Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread combines soft homemade yeast dough with garlic butter, mozzarella, Parmesan, and parsley. The pieces bake together in a small rectangular dish, giving you golden tops, tender sides, and cheesy seams that pull apart while warm.
Soft Bread with Garlic Butter in Every Seam
This is a from-scratch pull-apart bread, not a store-bought loaf cut into a checkerboard. Twelve small dough pieces rise together and separate naturally after baking. The supplied photo guides the golden rounded tops, parsley flecks, and melted cheese between the pieces.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
For the Garlic and Cheese Layers
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan, divided
- 1 cup (115 g) shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped parsley
Ingredient Details That Matter
Use the gram weights where provided, especially for flour. The full 42 g butter is divided: 14 g goes into the dough and 28 g carries the garlic and parsley around the pieces. Parmesan is also divided, with 50 g between the pieces and 25 g on top. All the mozzarella goes between and around the dough balls. Low-moisture shredded mozzarella is easier to use here than fresh mozzarella packed in liquid.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
- Small saucepan and pastry brush
- Parchment paper
- 9-by-6-inch oven-safe rectangular baking dish, at least 2 inches deep
- Foil and oven mitts
- Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
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Prepare the dough: Whisk the all purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon (14 g) of the melted unsalted butter; reserve the other 2 tablespoons (28 g). The milk should feel comfortably warm, about 100–105°F (38–41°C), and the melted butter should not be hot. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
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Knead and rise: Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand, or about 5–7 minutes with a dough hook on low according to your mixer's guidance, until smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky. Cover in the bowl and let rise for 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled. Allow more time in a cool kitchen rather than adding extra yeast.
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Make the coating: During the rise, gently warm the reserved 28 g butter with the minced garlic cloves in a small saucepan over low heat for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic. Remove from the heat, stir in all the chopped parsley, and let cool until warm, not hot. Line a roughly 9-by-6-inch (23-by-15-cm), at least 2-inch-deep oven-safe rectangular dish with parchment; keep the paper below the oven's heating elements.
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Divide and arrange: Gently deflate the risen dough and divide into 12 equal pieces, about 52 g each. Tuck the edges underneath to form loose balls. Brush each with a little garlic-parsley butter and arrange in a three-by-four grid in the dish. Sprinkle 50 g of the grated Parmesan and all 115 g shredded mozzarella between and around the pieces, rather than piling all the cheese on the highest tops. Spoon any remaining garlic butter over the dough.
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Second rise: Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until the pieces look puffy and nearly fill the gaps. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Just before baking, scatter the remaining 25 g Parmesan over the surface. This recipe uses the egg in the dough, not as an extra egg wash.
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Bake: Place the dish on the middle oven rack and bake for 35–45 minutes. Check at about 25 minutes and tent loosely with foil if the cheese and tops are already deeply golden. The bread in the center should feel set, not wet or doughy; a thermometer inserted into a central bread piece, avoiding a cheese pocket, should read about 190°F (88°C). Add time if the middle needs it, especially in a thick ceramic dish.
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Rest and serve: Let stand for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift carefully or serve from the dish on a heatproof surface. Pull the pieces apart while warm. The dish and melted cheese remain hot, so handle with oven mitts and let each portion cool briefly before eating.
Helpful Tips
- Use warm rather than hot milk so the yeast can work.
- Keep the dough supple; a short covered rest helps stickiness more than repeated flour additions.
- Divide the dough evenly so the center and edges bake at similar rates.
- Cool the garlic butter before it touches the dough.
- Tuck most of the cheese into the gaps, where it melts without scorching early.
- Use the stated small baking dish; a 9-by-13-inch pan spreads this batch too thinly.
- Judge both rises by visible expansion, not the timer alone.
- Shield browned tops with loose foil while the center finishes.
Troubleshooting
Dense pieces usually point to too much flour, inactive yeast, or a shortened rise. A browned top with a doughy middle needs more baking under a loose foil tent, not a hotter oven. Cheese stuck around the edges is easier to release while the bread is still warm; parchment also helps lift the loaf without tearing the soft sides.
Serving Ideas
Serve warm as a shared side for soup, pasta, or a salad, or set the dish in the middle of the table and let everyone pull off a piece. This recipe makes twelve bread pieces, approximately six side servings. Accompaniments are optional and are not included in the dough ingredients.
Timing and Yield
Allow about 25 minutes active preparation, around 75 minutes for the first rise and 40 minutes for the second, 40 minutes baking, and 10 minutes resting: approximately 3 hours 10 minutes. Rise times vary with the dough and room temperature.
Simple Variations
- Use the supplied mozzarella and Parmesan for the first batch; very wet cheeses change the texture.
