Pull Apart Bread

Pull Apart Bread is like a big cheesy biscuit.  It’s biscuit dough layered with cheese and stacked in a loaf pan. An even better way to eat a biscuit.

I love a good Southern buttermilk biscuit, there is nothing better. However, pull apart bread made with biscuit dough is fun to eat and so yummy.  Most pull apart breads start with a loaf of bread that is cut and filled with brie and jam.  Instead of using a loaf of bread, this is a homemade recipe that starts with a biscuit dough.

I first experimented with this cheesy bread when I wanted some garlic bread to serve with spaghetti when I was having my favorite 5 and 6 year old cookie testers over for dinner.  I thought pull apart loaves would be more fun than biscuits.

I’ve made them with different cheeses, garlic and just butter and all have been delicious. Most of the time I just add cheddar cheese. The texture is similar to a biscuit but not as crumbly.  Perfectly soft but not as chewy as bread.  My favorite part is the crunchy cheese that was touching the sides of the pan. As it cooks, it gets crispy!

There’s something fun about pulling apart your bread.

This is one of those recipes that you probably have all the ingredients for except buttermilk.  So you can throw it together when you’re in the mood for homemade bread with dinner.  You can make the dough in 20 minutes and then it takes about 30 minutes to bake.

What can you substitute for Buttermilk

If you don’t have buttermilk, no worries, I have three different methods for you to make your own buttermilk depending on what you have in your pantry.

How do you make cheesy pull apart bread

• Start with flour, baking powder, soda and salt and add cold butter. Then add buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms and dump it out onto a floured surface and knead it until it just comes together. Try not to handle the dough any more than you need to or the butter will start to melt.
• Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 8 inches by 18 inches. (It does not need to be precise) Brush the dough with butter and sprinkle with cheese or whatever toppings you are adding and push it gently into the dough.

• Cut the dough in half horizontally and then make about 6 slices vertically so that you end up with about 12 pieces.

• Stack the slices on top of each other and lay them in the loaf pan, there will be space at the top and bottom.

• Separate the pieces a little and brush with melted butter. You can refrigerate at this point or place in the oven for 30 minutes.

There is the the extra step of cutting the dough into strips, however, it’s really easy and it doesn’t matter if your strips aren’t perfect.  It’s something a little different and everyone loves it.

If you want similar flavors in a drop biscuit, try cheddar bay biscuits.

What to serve with homemade cheesy pull apart bread

• It’s great with beefy chili or chili made in the instant pot.
• Try it with a savory steak
• Pair it with spicy chicken wings
• You could dip it in the pesto sauce from chicken wrapped in prosciutto
• Short rib pasta needs some bread
• Add it to pulled pork
• Soak up the sauce from ribs

Whatever you decide to serve with pull apart bread, I bet you’ll be making this over and over again.

Pull Apart Bread

Author: Barbara Curry

Pull Apart Bread is like a big cheesy biscuit.  It's biscuit dough layered with cheese and stacked in a loaf pan. A better way to eat a biscuit.

5 from 2 votes

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PREP: 20 minutes

COOK: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 2 cups flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ ½ cup butter cold
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1 cup cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons melted butter

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425º. Spray a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse the flour with the baking powder, soda, salt and pepper. Add cubed butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Add buttermilk and pulse just until dough forms. Turn out onto a well floured surface and knead it gently a couple of times, just until it comes together.
• Roll the dough into a long thin rectangle, 8 X 18 inches. Brush the top with one tablespoon of melted butter. Add cheese or topping of your choice and press into the dough.
• Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then make 6 slices so that you have 12 equal strips. Stack each strip on top of the other with the cheese facing up.
• Gently place in the loaf pan, there will be space at both ends. Separate the pieces a little and brush with one tablespoon of butter. (If needed, you can refrigerate at this point and let it warm up slightly before baking)
• Bake for 30 minutes, until it has risen and is golden brown. Let cool slightly before removing from the pan.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

You can make buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup and filling it to the 1 cup line with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2mg

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If you make Pull Apart Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! I would love to see your creation.