Description
This Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Bread is a flavorful, soft, and cheesy yeast bread perfect for sharing. Infused with fresh rosemary, garlic, and a melty cheese filling, this pull-apart loaf is ideal as a savory snack, appetizer, or side. The bread dough is enriched with butter and milk, kneaded to perfection, then layered with a garlic-herb butter and cheese mixture before baking to a golden brown crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough:
- 2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 2 and 1/3 cups (291g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Filling:
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, extra soft
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (95g) shredded parmesan, mozzarella, or white cheddar cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)
Optional Topping:
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- Coarse or flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine the yeast and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook or in a large bowl if mixing by hand. Warm the milk until about 110°F (43°C) and pour it over the yeast mixture. Whisk lightly and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- Mix the dough: Add softened butter, egg, flour, salt, garlic powder, and rosemary to the yeast mixture. Beat on low speed with the mixer until a soft dough forms that pulls away from the bowl sides, about 3 minutes. Add more flour little by little if needed.
- Knead the dough: Switch to the dough hook or knead by hand on a floured surface for 5 minutes until dough is soft and slightly tacky. Perform the windowpane test to ensure proper gluten development: stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to pass light without tearing.
- 1st Rise: Shape the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, and cover tightly. Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, approximately 60-90 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine extra-soft butter, parsley, garlic, and salt. Mix well until smooth. Keep at room temperature covered until ready to use.
- Shape the dough pieces: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal balls, each about 1/4 cup of dough. Flatten each ball into roughly 4-inch circles with floured hands. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of filling on each and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese.
- Assemble the loaf: Fold each circle in half and arrange them folded side down in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, aligning them closely.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap or foil and let the dough rise again in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven: Position the oven rack in the lower third and preheat to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake the bread: Bake for about 50 minutes until the bread is golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil. Melted butter may seep out during baking, which will soak into the bread.
- Finish and cool: Remove from oven and if desired, brush the hot loaf with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and serving warm.
- Store leftovers: Keep bread covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 1 week. Reheat by warming in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10-15 minutes or microwave briefly to soften.
Notes
- Use softened butter for the filling to ensure easy spreading; bring chilled butter to room temperature in advance.
- Do not over-flour the dough during kneading to keep bread soft and tender.
- If the top browns too fast during baking, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning.
- The bread is delicious served warm but also reheats well for subsequent days.
- For best rising results, use a warm (not hot) environment, such as a slightly warmed oven or a warm spot in your kitchen.
Keywords: Rosemary garlic bread, pull apart bread, cheesy bread, homemade bread, yeast bread, savory bread