Starting from a simple rosemary-infused homemade dough, this rosemary garlic pull apart bread is shaped and assembled with butter, garlic, cheese, and herbs. Baked until golden brown and served pull-apart style, this flaky and flavorful bread is completely irresistible. Just wait until you smell it baking! Truly a favorite.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
Have you ever tried my everything bagel pull apart bread? It is, without a doubt, one of the best bread recipes to come out of my kitchen. I wanted something equally as snack-y and satisfying for this holiday season, so I swapped in some everyday foolproof ingredients like rosemary, butter, and parmesan cheese.
I don’t think a finished recipe has ever disappeared faster in my house. (And I make chocolate chip cookies on the regular.)
One reader, Brie, commented: “Just made this recipe for the first time and followed it exactly. ABSOLUTELY perfect and delicious! I tented with foil at 18 minutes left and the color and texture were perfect. I’ll be making it again. ★★★★★“
One reader, Vic, commented: “This is the second bread recipe I’ve ever tried and the first recipe I’ve ever made from Sally’s Baking—it turned out great! Picture perfect. All the times were bang on for me, instructions were super clear and easy to follow. Partner and I plowed through most of the loaf for dinner last night—oops. 😉 ★★★★★“
One reader, Jennifer, commented: “Amazing bread. I’ve made this ten times already, different cheeses, all perfect! Perfect recipe as is! Thank you! ★★★★★“
Tell Me About This Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Bread
- Flavor: Cheesy & garlic, rosemary & herb, salty & buttery—all packed inside the homestyle goodness of from-scratch bread. This recipe has a range of some of the BEST flavors around.
- Texture: In addition to the irresistible flavor, this pull apart bread’s texture is definitely something to write home about. The exterior is golden crisp right out of the oven, sealing in a soft and flaky center. The assembly and shape allows for many little peaks and valleys, so you have a lot more texture than, say, dinner rolls or sandwich bread. I’m happy to report that we’re almost nearing croissants in terms of flakiness. (!!)
- Ease: Many pull apart bread recipes use a loaf of bakery bread from the store and while that’s certainly easy and delicious, this recipe utilizes a 9 ingredient homemade dough. If you’ve ever been nervous to bake bread, this recipe is a great starting point. Shaping is pretty simple—the loaf can look messy going into the oven. If you’re new to baking with yeast, review my Baking with Yeast Guide. Lots of helpful information there!
- Time: There’s no arguing that homemade bread takes time, but the results are always so worth the commitment. Luckily this recipe yields 1 simple loaf and once you get the assembly process down, it moves pretty quickly. Set aside at least 4 hours from start to finish, but keep in mind most of that time is hands off as the dough rises.
Looking for rosemary & herb dinner rolls? You will love these herb skillet rolls.
How about a sweet version? I have a recipe for Maple Walnut Pull Apart Bread in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101!
Video Tutorial: How to Make Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Let’s Review the Pull Apart Bread Dough
I don’t want to stand in the way of you and this carb-y perfection, so I’ll try to keep this short. This pull apart bread starts with homemade dough. You need 9 simple ingredients including: yeast, sugar, milk, butter, salt, egg, flour, rosemary and garlic powder. Sugar feeds the yeast, while milk hydrates it and gives the bread a softer texture (as opposed to water). Butter, salt, rosemary, and garlic powder add flavor. Egg contributes to the rising and provides more texture and structure.
- We’re using a superior yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star. This is an instant yeast that strengthens the dough and provides extra volume to the final product. It’s my preferred yeast for any and all bread baking—I use it exclusively in my kitchen because it’s always a guarantee. We only need 2 teaspoons of dry yeast which is a little less than 1 standard packet.
How to Assemble Pull Apart Bread
There are a billion ways to make and assemble pull apart bread. I use a rolling pin and biscuit cutter for my everything bagel pull apart bread and while you can definitely use that same method here, I opted for something even easier today. You won’t have leftover dough scraps this way.
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
- Flatten into 4-inch circles. They don’t need to be perfect.
- Spread garlic herb butter on top. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Fold the circles in half and arrange upright in a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
*You don’t need a rolling pin, but you could certainly use one if you want.
Pull Apart Bread Step by Step Photos
When you get started, use these helpful photos as your guide.
