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This festive Pull-Apart Garlic Butter Bread Wreath is light, soft, buttery, garlicky, perfectly salted, and SO delicious. Serve this warm right out of the oven with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a bread that’s melt in your mouth good…and oh so impressive. Bonus? This is simpler than you’d think to make, and uses pantry ingredients like milk, butter, and of course, garlic. The perfect pull-apart bread for all of your upcoming holiday dinners.
This post is sponsored by Vermont Creamery.Â
This year’s December recipes have been some of my favorites to date, and this incredible bread is no exception. Not only is it festive, fun, and pretty, it’s also easy and SO DELICIOUS. I’m talking roll your eyes back and eat all the bread before you even look at dinner, kind of delicious.
Dramatic, but true. There’s nothing not to love about this soft buttery bread.
With Christmas quickly approaching, I knew I needed a new bread recipe to serve on Christmas Eve. In our house, no holiday dinner is complete without a side of homemade bread. Most of the time I’ll make some form of a soft, buttery roll. But this year I wanted something a bit more festive, and that’s when I decided to make a bread “wreath”. Going into this recipe I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I’m happy to say that it ended up coming out better than I’d imagined.
Love when that happens!
So what is a bread wreath?
I know this bread might look like it takes hours to make, but trust me, it’s simple. Simply make a milk-based bread dough, roll it out, spread on plenty of garlic butter, then cut the dough into small squares. The squares of dough are then stacked, one on top of the other, and arranged in a tube pan…just like Dominos.
Watch the video and you will understand, promise this is easy and you too can create this bread!
What’s great about this pull apart bread is that while it’s a nice addition to your dinner party menu, it also works as an appetizer that people can easily graze on once the walk in the door. I’ll often have this ready as soon as my family comes over for Christmas Eve dinner. They love to snack on this bread and enjoy cocktails while exchanging gifts. It’s always nice to have something for people to graze over while chatting away.
The details.
Start with the dough. I like to keep it simple with a mix of flour, instant yeast, and a pinch of salt. My secret…to use both milk and heavy cream in the dough. The combination creates a beautiful golden crust on the outside, but the inside stays incredibly soft and fluffy.
I prefer to use instant yeast to keep the dough making process quick and simple! When using instant yeast, you can skip the entire hour-long rise. Which is great if you’re not the best planner. Then you can still have beautiful, delicious bread with dinner in under two hours!
Of course, you can also use active dry yeast as well, but you will need to make some adjustments to ensure the dough rises properly!
The garlic butter…
Is there anything better than garlic butter? Pretty sure that’s a no, it’s always a good addition. But especially on a soft dinner bread like this pull-apart garlic butter bread wreath.
I use my favorite Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter for the very best flavor. Cultured Butter is richer and creamier than traditional butter, and the flavor just doesn’t compare. Using high-quality ingredients are so important to me. I love knowing that Vermont Creamery’s butter uses only two simple ingredients: cream and cultures (and sea salt if you’re using the salted butter).
Unlike traditional butter, Vermont Creamery’s Cultured Butter is fermented for 20 hours then churned to 82% butterfat. This provides the butter with an incredibly rich taste and creamy texture. It has notes of buttermilk throughout, which pair so well with the garlic and herbs in this recipe. It’s what makes this bread extra “special”.
Once the bread has risen, simply roll the dough out, layer the squares, then arrange in a tube pan. If you don’t own a tube pan, I’d recommend dividing the dough between two traditional bread pans. That works great too!
Let the bread rise until it is puffy on top, then bake. Wonderful smells will waft from your oven.
Here’s the thing, you can’t stress if your unbaked bread dough looks a little crazy. Know that the layers of dough do not need to be perfect…just bake the bread. As soon as you pull this out of the oven you’ll be impressed. And no matter what, it’s going to be good.
The most important thing you must do? Serve the bread warm with a tiny pat of additional butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Truly nothing is more delicious. I can’t wait to serve this to my family on Christmas Eve…my brothers are already excited.
Some holiday entertaining tips…
This is the perfect dinner party bread, so I want to share a few tips!
Tip one: Keep things simple and easy. Don’t go overboard with a menu that’s fussy, just create a simple menu that you feel your guests will all enjoy. My menu suggestion? Slow cooked short ribs, a simple side salad, and bread…this bread to be specific.
Tip two: Serve pitcher cocktails and have some wine on hand for those who might not enjoy the “fancy” drinks. This Holiday Cheermister Bourbon Punch is one of my favorites to serve.
Tip three: Have holiday music playing, but in the background, so it’s not too loud. Have your favorite candles burning, and/or the fire on to create a welcoming, cozy space. You want your guests to feel immediately welcomed and relaxed the minute they walk through your doors!
Tip four: Send guests home with a small box of cookies. It’s extra work, but such a nice way to end a great night.
Hoping this helps you host a relaxing night in with friends or family all holiday season long!
