Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Is there any combination more comforting than cheese, garlic, and herb? You could even dip this bread in marinara sauce to amp things up even more.
Texture: I mean, c’mon. Heaven is this crusty, buttery, cheesy goodness.
Ease: Easy, just a tiny bit tedious getting the butter and cheese into all the cracks in the bread. Use a sharp serrated bread knife to make easy work of forming the pull-apart pieces.
Appearance: Positively mouthwatering.
Pros: Simple, crowd-pleasing, can be made ahead of time, and SO GOOD.
Cons: This bread is so good but oh so bad.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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I know pull apart breads, “crack” breads, cheesy garlic herb breads are all over the place online.
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I’ve even shared a scrumptious recipe for Garlic, Herb, and Cheese Rolls which is comprised of the same basic ingredients as this recipe, just while making homemade bread instead of using an already baked loaf. Of the many bread recipes I’ve shared over the years, this one may be the most over-the-top and addictive, hence the word crack in the title.
It’s also one of the only ones that calls for a pre-made loaf and that’s because I’ve found this recipe tastes best with sourdough bread, which is more of a challenge to make from home. I’ve been thinking of doing a series on sourdough so if that’s something you’d like to see let me know in the comments below!

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Either way, I just had to share my little version of the recipe with you which was inspired by Recipe Tin Eats. It’s everything you could want in a carb loaded bite: cheesy, buttery, garlicky, herby, and crusty yet soft. We just about died over this bread and could NOT get enough. Jared said it was one of his favorite things he’s ever eaten, so you know it’s damn good.
*This post contains affiliate links.

Cheesy Garlic Herb Crack Bread
Ingredients
- 1 crusty sourdough or artisan loaf
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the melted butter, garlic, salt, parsley, rosemary, and thyme in a small bowl.
- With a serrated bread knife, cut the bread on a diagonal into 1-inch diamonds, being careful not to slice all the way through. Use your fingers to pry open each crack and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of butter and a pinch of the shredded cheese. Don’t worry if you make a bit of a mess.
- Wrap the entire loaf in foil. To make ahead, place the foil wrapped bread in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for a month, thawing before baking. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has mostly melted. Carefully remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5 minutes, or until crusty. Serve immediately.
I have a real distaste for in the recipe that has the term “crack” in it. To me, cracked the notes burned fingers, yellow nails, corroded teeth and dissipation of all of what makes life good. It is a terrible thing and in no way appetizing. For anyone who has lost someone to crack, it is a slap in the face and a reminder of the nightmare that is crack.
hi from way down in New Zealand! just made this and it is totally delicious. Its going to become a firm fav in my house. could also add other herbs. thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear that, Mia!!
Is the bread already baked ? Or are you using dough?
Yes, the recipe calls for “1 crusty sourdough or artisan loaf.”
Can you use Italian bread?
I just made this tonight using a leftover bread bowl I made on your site as well and it was awesome! I was only serving my boyfriend and I so the bread bowl was the perfect size for us! I had a question about the butter. Would it be possible to just use olive oil instead? I used garlic, dried basil, and dried parsley and the butter kinda didn’t seem right. Just wondering if you or any others tried it this way. I’m sure it wouldn’t change that much on the final product.
Hi Erin, how awesome you made two recipes and combined them! If you prefer olive oil that would be totally fine! Sounds like a matter of personal preference.
Hi. Is it possible to take a few articles to my website?Of course the link to your site I’ll leave .
i first enjoyed sourdough bread when I visited my daughter in San Francisco (we are from United Kingdom) would love some easy recipes for sourdough
Thankyou
Ps can’t wait to make this recipe!
This bread was delicious! I would recommend adding less salt, as it was slightly overpowering, and increasing the baking time to at least 30 minutes altogether. Overall, I would definitely make this again!
Can the bread be kept warm or “reheated” for an Openhouse buffet?
I just made this in prep or Christmas! So looking forward to having it.
Hey Tessa! I completely missed this – thanks for the reference! 🙂 Yours looks amazing – stumbled across it when I was searching for ideas for variations!! N x
This bread looks amazing. Your photos are beautiful!