheese in the diagonals. It turned out great. I also added some granulated garlic to the minced garlic, some onion powder, salt and pepper. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Dianeygirl, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to let me know – N x
I have made this for Christmas eve the past several years and served with a seafood bisque or tomatoe basil soup and a green salad. No cleanup because there are no leftovers! This is an awesome and impressive looking centerpiece for a bout 4 minutes. Totally addictive
I totally agree Mama!! I am so obsessed with this crack bread, it gets made frequently around here…. ❤️
This probably sounds silly but how do you cream the butter just room temp
Hi Ness! Not a silly question at all 🙂 Just bring butter to room temperature then it will be super soft and creamy. Creaming is when you mix it, that’s all!
Oh geez I HAVE to make this! Thank you!!!
YES YOU DO!!! 🙂
I send a msg. earlier, told u i took to my potluck, it was devoured, at the end when their was no dip left, they tore apart the bread, just to get every morsel. Im making this for a xmas party ur chz crack bread, going to make a day ahead , take out and bake 15 min and then take to party and M.W. for 2 to 3 min. I let u know how it came out.
WOO HOO! So I bet you were the most popular person there!!! 🙂 N x
I just made it for tomorrow after church to go with our Sunday Dinner. And people already want some! I will let you know how it goes!
I’m so looking forward to hearing what people think!! N x
Dear Nagi,
Everybody at home love Garlic and cheese bread. I am going to try this soon…But I would like to request for a good crusty sourdough bread recipe. Can you share? I have sourdough starter already.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
Chooi
Hi Chooi! I do make my own sourdough sometimes but to be honest, I am still learning and would like to learn more before I start sharing sourdough recipes! I do hope you try this though and I’m sure if you google you will find a good recipe! N xx
Thanks Nagi!. Will try soon.
Love it! Only problem I have is the middle is still cold after the 20 minutes in the oven.
Woah! Sounds like your oven might run weak 🙂 That’s ok just leave it in there! N x
Have tried once but didn’t have mozzarella. It was still amazing…it’s going to be my go-to garlic bread from now on!
It’s a killer! N xx
Hi Nagi,
Love your recipes!
There is a way to make this crack bread even more indulgent. Prior to slicing the diamond shapes into the bread, you cut a round hole and make a shallow well. You then continue with the steps, cutting around the hole. Before wrapping the bread in the tinfoil, you place a whole Camembert cheese into the hole, after scoring the top skin of the cheese. Whole shebang then goes in the oven. I’ve not tried it yet, but am planning to do it for Christmas. X
OMG. OMG!!!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. This was my first time ever making garlic bread. Everyone loved it and it was gone very fast, even though next time I will put more cheese and kind of push it to the bottom. Again thanks.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know Oksana!
OMG!!!!!!! Made this for our Thanksgiving dinner last night. My niece was drooling looking at the photo and couldn’t wait to eat it. When it came out of the oven and was put on the table, still cradled in its foil wrapper, everyone absolutely devoured it. it disappeared so incredibly quickly.
making the garlic butter is an absolute must.
I do a garlic cheese cob loaf, and that is amazing, but takes quite a while to bake. this is so incredibly quick and easy. I can see it will become a party favourite.
thanks again for your amazing recipes Nagi
YESSS! So glad to hear that Pia!