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Cheese and Herbs Savory Monkey Bread Recipe

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4.2 from 13 reviews

Cheese and Herbs Savory Monkey Bread is a soft, pull-apart bread loaded with a flavorful mix of melted cheddar and Parmesan cheeses combined with fresh herbs and garlic butter. This recipe involves preparing a yeast dough from scratch, stuffing and coating the dough balls with cheese and herbs, layering them in a bundt pan, then baking until golden and aromatic. Perfect as a shareable appetizer or snack, this bread offers a delicious combination of cheesy, savory, and herbaceous flavors with an irresistible gooey texture.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup luke warm water

Stuffing/Coating

  • 1 – 2 cups cheddar cheese (use any cheese of your choice)
  • ¼ cup fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme), finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup melted butter
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough: In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, olive oil, and instant yeast. Add lukewarm water gradually to form a slightly sticky dough. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until soft and elastic.
  2. First Proof: Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, coat the surface of the dough with oil to prevent drying, and cover with a damp cloth. Refrigerate overnight for a slow fermentation.
  3. Next Morning Proof: Remove the dough from fridge and bring it to room temperature. Allow it to proof for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
  4. Prepare Dough Balls: Gently punch down the dough to release air. Knead lightly on the counter for about a minute. Divide the dough into equal small portions and roll each into smooth balls.
  5. Prepare the Bundt Pan: Grease an oven-safe bundt pan generously with butter, then dust it evenly with flour to prevent sticking.
  6. Garlic Butter Coating: Whisk minced garlic into melted butter. Dip each dough ball into this garlic butter mixture.
  7. Herbed Dough Balls: After dipping in garlic butter, roll some balls in the freshly chopped herbs and place them in the bundt pan.
  8. Cheese-Stuffed Balls: Mix cheddar and Parmesan cheese together. Take half the dough balls and stuff them with this cheese mixture, ensuring the cheese is fully enclosed when rolling the balls. Dip these balls in garlic butter again, then coat the outside with grated cheese. Place these cheese-stuffed balls next to the herbed balls, alternating placements.
  9. Plain Buttered Balls: Roll another set of dough balls, dip them in garlic butter, but leave them plain without herbs or cheese coating. Place these next to the cheesy balls. Continue alternating these layers as you fill the bundt pan.
  10. Second Proof: Cover the bundt pan with a large inverted bowl that does not touch the dough but seals the pan, allowing the dough balls to proof again until the dough rises and fills the pan.
  11. Preheat Oven: While the dough proofs, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  12. Bake the Bread: Once proofed, remove the cover and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the bread’s exterior turns golden brown. Brush the top with milk halfway through baking for even browning.
  13. Cool and Serve: Remove the bundt pan from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Carefully invert the pan onto a serving plate and gently tap the bottom to release the bread. Serve warm while the cheese is still melty.

Notes

  • The prep time includes making the dough from scratch; for quicker versions, you can substitute with ready-made crescent rolls or refrigerated biscuit dough.
  • You can use any cheese you prefer for stuffing and coating, such as mozzarella, gouda, or Monterey Jack.
  • Multiple layers of bread balls can be made by stacking smaller dough balls to fit your bundt pan size.
  • If you find any of the herbs too strong, feel free to omit them, but keep at least one herb for flavor.
  • Make sure the dough balls are well sealed when stuffed with cheese to prevent leakage during baking.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/cheese-and-herbs-savory-monkey-bread-recipe/