Garlic Cheese Bread Recipe With Cream Cheese

Cheesy Garlic Bread takes your dinner loaf from dull to delectable with cream cheese! French bread slathered in creamy, cheesy garlic with a hint of heat. The incredible flavor that makes any meal special!

Cheese-centric garlic bread is made for pasta recipes, especially those “all-in-one” meals like Cheesy Chili Mac, Homemade Lasagna, Three Cheese Baked Mostaccioli, or One-pot Lemon Artichoke Pasta. Want to throw a refreshing cocktail into the mix to cleanse the palate? How about an Aperol Spritz or a Sparkling Cucumber Gimlet?

Why You’ll Love Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

This garlic cheese bread is foodie nirvana. A thick, smooth layer of cream cheese, herbs, and garlic – transforms blase bread into bites of bliss.

• Three creamy, melty cheeses are delectable on garlic bread.
• The addition of Italian seasoning adds flavorful depth.
• Crushed red pepper flakes provide a complementing touch of warmth.
• Garlic cheese bread is a side dish all on its own.
• Convenient using a store-bought loaf of bread.

Ingredients To Make The Best Garlic Cheese Bread

Just a few simple ingredients can transform a basic loaf of French bread into pure golden, gooey cheesy bliss.

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• French Bread Loaf – or any uncut loaf you choose, such as Homemade Artisan Bread.

Seasoned Garlic Butter Mixture

• Butter – nearly melted
• Garlic Powder
• Dried Parsley

Double Cheese Garlic Mixture

• Cream Cheese – softened 8oz brick 
• Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated
• Cloves Garlic – minced
• Italian Seasoning -a dried herb mix that can vary with oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, parsley, and sometimes sage or rosemary, among others.
• Crushed Red Pepper – just a pinch; crushed red pepper flakes can also be used but are slightly hotter than chili flakes.
• Salt & Pepper – to taste

Final Toppings

• Mozzarella – grated part-skim, low-moisture. Raw mozzarella is soft, wet, and does not melt smoothly.
• Parsley – for garnish

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How To Make Garlic Cheese Bread With Cream Cheese

Cheese toast is pretty basic- I’ll give you that. But it doesn’t have to taste that way! The secret to really great cheesy garlic bread is multiple cheeses and a dash of heat. As for basics, you’ll need a serrated edge knife, parchment paper, aluminum foil, and a sheet pan to make this garlic bread recipe.

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

1. Place the two halves of horizontally sliced bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with the cut side up. Combine and spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over each side of the bread.
2. Put the cut and buttered sides together, cover in aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, combine the double cheese garlic mixture to spread evenly on each half once it’s removed from the oven, then sprinkle grated mozzarella over the creamy garlic cheese spread.
4. Watching closely, broil garlic bread 4-6 inches from the broiler element for a couple of minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. 
5. Remove garlic cheese bread from the oven and cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe Notes

• Be sure to let the cheese get nice and golden brown because that’s cheese bread gold, baby! At our house, there have even been fights for the crispy, almost burnt pieces……. so be warned.
• You want your butter melty but not completely liquified/overheated, so start the melting process but remove from heat when it is only half melted and stir until softened throughout. Overheated butter will begin to bubble/foam when the water separates from the solids. When the bubbles collapse, the residue is oily as opposed to buttery. 
• You can use regular or low-fat cream cheese as long as it is brick cheese. The soft, whipped cream cheese tub has a higher water content and will not create the creamy, gooey cheese layer everyone craves on garlic cheese bread.
• Chili flakes are not the same as red pepper flakes. Chili flakes are made from one type of chile pepper with the seeds and stem removed. On the other hand, crushed red peppers are usually a combination of red peppers that include the seeds and stems, run a bit “warmer,” and carry a more intense spice impact than chili flakes. Use whichever you prefer.
• If you are a teensy bit worried about the heat from the pepper flakes, go with pepper jack cheese instead of the mozzarella, and you’ll love it!
• For cheesy garlic bread, density matters. You want to have a crust and crumb that can hold up to the topping layers. Baggettes and ciabatta are good options; sourdough loaves provide excellent structure and bake well, adding a savory tang.

Garlic Cheese Bread Serving Ideas

Garlic bread can really punch up a simple single-bowl meal or fancy up a dinner party for friends or family.

• Want a worthy I-deserve-it cheat day delight? Combine golden cheese garlic bread with a simple one-pan Chicken Gnocchi With Sun-Dried Tomato dish. OMGood!
• While writing this article, I got inspired to try this bread recipe with my Mississippi Pot Roast as a sandwich. My mouth is watering thinking about it.
• You can always serve cheesy bread as an appetizer, cut into 1” thick slices, and topped with meat or veggies. Mushrooms broiled under the mozzarella layer sound divine!
•  Try serving garlic cheese bread with a Caprese Pasta Salad or a lighter Cherry Tomato & Basil Salad.
• Of course, you can’t beat garlic cheese bread with homemade pizza!

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Originally posted in April 2022. UPDATED May 2024. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe.