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Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Cheesy Pull-Apart Loaf

Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Cheesy Pull-Apart Loaf

Golden, buttery, herby, and irresistibly cheesy — this sourdough pull-apart loaf is everything you crave in a savory bake. Each folded layer is brushed with garlic herb butter and loaded with a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, creating melty pockets of flavor without weighing down the dough.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook optional
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • digital kitchen scale
  • 2 medium mixing bowls
  • Rolling Pin optional
  • bench scraper or sharp knife
  • Pastry brush
  • spatula or frosting knife
  • 9x5 loaf pan
  • cooking thermometer optional

Ingredients
  

Dough Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (200g) bubbly sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 1 1/4 cup (310g) whole milk slightly warmed to 80 degrees
  • 1 Tablespoon (25g) honey
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons (30g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (10g) sea salt
  • 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, unsoftened
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) olive oil
  • 1 (50g) large egg room temperature
  • 4 1/4 cups (550g) bread flour all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Garlic Herb Butter:

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Cheese Filling:

  • 3/4 cup (70g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella or a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and cheddar
  • 3/4 cup (70g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon (15g) all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

Mix Your Dough:

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, mix your dough. Whisk together milk, sourdough starter, honey, sugar, egg, olive oil until smooth. Add in bread flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and granulated garlic. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes in a mixer (or 12–15 by hand) until smooth and elastic. Add softened butter in 1-tablespoon pieces, kneading until fully incorporated.
    3/4 cup (200g) bubbly sourdough starter, 1 1/4 cup (310g) whole milk, 1 Tablespoon (25g) honey, 2 1/2 Tablespoons (30g) granulated white sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons (10g) sea salt, 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, unsoftened, 2 teaspoons (10g) olive oil, 1 (50g) large egg, 4 1/4 cups (550g) bread flour, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • Transfer dough to a greased bowl or container, cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise at room temp (75–78°F) for 6-8 hours, or until doubled in size.
  • Overnight fermentation option:
    At this point you can choose to refrigerate your dough overnight. Cover and seal with plastic or a lid and transfer to refrigerator overnight. You can choose to skip this step and just go directly to shaping.

Make Butter and Cheese Fillings:

  • In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, garlic, salt, and rosemary with a spatula or beaters. Set aside at room temperature.
    1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • In another bowl, toss mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese with flour. Set aside.
    3/4 cup (70g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, 3/4 cup (70g) grated Parmesan cheese, 1 Tablespoon (15g) all-purpose flour

Shaping Your Pull-Apart Loaf

  • If dough was refrigerated overnight, remove from refrigerator and allow to rest 30 minutes before shaping.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 100g each). Roll or stretch each into a 5-inch circle.
  • Spread each dough circle with a thin layer (1 tsp roughly) of garlic herb butter. Sprinkle a light layer of the cheese blend (tossed with flour) on top. Fold each disc in half (like a taco), sealing the filling inside. Add another thin layer of the butter and add another very light sprinkle of cheese (1 teaspoon).
  • Spray a 9x5” loaf pan with cooking oil. Stack the filled, folded dough pieces vertically like cards, slightly staggered. Arrange them into the pan, seam side up or slightly tilted for a layered look. Make sure the top of each piece coated in butter is facing towards you, with the back side (unbuttered) faces the edge of the pan. Make sure both ends have the unbuttered side facing the edge of the pan.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Let proof for 2–3 hours, until puffy and nearly reaching the top of the pan.

Bake Your Loaf

  • Preheat oven to 400°F . Sprinkle extra cheese and a pinch of herbs if desired over the top of loaf for a golden cheesy crust. Bake for 45-50 minutes, tenting with foil halfway if browning too quickly. This loaf browns quickly on the top, so keep an eye out. Loaf internal temperature should reach 180 F when done, this may take more or less time depending on your oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan when loaf is done cooking.
  • Melt remaining garlic herb butter and brush over the top 5 minutes after removing loaf form the oven. Let cool slightly, then remove from pan and transfer to a serving platter.
  • Serve warm!
Course Bread Loaves
Cuisine Appetizers