Make and knead the dough, referencing my How to Knead Dough tutorial as needed. After the dough rises, punch it down and divide into 12 pieces.
Flatten the dough rounds and spread each with garlic herb butter.
Sprinkle with cheese and fold in half to resemble a taco.
Note: I love cheesy bread, but I appreciate that it doesn’t overpower the rosemary in this recipe. If you’re looking for a heavier cheesy flavor, you will love my homemade cheese bread or asiago-crusted skillet bread.
Why fold the circles in half? Folding the dough circles in half gives the bread a solid base where no butter/cheese can seep through. I had so much trouble with a similar recipe when I tried to arrange buttered squares of dough in a loaf pan. The butter leaked everywhere and the bread was a greasy mess. While some butter melts around the sides here, the bread’s base is pretty solid.
Line folded circles in a greased loaf pan.
Allow to rise until puffy, then bake until golden brown.
This bread fits the bill for a snack, appetizer, or alongside dinner. You can slice the loaf or tear off pieces. Whenever or however you serve it, I’m confident every lucky taste tester will beg for seconds. If you love the garlic and herb butter flavors in this recipe, try these pizza pull apart rolls or this homemade garlic bread next. And if you’re craving sugar, this homemade monkey bread is equally mouthwatering and perfectly acceptable for breakfast. 😉
Print
Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Bread
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Make a flavorful pull apart bread using this delicious rosemary-infused yeasted dough. You can use your favorite cheese in the filling. I love and usually use shredded parmesan.
Ingredients
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 (see note)
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 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: Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm to touch, about 110°F (43°C). Pour warm milk on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will be frothy after 5-10 minutes.
- If you do not have a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula in this step. Add the butter, egg, flour, salt, garlic powder, and rosemary. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. If the dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add a little more flour, a Tablespoon at a time. Dough will be soft.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if using the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use nonstick spray to grease) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60-90 minutes. (If desired, use my warm oven trick for rising. See my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- As the dough rises, prepare the filling in the next step and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the soft butter, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and salt together. If the butter is soft enough, you can just mix it all together with a spoon or fork. You can use an electric mixer if that’s easier too. Cover tightly and set aside until ready to use. (Don’t refrigerate unless making well in advance. It’s easiest to spread on the dough when at room temperature. If refrigerated, let it come to room temperature before spreading on dough pieces.)
- Assemble the bread: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces, each about 1/4 cup of dough and a little larger than a golf ball. Using lightly floured hands, flatten each into a circle that’s about 4 inches in diameter. The circle doesn’t have to be perfectly round. I do not use a rolling pan to flatten, but you certainly can if you want. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of filling mixture onto each. Sprinkle each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Fold circles in half and line in prepared baking pan, round side up. See photos above for a visual.
- 2nd Rise: Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and allow to rise once again in a slightly warm environment until puffy, about 45 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position then preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. If you find the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. (Don’t be alarmed if there’s melted butter around the sides of the bread as it bakes, it will seep into the bread before it finishes.) Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. If desired, brush with melted butter for topping and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and serve warm.
- Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Since the bread is extra crispy on the exterior, it will become a little hard after day 1. Reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10-15 minutes until interior is soft again or warm in the microwave.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Freeze baked and cooled bread for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven to your liking. The dough can be prepared through step 4, then after it has risen, punch it down to release the air, cover it tightly, then place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Continue with step 5. To freeze the dough, prepare it through step 4. After it has risen, punch it down to release the air. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Then let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before continuing with step 5. (You may need to punch it down again if it has some air bubbles.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer or Large Glass Mixing Bowl with Wooden Spoon / Silicone Spatula | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Cooling Rack | Flaky Sea Salt
- Yeast: I always use Platinum Yeast from Red Star, an instant yeast. If using active dry yeast, the rise times could be slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Flour: Feel free to use the same amount of bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. You can also try swapping out 1 cup of flour for whole wheat flour. Do not replace all of the flour with whole wheat flour—just 1 cup.
- Extra Soft Butter for Filling: Have you ever read my page about room temperature butter? Room temperature butter for baking should still be cool to the touch. You want room temperature butter for the dough. However, for the filling, you want extra soft butter so you can easily spread it onto the flattened dough without tearing the dough. Feel free to microwave it for 10-15 seconds to help it get extra soft.
