Pizza Dough Garlic Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

This pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread uses a store-bought pizza dough ball to make a soft, layered garlic bread without mixing or rising homemade bread dough. The dough is spread with fresh garlic herb butter, cut into pieces, stacked in a loaf pan and baked until the top is golden brown.

Serve this pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread warm with pasta, soup or salad, or set out a small bowl of marinara sauce for dipping. It is a practical way to turn prepared pizza dough into a shareable garlic bread instead of making a separate bread dough from scratch.

Quick Answer

Pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread is a shortcut garlic bread made by spreading store-bought pizza dough with garlic herb butter, cutting and stacking the dough in a loaf pan, then baking it at 400°F until golden. It makes eight pull-apart portions and takes about 35 minutes from start to finish.

If you keep prepared pizza dough on hand for quick meals, my Mini Pizza Muffins are another way to turn a store-bought dough ball into something other than a traditional pizza.

I created this recipe when I wanted a garlic bread that felt more like freshly baked bread but didn’t require starting a yeast dough from scratch. Using prepared pizza dough takes care of the longest part of the process while still giving you thick, soft layers that pull apart easily at the table.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No Homemade Dough Required: A store-bought pizza dough ball gives you freshly baked bread without mixing, kneading or waiting for homemade dough to rise.

Simple Assembly: The dough is rolled into one long rectangle, covered with garlic herb butter, cut into eight pieces and stacked in a loaf pan.

Built-In Portions: Each stacked section becomes a natural pull-apart serving, so there is no need to slice the finished loaf at the table.

Uses Basic Ingredients: Pizza dough, butter, fresh garlic and dried parsley are all you need for the basic loaf.

The History of Garlic Bread in North America

As we know it today, classic garlic bread is believed to have originated in North America and was inspired by Italian bruschetta. Italian immigrants brought their love for bread and garlic to the United States and Canada, which evolved into the buttery, garlicky version we adore. Traditional garlic bread often starts with homemade dough, where the dough rises to create a soft, airy base.

In Canada, garlic bread has become a staple at family dinners, potlucks, and gatherings, often served alongside pasta dishes, soups, or even poutine. Its popularity soared in the mid-20th century, becoming a beloved comfort food in households and restaurants alike. This Pizza Dough Garlic Pull-Apart Bread puts a fun, shareable twist on the classic, making it a modern favorite for garlic bread enthusiasts across North America.

How to Make Pizza Dough Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F. You do not need to grease the loaf pan because the butter between the layers will melt as the bread bakes.

Start by working the pizza dough gently with your hands to stretch it into a longer shape. Place it on a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to form a long rectangle. It does not need to be perfectly square or exactly even because the pieces will eventually be stacked together.

Pizza dough naturally wants to spring back as you work with it. If it keeps shrinking faster than you can roll it, leave it on the counter for about 10–15 minutes and then try again. A short rest gives the dough time to relax and makes it easier to stretch without fighting it.

Then, on a clean, lightly floured surface, you can roll out the store-bought pizza dough into a more even, long rectangle, aiming for an even thickness. This step creates uniformly thick layers that bake evenly and pull apart beautifully. The dough is difficult, so don’t obsess over its thickness too much because it’s getting stacked into a loaf. Be careful what work surface you use as you must cut through the rolled dough so as not to scratch or leave marks anywhere necessary.

The next step is to make the star of the show: the garlic butter. Combine softened salted butter, two tablespoons of minced garlic, and a generous sprinkle of dried parsley in a small bowl. Mix everything until thoroughly combined, creating a fragrant, herb-infused butter mixture that coats every layer of the dough. Reserve a small amount of the garlic butter to brush on top after baking.

Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the garlic butter thickly and evenly over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough. Don’t hold back—this is where all the flavor comes from! Once the dough is fully coated with the herbed butter, slice it in half lengthwise first, creating two long strips. Then, each strip is cut into four equal pieces, resulting in eight squarish buttered dough pieces.

Now comes the fun part: stacking. Carefully lift each buttered piece of dough and stack them vertically in your loaf pan. The layers will create a stunning, pull-apart effect as the bread bakes. Once stacked, place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the bread is golden brown and cooked.

When done, remove the bread from the oven and immediately rub the top with the reserved garlic butter. This step adds a beautiful sheen, moistens the bread, and enhances the garlic flavor with the melted butter. Let it cool slightly before serving. This brief resting time allows the layers to set, making it easier to pull apart. Serve warm and watch as your guests (or you!) dive in, tearing apart piece after piece of buttery, garlicky goodness.

Ingredients

This pull-apart bread uses one prepared pizza dough ball and a simple garlic herb butter made from three ingredients.

Store-Bought Pizza Dough: One fresh or frozen pizza dough ball forms the bread layers. If using frozen dough, thaw it completely according to the package directions before trying to stretch or roll it.

Salted Butter: The butter coats each dough layer and keeps the finished bread rich and soft. It should be softened enough to spread easily without being melted.

