Garlic and Herb Bread (Printable)
Fluffy golden loaf with fresh herbs and aromatic garlic
# What You'll Need:
→ Bread Dough
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
03 - 1 tsp sugar
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Garlic and Herb Mixture
07 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
08 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - ¼ tsp salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine sugar, yeast, and warm water in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly.
02 - Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and springs back when touched.
04 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - In a small bowl, mix softened butter, garlic, parsley, rosemary, chives, black pepper, and salt until thoroughly combined into a spreadable paste.
06 - Punch down the risen dough and roll it out into a rectangle approximately 9x13 inches.
07 - Spread the garlic and herb butter mixture evenly over the entire surface of the rolled dough.
08 - Roll up the dough tightly from the short end and place, seam side down, in a greased loaf pan.
09 - Cover the pan and let rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
10 - Bake for 30–35 minutes until the loaf is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
11 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife and serve warm.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of garlic butter melting into warm, freshly baked bread creates the most irresistible smell that draws everyone to the kitchen
- Its deceptively simple to make but tastes like something from an Italian bakery
02 -
- The water temperature matters immensely, too hot and it kills the yeast, too cold and it refuses to wake up
- Letting the dough rise in a genuinely warm spot makes all the difference between a dense loaf and one that is light and fluffy
03 -
- Let the butter soften completely at room temperature so it mixes smoothly with the herbs and spreads evenly
- Minced garlic should be finely chopped so it distributes throughout the butter without leaving large chunks