Yield: 1 loaf
Pan: 9 × 5 inch loaf pan
Prep: 30–40 minutes
Proofing: 1½–2½ hours
Baking: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 3½ hours
Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
For the dough
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant or active dry yeast
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
1 tsp salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
1 large egg
3 tbsp (42 g) melted butter
1–2 tbsp extra flour, only if necessary
Garlic-herb butter
100 g softened butter
4–5 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill or chives, chopped
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp black pepper
¼–½ tsp salt
½ tsp red-chilli flakes, optional
Cheese filling
150 g mozzarella, grated
50 g cheddar, grated
25 g Parmesan, grated
½ cup sweet corn, optional — this gives the yellow pieces visible in the photograph
1 tbsp chopped parsley/dill
Mozzarella works particularly well because it melts and stretches; Parmesan adds stronger savory flavor. Similar pull-apart recipes use mozzarella with garlic, herbs and butter.
M
myfoodbook
+1
👩🍳 Method
1. Activate the yeast
If using active dry yeast, combine:
warm milk
sugar
yeast
The milk should be warm, not hot—roughly 40–43°C.
Leave for 5–10 minutes. It should become slightly foamy.
If using instant yeast, you can mix it directly with the flour instead.
2. Make the dough
Add the egg and melted butter to the yeast mixture.
Add about half of the flour and mix.
Add the salt, then gradually add the remaining flour.
Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand, or about 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Don’t add lots of flour. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky rather than stiff.
3. First rise
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl.
Cover and leave somewhere warm for approximately 1–1½ hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size. Allowing the dough to double is important for a light, fluffy loaf.
B
Betty Crocker
4. Make the garlic butter
Mix together:
softened butter
minced garlic
parsley
dill/chives
oregano
black pepper
salt
chilli flakes
Set aside.
Tip: Keep the butter soft rather than completely liquid. It is much easier to spread without making the dough greasy.
5. Prepare the cheese
Combine the mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan.
If using corn, drain it very well and pat it dry.
Too much moisture from corn can make the layers soggy.
6. Shape the pull-apart layers
Punch the air out of the risen dough.
Roll it into approximately a 45 × 30 cm rectangle.
Spread the garlic butter evenly over the entire surface.
Sprinkle the cheese mixture and optional corn over it.
Cut the dough into approximately 6 equal strips lengthwise.
Stack the strips on top of one another.
Then cut the stacked strips into pieces roughly the height of your loaf pan.
This stacked-square technique is what creates those distinctive pull-apart layers.
B
Betty Crocker
7. Put it into the loaf pan
Grease a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan.
Place the stacked pieces vertically into the pan, keeping the layers facing upward.
Don’t pack them extremely tightly—the dough needs room to expand.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
8. Second proof
Let the loaf rise for approximately 30–60 minutes, depending on room temperature.
It should look noticeably puffy.
Don’t wait until it has completely doubled again; over-proofing can make the loaf collapse or become difficult to handle.
9. Bake
Preheat your oven to:
190°C / 375°F
Place the loaf on a baking tray—this is useful because butter and cheese can bubble over.
Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes.
The top should be:
5. Prepare the cheese
Combine the mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan.
deeply golden
slightly crisp
bubbling with melted cheese
If the top becomes brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining baking time.
For bread, an internal temperature around 88–93°C (190–200°F) is a useful doneness check; a similar garlic-herb pull-apart recipe uses about 190°F at the center.
T
The Kitchens Aid
10. Finish
As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush the top with a little more garlic butter.
Sprinkle with:
fresh parsley
fresh dill
a little Parmesan
Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
Serve warm and pull the layers apart with your hands.
Approximate nutrition
Because the exact nutrition depends heavily on the cheese, butter and portion size, these are estimates, not laboratory measurements.
For the complete loaf:
Nutrient Approx.
Calories 3,200–3,500 kcal
Protein 90–105 g
Carbohydrates 360–390 g
Fat 150–175 g
Saturated fat 80–95 g
Fiber 10–13 g
Sugar 30–35 g
Sodium 4,500–5,500 mg
Per 10 pieces
Approximately:
320–350 kcal
9–11 g protein
36–39 g carbohydrates
15–18 g fat
The actual value can change considerably depending on the brands and quantities of butter and cheese used.
Recipe Q&A
Can I make it without cheese?
Yes. Increase the garlic-herb butter slightly and omit the cheese. It becomes a garlic-herb pull-apart loaf.
Can I use cheddar only?
Yes. However, mozzarella gives a softer, stretchier melt while cheddar provides stronger flavor.
Can I use mozzarella slices?
Yes, but grated mozzarella distributes more evenly between the layers.
Can I use fresh yeast?
Yes. You’ll need roughly 20–21 g fresh yeast in place of 7 g dry yeast.
Can I use whole-wheat flour?
Yes, but don’t replace all the flour initially. Try 25–30% whole-wheat flour with the remainder white flour. A 100% whole-wheat version will be considerably denser.
Why is my bread dense?
The most common causes are:
Yeast wasn’t active.
Dough was too dry from excess flour.
Insufficient kneading.
First rise was too short.
Second proof was too short.
Oven temperature was too low.
Why did the cheese leak out?
Some leakage is completely normal. Use grated cheese rather than huge pieces and don’t put an excessive amount directly along the edges.
Can I prepare it the night before?
Yes. After making the dough, cover it and refrigerate it for 8–12 hours for a slower rise. Bring it out, shape it, allow the final proof, and bake. Overnight refrigeration is also recommended as an option in established pull-apart bread recipes.
B
Betty Crocker
Can I freeze it?
Yes. You can freeze the assembled, unbaked loaf, well wrapped. Thaw it in the refrigerator, allow it to become puffy at room temperature, then bake.
How do I keep it soft the next day?
Store it airtight at room temperature. Reheat individual pieces for about 10–20 seconds in the microwave, or warm the whole loaf briefly in a low oven.
Can I use dried herbs?
Yes. Use approximately ⅓ of the amount of fresh herbs. Dried rosemary and thyme are particularly strong, so use them sparingly.
Can I make it spicy?
Absolutely. Add:
½–1 tsp chilli flakes
chopped jalapeño
a little paprika
or green chilli
What makes the photographed bread so golden?
A combination of butter, egg/milk in the dough, cheese and high oven heat produces the browned surface. Brushing the top with garlic butter immediately after baking also gives it that glossy appearance.
How do I get the fluffy interior shown in the photo?
The biggest three things are a soft dough, proper kneading, and allowing the dough to rise until genuinely puffy rather than relying strictly on the clock. Similar recipes use a first rise until doubled and a second rise until noticeably puffed.
B
Betty Crocker
+1
Can I use cheddar only?
Yes. However, mozzarella gives a softer, stretchier melt while cheddar provides stronger flavor.
Best serving idea: serve this hot alongside creamy tomato soup, grilled chicken, pasta, or simply with a garlic-cheese dip.