Cheese. Garlic. Bread. What a combo. When it comes to comfort food, this Garlic Cheddar Parmesan Pull Apart Bread is right up there (that was a mouthful). It’s cheesy, garlicky, and has that perfect pull-apart goodness that makes you reach for just one more piece (and then another).
It’s got that super soft, fluffy texture you want in bread, but it’s also loaded with garlic and two kinds of cheese. You just pull off a piece, and it’s gooey and savoury – tbh, it’s just a really fun way to eat bread.
Making yeast dough might seem like a big thing, but this recipe is pretty straightforward, especially with a stand mixer. The trick is making sure your yeast is happy and active with lukewarm milk, which gives you that amazing rise and a fluffy dough. And don’t worry if the dough feels super sticky after mixing; that’s actually what we’re going for here to keep it tender.
The best part, for me, is definitely how the minced garlic and cheeses get layered in between each piece of dough. It means every single pull-apart bite is packed with that savoury goodness. Plus, your kitchen smells incredible while it bakes (I may have eaten four pieces right out of the oven).
The perfect Garlic Cheddar Parm Pull Apart Bread
Making this bread starts with getting your yeast going in some warm milk and sugar. While that’s doing its thing, you whisk together the flour and all the spices – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Then, it all goes into the stand mixer. You add the water and yeast mix, kneading until it’s shaggy, before slowly working in the softened butter and then the eggs, one at a time. This process builds a really soft, sticky dough that becomes incredibly tender once baked.
After its first rise, the dough gets rolled out, brushed with melted butter, and then sprinkled with that delicious mix of Parmesan, minced garlic, and shredded cheddar. You cut the dough into squares, stack them up, and then pop them into a loaf pan for a second rise. It’s pretty cool how the layers stack up. Then it bakes until it’s golden brown and smells absolutely amazing. 🙂
Ingredients
- Whole or 2% milk, warm
- Granulated sugar
- Active dry yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Water
- Large eggs, at room temperature
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Garlic, minced
- Cheddar marble cheese, or any stretchy mild cheese, shredded
*These are the main ingredients. The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found at the bottom of this post!*
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (I like to weigh out most of my ingredients for accuracy, I also think it’s more efficient when measuring things out over measuring cups!)
- Large and small mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling pin
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Wire cooling rack
Tips for the best Garlic Cheddar Parm Bread
Warm up your milk: The milk needs to be lukewarm, around 105-115°F. Too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold won’t wake it up. If it feels barely warm to your finger, you’re good.
Don’t add too much flour: The dough for recipe is meant to be quite sticky after kneading. Resist the urge to add a lot of extra flour during mixing or when you turn it out, or your bread might turn out tough. A well-oiled bowl and a lightly floured surface for rolling are all you need.
Shred your own cheese: For the best melty texture, shred your own cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheeses often have anti-caking agents that can make them not melt as smoothly.
Stack carefully: When you’re stacking the cut dough squares, try to keep them as neat as possible. This helps them rise evenly in the pan and gives you those nice, distinct layers when you pull them apart later.
Garlic Cheddar Parm Bread FAQs
Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can. After the first rise, punch down the dough and place it in an oiled bowl, then cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out and continuing with the recipe.
What kind of cheddar cheese should I use?
You can use any mild, stretchy cheddar for this recipe. Cheddar marble is great because it has a nice colour and melts well, but regular mild cheddar or even Monterey Jack would also work really well here.
Can I bake this in a different pan?
This recipe is designed for a 9×5 inch loaf pan for the stack of squares. If you use a different size, the baking time or the way the bread rises might change, so I’d stick to the recommended pan size for best results.
Why did my bread turn out dense?
A dense bread usually means the yeast wasn’t active enough, or the dough didn’t get enough time to rise. Make sure your milk is the right temperature for activating the yeast, and always let the dough double in size for both rises.
If you give this garlic cheddar parm pull apart bread a try, I’d love to see it! Tag @theflournook on social media and leave a review below to let me know what you think. And don’t forget you can pin this recipe to save it for later using the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below the post, or on any of the photos above.
Happy baking!
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Garlic Cheddar Parm Pull Apart Bread
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A soft, fluffy yeast bread packed with savoury garlic, sharp Parmesan, and melty cheddar. This homemade pull apart loaf is fun to share and surprisingly easy to make with a stand mixer.
Ingredients
Bread
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole or 2% milk, warm
- 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (2 g) Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (3 g) paprika
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Filling
- 1/2 cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cloves (20 g) garlic, minced
- 85 g (3 oz) cheddar marble cheese, or any stretchy mild cheese, shredded
- 3–4 tbsp (42–56 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, heat milk until lukewarm (about 105-115°F / 40-46°C). Whisk in sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
- Add the water and the milk-yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until the flour is about 75% hydrated and a shaggy dough forms.
- Add the 1/4 cup (56g) softened butter and continue kneading until fully combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Knead for another 3 minutes until the dough comes together into a very sticky ball.
- First Rise: Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, combine Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and shredded cheddar marble cheese in a small bowl.
- After the first rise, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Roll it into a large rectangle, roughly 10×24 inches.
- Brush the dough with the 3-4 tbsp (42-56g) melted butter. Evenly sprinkle the garlic cheese mixture over the buttered dough.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 squares (create 2 rows and 6 columns). Stack the squares on top of each other.
- Generously butter or oil a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Gently transfer the stack of dough squares lengthwise into the prepared loaf pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the loaf pan and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
- While the dough finishes rising, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf over onto your serving plate. Serve warm. Sprinkle with additional herbs or Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Make sure your milk is truly lukewarm. Too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold won’t activate it. A good rule of thumb is that it should feel barely warm to the touch. This is the secret to a fluffy, happy dough!
- Don’t be alarmed if your dough is super sticky after kneading; that’s perfectly normal for this recipe! Resist the urge to add too much extra flour, as it can make the final bread tough. A well-oiled bowl and floured surface will be your best friends.
- This recipe is super flexible with cheese! While cheddar marble is called for, feel free to use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even a mix of your favourite melty, mild cheeses. The goal is that delightful, stretchy pull!
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
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