How do you make pull apart garlic bread from scratch?

There are many different recipes for pull apart garlic bread out there, including quite a few that start with a loaf of bread from the store. This easy version is completely from scratch, including the bread. It's a simple slightly enriched dough with a tender texture, which is perfect for this purpose. I like to cut it into small pieces, then toss them in melted garlic butter seasoned with a little Italian seasoning. Assemble them in the pan, similar to Monkey Bread, then let them rise and bake! Your whole family will love sneaking little bites from the loaf!

How long does it take to make pull-apart garlic bread bites from scratch?

This recipe is ready from start to finish in just under 2 hours, including making the dough, two rises, shaping, and baking. That's pretty quick for homemade bread!

Can you make vegan pull-apart garlic bread?

You'd need to make a few substitutions for this option, starting with the butter. Look for a vegan butter to keep that rich, buttery flavor. Replace the honey with white sugar or a little agave syrup. The rest of the ingredients are naturally plant-based.

Pull Apart Garlic Bread

Name: Pull Apart Garlic Bread
Prep time: 1 h 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water, divided; 1 teaspoon active dry yeast; 1 tablespoon honey; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 1 teaspoon salt; 5 tablespoons butter; 2 large cloves garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Description

Ditch the foil-wrapped packages of garlic bread from the store and elevate your next meal with this homemade Pull Apart Garlic Bread. It's fluffy, buttery, flavourful, melts in your mouth, and tears easily for optimal sharing. The homemade dough is rolled and sliced into individual bites, tossed in homemade garlic butter, and baked until tender and fluffy.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water, divided
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt

For the garlic butter topping:

5 tablespoons butter
2 large cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

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Instructions

Make the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and honey. Let rest 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Add in flour, butter, and salt, and mix until combined. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup water, stirring between each addition until completely combined, and until the dough comes together into a ball. The dough will be soft but slightly sticky. If it is too sticky, you can add a little more flour.
Knead for 7-10 minutes (by hand or in a stand mixer) until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can test the dough for readiness by pressing into the dough with your thumb. If it bounces back, then it is ready. Cover the bowl with a dish cloth, and let dough rest at room temperature until doubled in size, about one hour.

Make the garlic butter:

Approximately 15 minutes before the dough is done rising, preheat oven to 375 F, and begin preparing the garlic butter topping.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Once just melted, add garlic, parsley, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine and continue to cook over low heat for 2 minutes, to allow the flavours to infuse into the butter. Remove from heat.

Shape and bake:

Once the dough is ready, shape it into a long tube, 1-inch in diameter. Then, cut into small 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces into the saucepan with the garlic butter and toss to fully coat.
Transfer the coated pieces into a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with additional fresh parsley on top (optional).

Notes

How to store: Allow the bread to cool to room temperature, then store it in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be refrigerated for longer, but the bread may begin to dry out.

How to reheat: The best way to reheat this garlic bread is to warm it in the oven. Place it in the oven or countertop toaster oven at 350 for 5-6 minutes, or in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes. You can also reheat individual sections for about 15 seconds in the microwave just to warm them up.

How to freeze: You can freeze leftover bread by wrapping it well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, but you probably won't have enough leftovers to bother with this! The bread tends to get eaten quickly.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Bread
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Italian