Garlic Butter Bread Pull-Apart (Printable)

Soft rolls generously coated in aromatic garlic butter, baked together for a delicious pull-apart appetizer or side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Bread Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Garlic Butter

07 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - ¼ teaspoon salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in warm milk and melted butter. Mix until a rough dough forms.
02 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 7–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes.
03 - Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
04 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
05 - Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
06 - Dip each dough ball in the garlic butter, coating thoroughly, and arrange them in a greased 9-inch round cake pan or oven-safe skillet. Drizzle any remaining garlic butter over the top.
07 - Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 20–30 minutes until slightly puffy.
08 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
09 - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
10 - Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Present warm, pull-apart style.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough is soft and forgiving, even if you've never shaped rolls before.
  • Every single piece gets coated in garlic butter, so there's no such thing as a bland bite.
  • It bakes into one giant shareable loaf that feels impressive but takes less than an hour start to finish.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even more garlicky the next day.
02 -
  • If your milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your dough won't rise, so always test the temperature on your wrist like you would for a baby bottle.
  • Don't skip the second rise after shaping the rolls because that's what makes them light and fluffy instead of dense and bready.
  • Use a round pan instead of a square one so the rolls bake evenly and create that beautiful pull-apart pattern in the center.
03 -
  • Don't skimp on the garlic butter—use every last drop because that's where all the flavor lives.
  • If your kitchen is cold, create a warm rising environment by turning your oven on for 1 minute, turning it off, and then placing the covered dough inside.
  • For extra crispy bottoms, use a cast iron skillet instead of a cake pan and let it preheat in the oven before adding the rolls.
Return