Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)
User Reviews
4.9
Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread)
Description
Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread starts with a crusty loaf such as sourdough or Vienna bread, scored diagonally into diamonds without cutting all the way through. A garlic butter mixture containing softened butter, minced garlic, salt, and chopped fresh parsley is melted and drizzled into the cracks, then sharp mozzarella cheese is stuffed inside each opening.
The assembly is finished by brushing the top of the bread with remaining garlic butter for added flavor and moisture. Baking the wrapped loaf initially melts the cheese and saturates the bread, then unwrapping it for further baking develops a crisp, golden crust while keeping a soft, cheesy interior. This combination yields a textured contrast of crunchy surface and gooey cheese.
The bread is served immediately to enjoy warm, cheesy pulls that are easy to share. It pairs well as an appetizer or accompaniment to soups and salads. The recipe notes suggest using softer butter mixed with garlic for a make-ahead option and emphasize that denser bread holds the pieces together best. Refrigerating or freezing the prepared loaf before baking is possible for convenience.
Ingredients
- 1 bread preferably sourdough or Vienna, crusty loaf
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese or other melting cheese, shredded
Garlic Butter
- 100 g / 1 stick (8 tbsp) butter softened, unsalted
- 2 garlic minced, large cloves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped, fresh
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)
Notes
- For make-ahead, mix softened butter with garlic, salt, and parsley then spread into cracks; wrap and refrigerate or freeze before baking.
- Reheat by microwaving wrapped bread for 1½-2 minutes to remelt cheese; crust remains crunchy when using sourdough.
- Denser breads like sourdough or Vienna loaf work best to hold the bread pieces together when pulling apart.
- Use pre-baked bread rather than raw dough for this recipe.
- For a quick version, cream butter with garlic and spread into single-direction diagonal cuts; this is less even but faster.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8- 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 191 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 58g | |
| Calories | 191cal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 19.5g | 7% |
| Protein | 2.5g | 5% |
| Fat | 10.9g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 26mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 374mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 15mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1.4g | 6% |
| Sugar | 1.4g | 3% |
| Vitamin A | 350IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 0.8mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 90mg | 9% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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