- For a gentler garlic flavor, mince very finely and warm it gently in the butter without browning.
- Keep the same twelve-piece shape for predictable baking; a tightly packed deep loaf pan may require additional time.
Storage
Cool promptly and refrigerate the cheese-topped bread in a covered container within 2 hours. Use within 3 days. For longer storage, wrap cooled individual portions and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Reheat refrigerated portions in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F (165°C) until hot throughout, about 12–18 minutes depending on portion size. Uncover briefly at the end if you want to refresh the crust. Avoid prolonged uncovered heating, which dries the soft sides.
Allergen Notes
Contains wheat, milk, and egg. Parmesan may contain animal rennet; choose a suitable product if cooking for vegetarians.
FAQ
Is the butter added to the dough or used as a coating?
Both. Use 14 g in the dough and reserve 28 g for the garlic-parsley coating. This keeps the total at the supplied 42 g, with no extra butter required.
Do I need an egg wash?
No. The single egg belongs in the dough. Butter and cheese provide the golden finish; do not take the egg out of the dough to brush the top.
Can I use a much larger casserole dish?
A larger dish spreads the pieces farther apart and produces a flatter bread. A roughly 9-by-6-inch dish keeps them close enough to join as they rise.
Why did the cheese brown before the bread was done?
Exposed cheese colors quickly. Put most of it between the pieces, check during baking, and tent with foil if needed while the middle finishes.
Can I prepare it ahead?
The simplest make-ahead option is to bake, cool, and refrigerate or freeze portions, then reheat covered. An overnight raw-dough schedule would change the proofing times and is not the method given here.
Conclusion
Keep the dough soft, divide the butter and Parmesan as directed, and bake until the center is set. You will have a warm, savory pull-apart bread with golden tops and cheese tucked into the tender seams.
Print
Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 pull-apart pieces (6 servings) 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Baking
Description
A soft, golden pull-apart yeast bread with garlic butter, Parmesan, mozzarella, and parsley, shaped into twelve joined pieces.
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan, divided
- 1 cup (115 g) shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped parsley
Instructions
Step 1 Prepare the dough: Whisk the all purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon (14 g) of the melted unsalted butter; reserve the other 2 tablespoons (28 g). The milk should feel comfortably warm, about 100–105°F (38–41°C), and the melted butter should not be hot. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 2 Knead and rise: Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand, or about 5–7 minutes with a dough hook on low according to your mixer's guidance, until smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky. Cover in the bowl and let rise for 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled. Allow more time in a cool kitchen rather than adding extra yeast.
Step 3 Make the coating: During the rise, gently warm the reserved 28 g butter with the minced garlic cloves in a small saucepan over low heat for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic. Remove from the heat, stir in all the chopped parsley, and let cool until warm, not hot. Line a roughly 9-by-6-inch (23-by-15-cm), at least 2-inch-deep oven-safe rectangular dish with parchment; keep the paper below the oven's heating elements.
Step 4 Divide and arrange: Gently deflate the risen dough and divide into 12 equal pieces, about 52 g each. Tuck the edges underneath to form loose balls. Brush each with a little garlic-parsley butter and arrange in a three-by-four grid in the dish. Sprinkle 50 g of the grated Parmesan and all 115 g shredded mozzarella between and around the pieces, rather than piling all the cheese on the highest tops. Spoon any remaining garlic butter over the dough.
Step 5 Second rise: Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until the pieces look puffy and nearly fill the gaps. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Just before baking, scatter the remaining 25 g Parmesan over the surface. This recipe uses the egg in the dough, not as an extra egg wash.
Step 6 Bake: Place the dish on the middle oven rack and bake for 35–45 minutes. Check at about 25 minutes and tent loosely with foil if the cheese and tops are already deeply golden. The bread in the center should feel set, not wet or doughy; a thermometer inserted into a central bread piece, avoiding a cheese pocket, should read about 190°F (88°C). Add time if the middle needs it, especially in a thick ceramic dish.
Step 7 Rest and serve: Let stand for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift carefully or serve from the dish on a heatproof surface. Pull the pieces apart while warm. The dish and melted cheese remain hot, so handle with oven mitts and let each portion cool briefly before eating.
Notes
Butter: 14 g in dough, 28 g for coating. Parmesan: 50 g between pieces, 25 g on top. All mozzarella goes between and around the pieces. No extra egg wash. Makes 12 pieces. Total time includes both rises and 10 minutes resting. Cool promptly and refrigerate the cheese-topped bread in a covered container within 2 hours. Use within 3 days. For longer storage, wrap cooled individual portions and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
