Buttery, herby, and loaded with garlic, this homemade garlic bread is perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and incredibly simple to whip up. It’s also freezer-friendly, so you can make it ahead and then bake it fresh whenever you want it (which will likely be all the time). You can use bakery-fresh bread or homemade, such as ciabatta bread or artisan bread.
I bake my artisan bread recipe all the time (a few times per month, at least!) and often turn it into garlic bread. Considering how many of you bake the artisan bread, too, I figured you’d enjoy today’s variation.
You can say goodbye to packaged frozen garlic bread because once you discover how easy it is to make at home, there’s no going back! All you need is bread, and it can be homemade or store-bought, and 5 other simple ingredients for the topping.
Whether you’re serving it alongside pasta, pairing it with soup, or enjoying it as a snack, this recipe will quickly become a go-to staple that’s fresher, tastier, and so much more satisfying than anything in the freezer aisle.
It’s best to make homemade garlic bread with a crusty, sturdy loaf like Italian or French bread, homemade ciabatta bread, a baguette, or homemade artisan bread..)
What to Avoid: You don’t want to use a soft style of bread, like brioche or sandwich bread, because it’s too flimsy.
Once you have your loaf of bread, gather your remaining ingredients:
Start by slicing your loaf of bread in half horizontally. I always use a serrated bread knife to do this. Lay the bread, cut side up, on a lined baking sheet.
Now mix together the rest of the ingredients. It comes together quickly with a mixer. A handheld mixer is perfect for this, but you can also use a stand mixer.
Do I Have to Use a Mixer? No. If your butter is soft enough, you can just use a fork to mash it all together.
Spread the garlic butter all over the top (cut side) of the bread. You can use the back of a spoon, a knife, or an offset spatula.
Bake until the crust is crispy and golden brown, the butter is melted, and the aroma of garlic and butter coming from the oven is almost too much to bear. You’ll know you’ve reached that point when anyone who comes into the kitchen looks exactly like the drooling face emoji. Heart eyes emoji is also acceptable. 😉
Let the garlic bread cool for a few minutes (I know, this part is absolute torture), just until it’s cool enough to handle, and slice it into pieces.
Buttery, herby, and loaded with garlic, this homemade garlic bread is perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and incredibly simple to whip up. It's also freezer-friendly, so you can make it ahead and then bake it fresh whenever you want it (which will likely be all the time). You can use bakery-fresh bread or homemade, such as ciabatta bread or artisan bread. (Use 1 loaf, or half, of either recipe.)
