When I took stock of my refrigerator the other day I noticed I had quite a bit of miscellaneous cheese hanging out waiting to be eaten (does this happen to anyone else??). I don’t know why I ended up with three half blocks of cheese, but I thought that was as good of an excuse as any to make some Cheesy Garlic Bread. Plus I haven’t had pizza in FOR-EV-ER and cheesy garlic bread is basically just like cheese pizza with the sauce served on the side, right? Right.
Make this super easy Thick & Rich Pizza Sauce to dip the Cheesy Garlic Bread in. They’re a match made in heaven. ❤️
Cheesy Garlic Bread vs. Cheese Pizza
I did do one thing differently for this Cheesy Garlic Bread than I would for cheese pizza, and that was to bake it at a slightly lower temperature. I wanted my Cheesy Garlic Bread to stay soft and fluffy, so I baked it slightly lower and slower to give the dough time to puff up in the oven. When baking at a super high pizza temperature (like 450ºF) the dough tends to crisp up and get crunchy on the outside before it has a chance to really get lofty. So, I lowered the temp just a smidge to 375ºF.
What Type of Cheese Should I Use?
Normally I’d use full-fat mozzarella for anything pizza related because it’s rich and has a wonderful “pull” when it’s melted. But, since I was trying to use up cheese I already had, I used a mix between a really buttery Mexican cheese (that tasted a lot like Monterey Jack) and cheddar. They don’t stay quite as soft as mozzarella when baked, but it was still super delicious. I also used a scant 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan and I have to say that even that small amount made a big difference, so don’t skip the Parm if at all possible. You can add more Parmesan if you like, but don’t skip it.
Homemade Cheesy Garlic Bread
Servings 5 4 pieces eachIngredients
DOUGH
TOPPINGS
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.26)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan ($0.10)
- 1 cup shredded cheese* ($1.25)
Instructions
- Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl and stir until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Let them sit for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture develops a layer of foam on top.
- While the yeast is proofing, combine 1 cup of the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the bowl with the flour and salt. Stir until the slurry is smooth and free of lumps. Begin adding more flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, until the mixture turns into a ball of dough (about 2 cups total flour).
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface that is lightly dusted with flour. Knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky, adding only small amounts of flour as you go (about 5 minutes total). Return the ball of dough to the mixing bowl, cover with plastic, and let sit for one hour or until double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Prepare a baking sheet by sprinkling a liberal amount of cornmeal over the surface (about 2 Tbsp). Punch down the risen dough, then stretch it over the baking sheet, leaving the dough about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
- Place the butter and minced garlic in a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter is melted. Brush the butter and garlic mixture over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the butter and garlic. Finally, add the shredded cheese in an even layer over everything.
- Bake the bread for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cheese is melted and is just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges. Once baked, slice the Cheesy Garlic Bread down the center lengthwise, then across into ten strips, about 1-inch wide. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread – Step by Step Photos
Begin by dissolving 2 tsp yeast (instant or active dry) and 1 Tbsp sugar in 3/4 cup warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until it develops a layer of thick foam on top, like in the photo above.
While waiting for the yeast to proof, combine 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Pour the yeast mixture and 1 Tbsp olive oil into the bowl with the flour and salt.
Stir the mixture until it’s smooth and relatively lump free.
Begin stirring in more flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, until it forms a ball of dough (about 2 cups total flour). Then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead the dough. Try not to add much flour as you knead to prevent the dough from becoming stiff. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
Place the kneaded dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for one hour, or until it’s double in size (this photo is after kneading, before rising).
Once the dough has risen, begin preheating the oven to 375ºF. Sprinkle a generous amount of cornmeal onto a baking sheet. Punch the risen down down, then stretch it out onto the baking sheet. To help handle the dough without it sticking to your hands, either dust your hands with flour or use a drop or two of olive oil to coat your hands and the dough.
Add 2 Tbsp butter and one clove of minced garlic to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter is melted.
Brush the butter and garlic mixture over the stretched dough, from edge to edge.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan over the garlic butter, then top with 1 cup shredded cheese. Mozzarella is best, but I used a mix of cheddar and a Monterey-Jack-like cheese and it still worked beautifully.
Bake the Cheesy Garlic Bread for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges.
Slice the Cheesy Garlic Bread once lengthwise down the center, then across into 10 1-inch strips. (I garnished with a bit of chopped parsley for visual effect, but you don’t need that for flavor).
YUMMMM. 🧀🧀🧀
Yum! Love this recipe! Served with your fantastic pizza sauce. Whole family loved it!
Going to try just Now , Thanks for Sharing
I am just going to tell my mom about this! This looks very delicious. Thank you for this wonderfull dish!
Can I leave the dough covered overnight and bake it the next day?
I would keep it in the refrigerator so the yeast doesn’t over proof.
Two Words ….. Mouth Watering, Garlic bread is my one of favourite side dishes i always order it but after reading this i tried recipe and here is my result of Garlic Bread
This turned out fantastic – it was my first attempt at baking bread and I am super pleased with the result! Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious , im gonna try it right now .😍
I’m from Halifax, NS and we make something similar (well, usually we buy it at a pizza shop) and they’re called garlic fingers. We dip them in donair sauce. The google machine will tell you how to make the sauce, but maaaaaaan, I bet these would be good with it!
I’m looking forward to trying these on a weekend as I’ve yet to find a dough recipes I like for at-home garlic fingers or pizza. Thanks!
Can you just use parchment paper as opposed to the cornmeal?
Yes, that will work but the parchment may hold moisture and cause the bottom to be softer, which some people probably wouldn’t mind. :)
Have you tried freezing it after baking and then re-warming it? I think this could be a great addition to my kids school lunches and I try to bulk bake ahead for them.
I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but bread generally freezes very well. :)
Love the baking tip. I did it last night for supper and the result is like a cross between focaccia and pizza–my husband who is in braces right now and can’t indulge in his fave crispy pizza loved it. I also like the idea about mixed cheeses and MK’s idea about pesto–but with cheese, too. I used lots of of garlic and a mix of cheddar, romano, and provolone which is what I had in my fridge–I thought about adding some bleu cheese, but will save that option for a time when I just want to feed me. i will use some pesto next time
I made it today for a potluck, it was a big hit!!
I added chopped fresh parsley and a little olive oil to butter and garlic mixture. It was fantastic 😁
I opted to use a marked down loaf of french bread instead of making my own dough. I still basically followed the remainder of the recipe for the topping. It was AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS !
This looks delicious! How do you think it would turn out using a few Tbsp of leftover parsley pesto with extra Parmesan sprinkled on top instead of the garlic/butter and cheese? I freeze pesto in 1T portions in wax paper and I’ve been trying to think of good non-pasta uses for it!
That would be FANTASTIC.
I tried it – the bread itself was fantastic, soft with good flavor, but overall it was a little dry. I think the grease from the cheese melting through probably makes a big difference. Maybe it would be better with some grated mozzarella or fresh mozzarella on top of the pesto. Still, worth making again with different toppings!