Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Pull-Apart Bread
If you are ready for a show-stopper, you’re going to fall in love with this sourdough garlic rosemary pull-apart bread. It’s everything you want in a pull-apart bread – soft and airy inside, crisp and golden outside, with a hint of garlic, fresh rosemary, and savory cheese in every bite. Whether you serve it warm with dinner, as an appetizer, or just tear into it with some soup, it’s bound to disappear fast.
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Sourdough Pull-Apart recipe
Sourdough pull-apart bread is a fun, shareable twist on classic sourdough. Instead of shaping a single loaf, the dough is rolled, cut, and layered so you can easily tear off buttery, flavorful pieces at the table. The long fermentation from your sourdough starter adds depth and a subtle tang that balances beautifully with savory fillings like garlic, herbs, and cheese.
This bread is just as perfect for weeknight dinners as it is for entertaining. It looks impressive, smells amazing, and comes together with simple pantry ingredients – all while making the most of your active sourdough starter.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
For the dough:
- Milk: Warm milk helps activate the sourdough starter.
- Butter: I like using European-style butter for its rich, creamy flavor.
- Active sourdough starter: Make sure it’s bubbly and active before mixing (learn how to make your own sourdough starter if you don’t already have one)
- Flour: I like to use AP flour.
- Salt: Brings out the flavor of the herbs and butter.
- Sugar: Just a touch to balance the savory notes.
- Egg: Helps enrich the dough and make it soft and tender.
For the Filling:
- Butter: Again, I prefer using European-style butter for its rich, creamy texture.
- Cheese: I like a mix of grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
- Garlic: Freshly minced – so good with the herbs and cheeses..
- Fresh rosemary: Finely chopped; you can also use thyme or a mix of herbs.
- Salt + pepper: To season the filling just right.
Simple substitutions
- Use olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free version.
- Swap rosemary for thyme, oregano, or chives if you prefer.
- Feel free to use your favorite types of cheeses for the filling.
How to make
- Combine all the dough ingredients and mix for 10 minutes. Let it rise in a warm spot.
- Mix together the filling ingredients.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces and flatten them.
- Spread the filling on the dough pieces and fold them in half.
- Transfer the dough pieces to a loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.
- Optional: brush the top with melted butter or an egg wash.
Helpful recipe tips
- Make sure your sourdough starter is very active before using – it’s the key to a light, airy texture.
- You can prepare the dough the day before and let it rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator for a long fermentation.
- For extra flavor, brush the baked bread with a little more melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt right out of the oven.
- Internal temperature should reach around 190°F (88°C) when fully baked.
Serving suggestions
This sourdough pull-apart bread is perfect alongside soups, stews, or roasted meats. It’s also a hit on charcuterie boards or served warm with olive oil or herbed butter for dipping.
Storing and freezing instructions
This bread tastes best fresh from the oven, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the oven to restore its softness and crust.
For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw and warm in the oven until soft and fragrant again.
Sample Schedule for Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread
Day 1 (Evening)
- 8:00 PM: Feed your sourdough starter so it’s active and bubbly by morning.
Day 2 (Morning)
- 8:00 AM: Mix the dough and knead until smooth.
- 8:15 AM: Let the dough rest and rise in a warm spot until doubled (about 4–6 hours).
Day 2 (Afternoon/Evening)
- 2:00 PM: Shape the dough into disks and spread the filling on them.
- 2:30 PM: Place folded disks in a greased baking dish and cover.
- 2:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Cold-proof the rolls in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 6 hours).
Day 3 (Morning)
- 7:00 AM: Remove rolls from the fridge and let them come to room temperature (about 1 hour).
- 8:00 AM: Bake until golden brown and your kitchen smells amazing.
- 8:30 AM: Optional: brush with extra melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt!
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Pull-Apart Bread
Equipment
- stand mixer
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 180 g milk warm
- 50 g butter melted
- 120 g sourdough starter very active
- 350 g AP flour
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling:
- 6 TBSP butter soft
- 2 TBSP parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 TBSP rosemary fresh, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- 80 g cheese grated parmesan, shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients. Mix on low-medium for 10 minutes. The dough should come together and off the sides of the bowl
- Cover the bowl and let stand at warm room temperature for 4 hours or until visibly risen
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a flat disk.
- Mix together all the filling ingredients. Divide the cheese mixture evenly across the 12 dough disks of about 5" diameter. Gently spread the mixture on the dough disks.
- Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.
- Fold each dough disk in half and transfer them to the loaf pan, standing up.
- Bake the pull-apart bread for 50 mins or until internal temperature measures about 190˚F (88˚C).
- Carefully remove the pull-apart bread from the loaf pan. It is best served while it's still warm.
Notes
- for best results, make sure your sourdough starter is very active
- you can also use other types of cheeses for the filling or omit them entirely
- you can brush the top of the pull-apart bread with melted butter or an egg-wash
Nutrition