Reader Comments and Reviews
OMG!!! I just made this recipe today. I have made sooooo many sweets over the holidays, that today I wanted to do something savory. After looking at the ingredients and directions, decided to give a try. Holy cow!! This recipe is easy to follow and comes out exactly as stated. I used a mix of mozzarella and quattro fromaggi cheeses. I also used dried rosemary, but used fresh parsley for the filling, which looks great because it gives a bit of a deep green color. I did brush some butter on top after baking and sprinkled a little sea salt. We put some marinara sauce on the side for dipping. I was thinking that it might be good with some ground sausage in the center too…very savory. I will definitely make this recipe again. Quick and excellent!!!
Thank you for the positive feedback, Paula! Sausage would be an amazing addition — let me know if you give it a try.
On my recommendation, my friend made this and added the sausage. She loved it! Served with marinara on the side. I am making again at this moment to bring to a friend’s house for New Year’s. Love this recipe!!! Happy New Year, Sally!!!
I am in the final rising stage right now…I used dried Rosemary for the dough, and fresh Rosemary and fresh garlic for the filling and OMG my kitchen smells so good. I can’t wait to bake & taste it!!!
I would really like to make this bread but only have active dry yeast. How can I modify the yeast to make it possible?
I am planning to try this with active dry yeast, since it’s all I have. One of Sally’s other recipes had a note to replace it and just be prepared that you might have longer rise times (I think!). I’ve done that with several of her recipes and it always works just fine.
I used active dry yeast because I had an open jar in my fridge and I didn’t want to be bothered with part of a packet leftover. It came out fine.
If dough has been refrigerated after step 3, should I let the dough warm to room temperature before going onto the next step?
Thanks and happy holidays!
Can I assemble the bread today to be baked tomorrow?
Hi Jan, No, I don’t suggest it. The best way to prepare this dough the day before is to prepare it through step 3, then after it has risen, punch it down to release the air, cover it tightly, then place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. See the recipe notes for details.
Hi Sally, i made this recipe yesterday following instructions step by step and came out perfectly, so delicious, the smell in the kitchen was irresistible, thanks you a lot for sharing with us. There’s no leftovers (btw just me and my husband)
Hi Sally. Can I use fresh garlic instead of the garlic powder? If so, how much?
Thanks so much & Merry Christmas!
Hi Carol, fresh garlic yields a slightly wetter dough so you may want another Tablespoon or so of flour. 2-3 minced cloves would be plenty.
Hi Sally, can you specify rise times if instant yeast isn’t on hand? I only have regular. Love all your recipes & can’t wait to try this one, thank you!
Hi Tanya, the rise time will likely be another 30 minutes for the 1st and I’d say 15 minutes for the 2nd. But don’t go by the clock– use your eyes instead. Once the dough has doubled in size for rise 1 and until it’s puffy (see the photo above) for rise 2.
Oh my amazing. I made this today . Came out perfect. I made with the dry herbs, nothing was available. Thank you Sally.
Ahmazing! Just finished making this and it’s incredibly delicious! And so eady to make! I doubled the recipe, as we are a household of garlic bread fanatics! I used a mix of dried Italian herbs, no fresh rosemary on hand, and a mix of parm and pecorino cheese. Made one loaf as you describe and the other half of the dough went into a popover pan and turned into 6 popover sized…well, garlicky “muffins”! I used 2 slices of dough per cup, and they filled up the cups beautifully after the second proof!
The bread is so soft on the inside, not doughy, perfectly crisp crust, just perfect! A major keeper! Thank you!
Would it be ok to use a ceramic loaf pan instead of aluminum as pictured for this recipe? Going to try this to go with our Christmas Eve beef stew!
Hi Elizabeth, you can use a ceramic loaf pan but keep in mind that ceramic is typically thicker and takes longer to heat. The bread will require a slightly extended bake time.
Do you think I could try this with chives instead of rosemary? Looks fantastic!
I can’t see why not! Let me know how you like it.