If you make this pull-apart garlic butter bread wreath, 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 tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To video:
Pull-Apart Garlic Butter Bread Wreath.
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 470 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed
- 2 packets instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 2/3 cup warm heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter, at room temperature
- 2-3 cloves garlic, grated, use to your taste
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or oregano
- flaky sea salt, and fresh thyme, for topping
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, warm heavy cream, honey, the egg, and 2 tablespoons butter. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 2. To make the garlic butter. Combine 1 stick butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, sage, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl.3. Transfer the dough to a work surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll into a large rectangle (roughly 14x10 inches) on a lightly floured surface. Spread 1/4th of the garlic butter over the dough, then cut lengthwise into 3 strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 4 strips each, making 12 squares (see above photo). Stack all 12 dough squares, 1 on top of the other. Repeat with remaining 3 dough pieces and remaining garlic butter. Arrange stacks in a lightly buttered tube pan, standing up like little books, allowing gaps between dough pieces (see above photo).4. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough almost reaches the top, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.5. Transfer to the oven and bake until the bread is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand in the pan 5 minutes, then carefully remove. Brush with additional melted butter, if desired, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Notes
Alternate Baking Pan: you can divide the dough between 2 regular size bread pans and bake 25-30 minutes.Â
To Make Ahead: prepare the rolls through step 4. Do not let the bread rise at room temp. Cover the bread and place in the fridge (up to overnight). When ready to bake, remove the bread from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake as directed.Â
To Prepare and Freeze:Â assemble the bread through step 4, then cover the pan and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the bread overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours. Once thawed, bake as directed.Â
To Bake and Freeze:Â bake the bread as directed and let cool completely. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and warm before serving.Â
*Dough adapted from Food and Wine.
{This post is sponsored by Vermont Creamery. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
It was relatively easy to make. My kitchen did look like a flour snow storm hit. Lol. The smell of the bread cooking in the oven was heavenly. Thanks!
Hey Sue,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi! I wanted to point out an ambiguity in the recipe (maybe I’m the only one to mix this up – in which case, just ignore me!). The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 stick of butter separately, but the instructions for both butter amounts simply refer to the ingredient as ‘butter’. I’m at the point in the recipe where I’m making the garlic butter, and I’m only just now realizing that you meant for the stick of butter to be used here; whereas I’ve already used it in the dough >.<
This is gonna be extra buttery!
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for pointing this out. Recipe is all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! And Happy New Year! xTieghan
I know it says to make ahead of time only to refrigerate for one night, but I would like to make it today and bake it on Christmas Day. Could it refrigerate for 2 nights before baking?
Hey Kelly,
Yes, that will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Trying to make ahead. Confused by step 4? Do I let it rise and then refrigerate? Thanks!
Hey Casey,
You will want to skip the rise and place in the fridge:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Sooo excited to try this recipe! Do you think making this in a bundt cake pan would work? I love the shape of the bread, just don’t have a tube pan 🙂
Hey Kim,
Yes, that should work well for you! I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Can you make this with whole wheat flour instead?!
Hey Aimee,
Sorry, I have not tested this with whole wheat flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
if you use active yeast instead of instant yeast, what do you need to do to make sure the bread rises properly?
Hey Lawre,
You will just need to dissolve the yeast into the warm milk and honey, let it come to a bubble, and then follow the recipe as is. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Well, this is the first recipe I’ve ever made of yours that didn’t turn out absolutely delicious. For some reason my bread tasted extremely dry even though I used the requisite amount of (Challenge) butter, even adding more at the end. Also, I seemed as if 1 teaspoon wasn’t enough salt for all the flour. What could have gone wrong? This recipe sounded like just what I needed to accompany my chicken parmesan last night, but honestly I ended up tossing it out. ?
Hey Shayla,
So sorry you had issues with this recipe. Was there anything that you may have adjusted? What kind of yeast did you use? Please let me know how I can help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
What do you mean by two packets of instant yeast? Trying to figure out how much to use from my jar of yeast.
Hey Cassidy,
One packet of instant yeast has 7 grams. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi! If I only have unsalted butter, how much salt would your recommend adding? thanks!
Hey Christine,
I would add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Can this be made in a Bundt pan?
Hey Traci,
Yes, a bundt pan or 2 loaf pans work well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’m looking forward to making this for Christmas dinner! I’m new to baking bread, so if I use active dry yeast what adjustments do I need to make? Thank you!
Hey Alyssa,
You will want to mix the yeast with the warm milk and honey first, let that bubble, and then continue with the recipe! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’m so excited to make this for Christmas but I can’t find fresh oregano or sage at any stores right now – would dried oregano be ok?
Hey Grace,
Yes, dried will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
If I am making a half batch of this in a regular loaf pan, should the bake time remain the same? I can’t wait to try it!!!!
-Riann
Hey Riann,
Yes, you will keep the same bake time. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I am super new to bread making (thank you Covid) but made this and turned out just like the picture and was so delicious!
Hey Michelle,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan