Irresistible Garlic Bread Loaf

Here is my favorite garlic bread loaf recipe, made with simple pantry ingredients like flour, baking powder, garlic powder, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh herbs for a savory, cheesy quick bread that’s perfect alongside any meal.

This garlic bread loaf disappears fast at our dinner table. I love making it for pasta nights or soup dinners because it comes together in one bowl with no kneading required. The smell alone while it’s baking makes everyone gather in the kitchen!

What Kind of Cheese Should I Use?

Sharp cheddar is my go-to for this garlic bread loaf because it adds a nice tangy flavor that stands up well against the garlic. That said, you can definitely swap it out for medium cheddar if you prefer a milder taste, or even try a mix of cheddar and mozzarella for extra gooeyness. I’d recommend grating your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre-shredded – it melts better and doesn’t have those anti-caking agents that can make your bread a bit grainy. If you want to get creative, Gruyere or fontina would also work great here for a more sophisticated flavor.

Options for Substitutions

This garlic bread loaf is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• All purpose flour: You can use whole wheat flour for half of the all purpose flour if you want a heartier loaf, but I wouldn’t recommend replacing all of it as the texture will be too dense.
• Garlic powder: Fresh garlic works great here too – use about 3-4 cloves, minced. Just mix it in with the wet ingredients so it distributes evenly throughout the batter.
• Milk: Any milk you have on hand works – whole, 2%, skim, or even buttermilk. Non-dairy options like almond or oat milk are fine too.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Feel free to switch this up with mozzarella for a milder flavor, gruyere for something fancier, or a mix of parmesan and cheddar. Just keep the total amount at 8 oz.
• Butter: You can use melted coconut oil or vegetable oil instead, though butter does add nice flavor to this bread.
• Baking powder: Don’t substitute this one – baking powder is what makes this bread rise properly without yeast, so it’s pretty essential for the recipe to work.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake people make with this garlic bread loaf is overmixing the batter, which can lead to a tough, dense loaf instead of a tender one – mix just until the ingredients are combined and you still see a few small lumps.

Another common error is skipping the step of letting the loaf cool in the pan for those 5 minutes, as pulling it out too early can cause it to fall apart or stick to the pan.

Make sure your butter is melted but not hot when you add it to the batter, since hot butter can start cooking the eggs and create an uneven texture.

For extra flavor, try brushing the top with a little melted garlic butter during the last 10 minutes of baking, and always check the center with a toothpick – it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

What to Serve With Garlic Bread Loaf?

This cheesy garlic bread loaf is perfect alongside a big bowl of pasta with marinara or meat sauce – it soaks up all that extra sauce beautifully. I love serving it with a simple Caesar salad or mixed greens to balance out the richness of the cheese and butter. It also pairs really well with soups like minestrone, chicken noodle, or any tomato-based soup where you can tear off chunks and dip away. For a complete meal, try it with grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or even a hearty chili on a cold night.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your garlic bread loaf wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want it to last longer, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze: This bread freezes really well for up to 3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil, and pop it in a freezer bag. You can freeze the whole loaf or slice it first so you can grab individual pieces whenever you need them.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, wrap the loaf in foil and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. If you’re heating up individual slices, just pop them in the toaster or microwave for 20-30 seconds until the cheese gets melty again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-240 g

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup milk (room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter (melted and cooled)
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat

• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

While it heats, shred the cheddar cheese if it isn’t already, then set it aside.

Measure out all your dry ingredients and have them ready near your mixing bowl.

I like to grate my cheese fresh right before mixing because it incorporates more evenly into the batter than pre-shredded cheese, which often has anti-caking agents that can interfere with the texture.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp garlic powder

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and garlic powder until evenly combined.

This distributes the leavening agent and garlic powder throughout the flour so you get consistent flavor and rise in every slice.

Step 3: Incorporate Cheese and Mix Wet Ingredients

• shredded cheddar cheese from Step 1
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter

Stir the shredded cheddar cheese from Step 1 into the dry ingredient mixture until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature milk, eggs, and melted and cooled butter until combined.

Step 4: Create the Batter

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• shredded cheddar cheese from Step 1
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 3 into the dry mixture with cheese, then fold everything together gently until just combined.

Don’t overmix—a few small lumps are fine and will result in a more tender crumb.

I stop stirring as soon as I don’t see streaks of flour because overmixing gluten develops and can make the bread tough.

Step 5: Bake the Loaf

• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan (approximately 8×4 inch) or similar size.

Smooth the top gently with a spatula.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The top should be golden brown.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

This allows the structure to set enough so it won’t fall apart when you remove it.

Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack or cutting board and serve warm, slicing with a serrated knife for clean cuts.

Irresistible Garlic Bread Loaf

Delicious Irresistible Garlic Bread Loaf recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 10 slices

Calories 2100 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup milk (room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter (melted and cooled)
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, shred the cheddar cheese if it isn't already, then set it aside. Measure out all your dry ingredients and have them ready near your mixing bowl. I like to grate my cheese fresh right before mixing because it incorporates more evenly into the batter than pre-shredded cheese, which often has anti-caking agents that can interfere with the texture.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and garlic powder until evenly combined. This distributes the leavening agent and garlic powder throughout the flour so you get consistent flavor and rise in every slice.
• Stir the shredded cheddar cheese from Step 1 into the dry ingredient mixture until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature milk, eggs, and melted and cooled butter until combined.
• Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 3 into the dry mixture with cheese, then fold everything together gently until just combined. Don't overmix—a few small lumps are fine and will result in a more tender crumb. I stop stirring as soon as I don't see streaks of flour because overmixing gluten develops and can make the bread tough.
• Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan (approximately 8x4 inch) or similar size. Smooth the top gently with a spatula. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. This allows the structure to set enough so it won't fall apart when you remove it. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack or cutting board and serve warm, slicing with a serrated knife for clean cuts.