I was wondering if I could make a sweet version of this. Maybe with apples and raisins as stuffing? My man doesn’t like cheese. 🙁
Absolutely. You could spread softened butter on the rounds and sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar blend and raisins. Maybe even some orange zest too. This monkey bread is also a fun idea.
Thank you for the reply and the recipe suggestion. Will definitely try something along these lines.
I just made this today, it came out a little hallow and hard and not fluffy inside. Did I not leave the dough to rise enough during the second rise? It was almost an hr. I did use bread flour instead of all purpose. And yellow cheddar for the cheese. I don’t know if thats a reason.
Hi Jessica, it doesn’t sound like it was the type of cheese you used or the bread flour. This bread isn’t fluffy like sandwich bread– just due to the shape and the butter/cheese stuffed inside. But it shouldn’t be hard. I wonder if it was over-baked?
We only have 2% milk — is it ok to use 2% instead of whole milk with this recipe?
Hi Christine 2% milk will work in a pinch. Hope you love this one!
Nice tender bread with lots of flavor.
I made garlic confit and I am going to use that. It is very mellow. This recipe sounds absolutely wonderful. I will let you know what my family thinks.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sally! Cannot wait to make this for our Christmas dinner. Your recipe recommends Red Star Platinum yeast. I have Red Star Quick Rise Instant Yeast. Will that be ok or should I run back to the store?
Hi Kathleen, you can use quick rise yeast– it’s an instant yeast just like Platinum. Follow the directions as written. No changes!
What size loaf pan should be used?
It’s hard to spot, but see step 4. 9×5 inch is best.
Oh man. I scoured the recipe for the pan size and totally missed it. Thank you for the quick response as the dough is currently rising! Can’t wait to try this. It smells fantastic already!
Would this recipe work with gluten free flour?
Hi Heidi, I’m unsure. Let me know if you test anything.
Hi Sally!
Thanks for the new recipe! Can’t wait to try it out!
Couple questions :
1. If I don’t have a load pan, could I bake this on a cookie sheet or would it spread too much?
2. I have shredded mozzarella at home, but obviously it has more moisture than shredded parmesan. Should I stick to parmesan or would it not matter?
Thank you!
Hi Shuba, I’m glad to help. I recommend a loaf pan– you do not want to bake this on a baking sheet without proper support and, well, confinement for your bread! I’m sure you could arrange the bread in a cake or square pan though. Shredded mozzarella is OK since you’re using only a little between the dough pieces. The bread may take a bit longer to bake though.
Hi Sally! Can I use an all-purpose whole wheat flour instead? Thanks!
Hi Lindsey, see recipe note about whole wheat flour.
Hi Sally! Is there any way to make this sugar free? Or is it necessary for the yeast?
Hi Ryan, the sugar feeds the yeast. It is necessary for this dough.
Do you think I could add bacon bits to the filling?
Definitely! You could sprinkle them on top of the cheese.
Excellent, thank you! Would you recommend pre-cooking them?
Yes.
I have never even attempted to bake bread from scratch. Is this a good recipe to start with?
Yes, absolutely. Assembling is pretty simple, even for a beginner. I also have this artisan bread recipe. It looks fancy, but couldn’t be easier to make. Also great for beginners.
Could I use half and half instead of milk?
Hi Mariah, no I don’t recommend it. Half and half is too heavy. You can use water instead if needed.
Could the dough be made in a bread machine?
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tested it but I can’t see why not.
I just made it in a bread machine (just keep the yeast separate from the initial two steps if your machine has its own container for that). Worked great and tasted amazing!
I have a family member that doesn’t like rosemary.. is it possible to just leave that out or would it be missing too much flavor?
Hi Shelby, you can leave it out or replace with dry Italian seasoning, more parsley, or thyme.
Can a non-dairy product be substituted- ie/ rice milk or coconut milk? This looks delish!
I haven’t tested it, but I can’t see why not.
I used almond milk and it worked fine.
I used almond milk on mine and worked out great!
I am going to bake this right away … is it OK to substitute bread flour? I have Red Star active dry yeast.
Thank you for the helpful photographs and details with all of your recipes!
Yes, absolutely. Use the same amount of bread flour.
Hi Sally
Would fresh thyme work here in place of the rosemary ? Same amount ?
With thanks Nancy
Absolutely. And yes, I would use the same amount.