Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

There’s a trend right now for anything you can tear apart with your hands — pull-apart breads, sharing loaves, rolls you rip instead of slice. And honestly? Nana Ruth was doing this before it had a name. She’d make a skillet full of rolls, tuck garlic butter into every fold, and set the whole thing on the table. Nobody needed a plate. You just pulled a piece and ate.

That’s what this recipe is. Not fussy. Not decorative. Just a cast iron skillet full of soft, garlic-butter rolls that come out of the oven golden on top and pillowy in the middle. Every piece has garlic butter baked right in, so there’s no dry bite in the bunch.

I started making this for Sunday dinners when Jake is home, and now it shows up at every holiday, every potluck, every time someone says “bring bread.” The kids fight over the middle pieces because they’re the softest.

How to Make Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

Make the dough. Warm milk to 110°F, stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let bloom 5 minutes. Mix with flour, egg, sugar, salt, and softened butter. Knead until smooth and elastic — about 8 minutes by hand or 5 in a stand mixer.

First rise. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.

Make the garlic butter. Melt butter and stir in minced garlic, parsley, a pinch of salt, and a touch of garlic powder for extra depth. Let it cool slightly so it’s warm but not hot.

Shape and dip. Punch down the dough and divide into 16-18 pieces. Roll each into a ball, dip in garlic butter, and arrange snugly in a greased 10-inch cast iron skillet. Pour any remaining butter over the top.

Second rise and bake. Cover and let rise 30 minutes until the rolls are puffy and touching. Bake at 375°F for 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Brush with a little more garlic butter when they come out of the oven.

This bread pairs perfectly with my Lasagna Soup or a big plate of Wonton Lasagna. If you are on a bread-baking kick, my Hot Cross Buns are worth the effort, and my Hot Honey Skillet Cornbread is the fastest homemade bread you will ever make.

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Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

A cast iron skillet full of soft rolls dipped in garlic butter, baked until golden on top and pillowy in the middle. Every piece has butter baked right into the seams.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword baking, breads & rolls, heritage recipes, holiday & celebration, pull-apart garlic bread

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Author Maggie

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm milk about 110 degrees F
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened for the dough
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted for the garlic butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated optional

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm milk, egg, and softened butter. Mix until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead on a floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
3. Make the garlic butter: Melt 6 tablespoons butter and stir in minced garlic and parsley.
4. Punch down the dough and divide into about 20 small pieces. Roll each into a ball.
5. Dip each dough ball in the garlic butter, then arrange in a greased 10-inch cast iron skillet. Pour any remaining garlic butter over the top.
6. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes until the rolls are puffy and touching each other.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top if using.
8. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm from the skillet.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Hot Honey Skillet Cornbread
• Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars
• Creamy Asparagus Casserole
• Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns

What I Use for This Recipe

A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.

Cook N Home 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot(~$25)

Big enough for Sunday soup, light enough to lift. Every kitchen needs a pot this honest.

Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet(~$20)

The skillet that never leaves our stovetop. Pre-seasoned, affordable, and built to last.

OXO Good Grips Garlic Press(~$16)

No more sticky fingers from mincing. Press, rinse, done. The kids even use it for garlic bread night.

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