This Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread is soft, buttery, and loaded with melty mozzarella cheese tucked between every fluffy layer. I started making this for game day gatherings when I wanted something impressive that everyone could share, and it's become the dish that disappears first every single time. The frozen bread dough makes it incredibly easy—you just roll it out, brush it with garlic butter, layer it with cheese, cut it into pieces, stack them in a loaf pan, and let it rise.
If you love shareable, crowd-pleasing recipes, you'll also want to try my Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Potato Galette, and for something sweet, my Easter Egg Cheesecake.
Why You'll Love This Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Easy with frozen dough. Using store-bought frozen bread dough means you skip all the mixing and first rise. Just thaw, roll, and assemble.
Loaded with cheese. Every layer has melted mozzarella, which makes every pull-apart piece extra cheesy and delicious.
Perfect for sharing. This is the ultimate party bread. Everyone can pull off their own piece without needing to slice.
Garlic butter heaven. The garlic butter mixture soaks into the bread and makes every bite rich and flavorful.
Great for meal prep. You can assemble it ahead of time and bake it when you're ready to serve.
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Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread ingrediants
Here's everything you need to make this soft, cheesy Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
Bread & Dough:
- Frozen bread dough: A 1-pound loaf of frozen bread dough is the base. Thaw it overnight in the fridge for best results. You can also use pizza dough or homemade bread dough.
Garlic Butter Mixture:
- Salted butter: Melted butter is the base of the garlic mixture. It adds richness and helps the garlic and Parmesan stick to the dough.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, nutty flavor that complements the garlic.
- Minced garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the bread that classic, savory garlic bread flavor. You can use jarred minced garlic in a pinch.
- Parsley: Dried or fresh parsley adds a pop of color and a subtle herby flavor.
Cheese Filling & Topping:
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: The star of the show. Mozzarella melts beautifully and creates those gooey, stretchy layers between the bread pieces.
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Here's how to make this soft, Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread from start to finish.
- Prepare pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or 8.5×4.5-inch) with butter or cooking spray and set it aside.
- Roll the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the thawed bread dough into a rectangle about 12×15 inches. The dough should be even and not too thin.
- Make garlic butter: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, and parsley. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Spread butter: Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough. Make sure to get it all the way to the edges.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the buttered dough. Reserve the remaining cheese for topping.
- Cut dough: Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 3 columns (each about 4 inches wide) and 5 rows (each about 3 inches tall). You should have 15 rectangles total.
- Stack and place in pan: Stack the dough rectangles on top of each other and place the stack into the prepared loaf pan, standing them upright so the layers are visible from the top. The pieces should fit snugly in the pan.
- Top with remaining cheese: Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the stacked dough.
- Proof the dough: Cover the loaf pan with a clean kitchen towel or lightly with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should puff up and fill the pan.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once the dough has risen, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Cool and serve: Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate or serve it straight from the pan. Pull apart the pieces while it's still warm and enjoy.
Substitutions and Variations
Use homemade dough: Substitute homemade bread dough or pizza dough for the frozen dough.
Add different cheeses: Mix in cheddar, provolone, or Gruyere along with the mozzarella for more complex flavor.
Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños to the garlic butter.
Add herbs: Stir in fresh rosemary, thyme, or oregano to the garlic butter.
Make it pizza-style: Add pepperoni or cooked sausage between the layers along with the cheese.
Use biscuit dough: Substitute refrigerated biscuit dough for a quicker version.
Equipment
9×5-inch loaf pan: For baking the pull-apart bread. An 8.5×4.5-inch pan also works.
Small mixing bowl: For combining the garlic butter mixture.
Rolling pin: For rolling out the dough into a rectangle.
Pizza cutter: The easiest way to cut the dough into even rectangles. A sharp knife works too.
Measuring cups and spoons: For accurate measurements.
Clean towel or plastic wrap: For covering the dough while it rises.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Room temperature: Store leftover bread wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Wrap cooled bread tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melted again. You can also microwave individual pieces for 20 to 30 seconds.
Make ahead: Assemble the bread completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
With soup: Serve alongside tomato soup, minestrone, or my Greek Lemon Chicken Soup for dipping.
With pasta: Pair with spaghetti, lasagna, or any Italian pasta dish.
As an appetizer: Serve at parties or game day gatherings as a shareable appetizer.
With marinara: Serve with warm marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Expert Tips
Thaw the dough overnight. Thawing in the fridge gives you the best texture. If you're in a hurry, thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
Roll evenly. Try to keep the dough an even thickness so all the pieces bake evenly.
Don't skip the proofing. Letting the dough rise for a full hour makes it soft and fluffy.
Use fresh garlic. Fresh minced garlic tastes so much better than garlic powder. It's worth the extra step.
Let it cool slightly. The bread is very hot right out of the oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes so you can handle it without burning yourself.
Serve it warm. This bread is best when it's freshly baked and the cheese is still melty.
FAQ
Yes, you can absolutely use homemade bread dough instead of frozen dough. Use about 1 pound of dough (the same amount as one loaf of frozen dough). If you're making your own dough from scratch, let it rise once, then punch it down and roll it out as directed in the recipe. The flavor will be even better with homemade dough, and you can control the ingredients.
To make the Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread extra cheesy, increase the mozzarella to 2 cups total and add some shredded cheddar or provolone along with it. For extra softness, brush the top with melted butter before baking and again right when it comes out of the oven. You can also add a tablespoon of milk or cream to the garlic butter mixture to keep the bread moist.
Yes, you can assemble the Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. When you're ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off, then bake as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if it's still cold from the fridge.
The best way to create a warm environment for proofing dough is to turn your oven on to 200°F for just 1 minute, then turn it off. Place the covered dough inside the warm (but not hot) oven to rise. You can also place the dough near a warm stovetop, on top of the fridge, or in a sunny spot. The ideal proofing temperature is around 75-80°F.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Place the thawed bread dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12×15 inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Parmesan, minced garlic, and parsley until smooth.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly over the dough.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella evenly on top of the buttered dough.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 3 columns (≈4 inches wide) and 5 rows (≈3 inches tall).
- Stack the rectangles on top of each other and place them into the prepared loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons mozzarella on top.
- Cover the pan with a clean towel or lightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm.
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