Fresh Garlic: You need two tablespoons of minced garlic, which is roughly five to six large cloves depending on their size. Mince it fairly finely so the garlic is distributed throughout the butter instead of leaving large pieces between the dough layers.

Dried Parsley: Two tablespoons add herb flavour and distribute easily through the softened butter. Dried parsley also makes this an easy recipe to make without needing fresh herbs on hand.

If you regularly keep refrigerated pizza dough on hand, it can do quite a bit more than make pizza. My Shortcut Cloverleaf Buns use prepared pizza dough with garlic butter to make small pull-apart dinner rolls, while these Pizza Dough Donut Holes turn another dough ball into a sweet fried treat.

​Substitutions and Add-Ins for Pizza Dough Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe is flexible enough for a few simple changes, but the basic combination of pizza dough and garlic butter is what keeps it a pull-apart garlic bread.

Store-Bought Pizza Dough: Fresh or frozen pizza dough can be used. Frozen dough needs to be completely thawed before rolling, while refrigerated dough may need a short rest at room temperature if it keeps springing back.

Salted Butter: Unsalted butter can be substituted, but add a small pinch of salt to the garlic butter so the bread does not taste flat. Margarine can work in a pinch, although the flavour and texture will be slightly different.

Fresh Garlic: Jarred minced garlic can be used when fresh garlic is not available. Garlic powder will also work, but it gives a more even, milder garlic flavour rather than the little pieces of fresh garlic throughout the layers.

Dried Parsley: Fresh parsley can be substituted if you have it on hand. Because fresh herbs are less concentrated, use a little more and chop them finely before mixing them into the butter.

Parmesan Cheese: Sprinkle a small amount of finely grated Parmesan over the garlic butter before cutting and stacking the dough for a cheesier version. Keep the amount modest so the layers can still pull apart easily.

Mozzarella Cheese: A light sprinkle of shredded mozzarella can be added between the layers, but too much cheese can make the centre heavier and slow down baking.

Italian Seasoning: Add a small amount to the garlic butter if you want more herb flavour. This works especially well when serving the bread with pasta or marinara sauce.

Red Pepper Flakes: A pinch can be mixed into the garlic butter for mild heat without changing the basic recipe.

Expert Tips, Serving And Storing Suggestions For Best Results

Tip #1: Let Stubborn Pizza Dough Rest: If the pizza dough keeps shrinking back while you roll it, stop and let it rest on the counter for 10–15 minutes. Relaxed dough is much easier to stretch into the long rectangle needed for even pull-apart layers.

Tip #2: Reserve the Finishing Butter First: Set aside about one tablespoon of garlic herb butter before spreading the rest over the dough. Brushing it over the hot bread after baking adds garlic flavour to the top without having to make a second batch.

Tip #3: Check the Centre Before Removing It From the Oven: The exposed tops can turn golden before the thicker overlapping dough in the centre is completely baked. Gently separate one of the middle layers and check that the dough looks baked rather than wet or gummy before taking the loaf out.

Tip #4: Give the Bread a Few Minutes to Rest: Let the finished loaf cool briefly in the pan before turning it out. The layers are very soft when they first come from the oven, and a short rest makes the loaf easier to remove while still keeping it warm for serving.

Serve this pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread warm while the layers are soft and the garlic butter is still melted. It makes a natural side for a pasta dinner, including my Cream Cheese Pasta Bake or One-Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna, where the individual pieces are useful for scooping up sauce. For a lighter pasta night, serve it with my Spicy Artichoke Pasta, or put a small bowl of warm marinara sauce on the table for dipping.

The bread also works well with broth-based soups, including my Cappelletti Soup With Kale, where the soft pull-apart pieces are useful for dipping. For a simple Italian-style family dinner, serve it alongside Baked Garlic Parmesan Meatballs with pasta and marinara sauce.

Store leftover pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat individual pieces in the microwave for a softer result, or warm several pieces in a 350°F oven until heated through if you want the outside to become lightly crisp again.

The baked pull-apart bread can also be frozen. Once completely cooled, place the loaf or individual portions in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2–3 months. Thaw before reheating; freezing individual pieces makes it easier to take out only what you need.

Pizza dough garlic pull-apart bread is one of those useful shortcut recipes that turns a prepared pizza dough ball into something completely different without adding much work. The garlic herb butter between the layers keeps the bread soft, while stacking the dough in a loaf pan creates portions that are easy to pull apart and serve warm.

If you make it, what do you usually serve garlic bread with—pasta, soup, salad or something else?

Meet Amber

I’m the home cook and recipe creator behind A Cents For Cookery. I learned to cook growing up off-grid in Northern Ontario, where meals were made on a woodstove and preserving, baking, and making ingredients stretch were part of everyday life. Here I share practical family recipes, homemade baking, vintage-inspired cooking, and the kitchen knowledge I’ve picked up over the years to help you make the most of the food you have.

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