A creamy, cheesy and garlic Garlic Buns inspired by the famous street food Korean Garlic Bread. This bread is so addicting, every bite is just so enjoyable and full of flavor.

I fell in love with this garlic bread the moment I saw it in Pinterest. I immediately searched for in it YouTube to watch how to make it. It was fun watching several videos and reading quite a lot of posts, now it’s our turn to make it. I created a short video to show you how I made this bread. I added my own twist to make it extra cheesy, because why not? Making this bread requires planning, it does takes a bit longer than usual bread but it is totally worth it. I made the buns from scratch which makes it extra special, but you can use store-bought burger buns. There is a huge difference in texture between homemade buns and store-bought, juts be aware of that. These homemade buns are more stable and have a smooth formed shaped. Store-bought burger buns tends to be too soft and sometimes flat. Homemade bread is fluffier and thicker, and so far the only option I would go for when making this bread. This bread does not only looks beautiful but more importantly it taste amazing. I have never given this to anyone who did not like it, they more than like it, they LOVE it. I hope yiu will too. Watch the video before making it so you have an idea what to expect. 

What is Korean Bread?

Korean Garlic Bread is a famous street food in Korea. It’s is basically a round bread bun (like burger buns) filled with sweetened whipped cream cheese and dipped in a mixture of garlic flavored egg, butter and milk. It looks like a flower bun with nicely toasted top and melting cheese filling. 

What Type of Bread to Use?

You can either 1.)  make your own buns (highly recommended) OR 2) use a store bought plain burger buns.

If you are buying the bread, look for a soft bread that is a bit plump and thick so you have enough area to fill the center with cheese. 

I made this Garlic Bread using my 1 proofing creamy bread bun dough. This bread dough requires only 1 proofing so you can have your bread sooner than later. With this bread dough recipe, you can save 1 hour in making the bread and allocate it for the extra step needed to make this bread even more delicious. This bread uses cream instead of full fat milk. The cream not only makes the buns creamier, it also makes the texture soft, compact and smoother. You want a bread buns that is not too airy so you get a stable garlic bread after soaking it in the egg mixture. If you use a too soft and airy bread, the bread could turn out too soggy and wet in you soak it in the egg mixture. A wet bread will also require longer baking time. You could end up with already browned top but till wet center. 

Make-Ahead

You can make the bread in advance, up to 3 days ahead. This makes the process easier and faster when you are ready to make it. I often make this bread 1 day ahead, so the following day what’s left to do is to fill it and bake it.

Re-Heating

This bread is best the same day they are made, even better few minutes after taking it out of the oven. This gives you the chance to enjoy the slightly toasted top and melting cheese filling. But if you are not able to finish it, you can easily re-heat it in the oven toaster or in the oven at 300F for 10 minutes. I always use the oven toaster to reheat leftovers as I eat them one at a time. Either method will work just fine. Do what works for you. 

Freezing

This bread freezes really well. My friend who I gave this as a gift has these frozen and he mentioned it was still great after re-heating it. I would say 1 month, that is if this will last that long. Good luck on even having a leftover when you serve this.

The Cream Cheese Filling

The sweetened cream cheese filling is simply cream cheese, sugar and whipping cream. There are two options you can use for the cream cheese. You can use the one that comes in the box. This kind of cream cheese is require thawing to get it softened. I always use this type of cream cheese when making this. You can also use the plain or flavored spreadable cream cheese in a tub. This require less or no thawing at all as this is soft.

If you do not like it sweetened, you can skip the sugar, this is actually my preferred way to make it. I like the garlic bread to be more on the savory side rather than sweet side so I only add small amount of sweetener. The whipping cream is needed to lighten up the cream cheese so it will be in a pipeable consistency, almost like whipped cream frosting.

The Butter and Egg Mixture

Since this is a garlic bread, we need garlic. Lots of them! This is not the kind of bread that you would want to count calories. Close your eyes and just enjoy every bite 🙂 

The garlic butter mixture is made of melted butter, minced fresh garlic, milk or cream, sweetener and seasoning. My version of this garlic bread do not use a lot of sweetener, as I mentioned above, I prefer it to be on a more savory side with mild sweetness. If you want it sweetener, you can double the measurement of the honey or preferred sweetener. 

The Toppings

I added shredded sharp cheddar cheese in between the bread slices, this and the extra Parmesan cheese topping set this apart from the regular Korean Garlic Bread. This is something that is not done in the authentic Korean Garlic Bread, but trust me on this. It makes a huge of difference adding more cheese in between. You will end up with a layer of thick whipped cream cheese and another layer or melted cheese, what’s not to like in that? 

I also sprinkled some grated Parmesan cheese on top, you can tell by now how I made sure this is a cheesy garlic bread. The Parmesan cheese powdered on top helped soaked the butter giving the top a slightly toasted texture. If you decide to skip the grated cheddar cheese in between the slices, at least sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 

Why Does Dough Need to Rise Twice

I’ve made quite a lot of bread recipes, from all around dinner rolls, versatile sandwich bread, easy burgers buns, creamy brioche bread and beautiful cinnamon rolls. Most of these bread have something in common, they are all yeast bread that requires the dough to rest twice. It takes a lot of time, but for me it is really worth it. But why do we need to let the dough rise twice? There is a science behind all this and some confusing terminologies involved, so I will save us all that effort of remembering those words and get straight to the point. Juts remember two words, flavor and texture. Allowing the dough to rest twice produces better flavor, and chewier texture because it allows yeast more time to get to work. But this doesn’t mean the we cannot produce a soft and fluffy bread with just 1 proofing. There are variety of recipe now a days that do not require as much time as traditional bread, like this recipe that I am sharing with you. A 1 proofing/rise bread recipe that produces the ultimate soft and fluffy texture. You will be pleased to see how it looks like when you take it out from the oven. Even more, you will not be able to stop singing praise for yourself when you taste how good they are. Trust me, this 1 proofing bread rolls did not compromise any texture and flavor. It taste as good as twice proof bread, but with less time required to make it.

Taste as good as twice proof bread, but requires less time

I thought it would it hurt to experiment if I cut the resting time to 60 – 90 minutes instead of 120 minutes or 2 hours. I always noticed that after the first rest period, the dough seems to have rise well enough to make a good rolls. This is assuming of course that the state of the yeast is in perfect condition and the activation process was seamless and no issue at all. So I decided to give it a go and make a 1 proofing rolls. I was blown away with how I turned out! It was as good as the 2 proofing bread, it was so soft, so fluffy and so delicious! I cannot believe I am using delicious to describe this rolls. But they really taste so good even without any spread. I ate 1 roll without any spread right after I took the photo shoot. I am very excited to share this recipe with you. If you are having double thoughts in making homemade rolls at home, start with this recipe. It is so simple, and so easy to make. I have tips below in making homemade bread, be sure to scroll down and read it. These tips were from my actual bread making experience, so I can attest that it really works. 

Tips for a Successful Soft Homemade Bread

• Liquid Temperature – Yeast grows in temperature between 105 – 110F, so its important to have the water that you are using to “proof” it in this range. If you go lower or higher, the yeast might not proof properly. That means the bread will not rise as much, resulting to a flat and tough bread. 
• Check Yeast Expiry a Date – you might be wondering how come the bread did not rise when you followed exactly the recipe. Well, first thing first, make sure the yeast is not yet expired. Expired yeast is the common reason for flat and dense bread. If your bread did not expand or rise during the rest period, it is most likely that the yeast is not fresh or the water temperature is too hot or cold.
• Amount of Yeast – Just because you want a tall bread doesn’t mean you have to put as much yeast in the mixture. Sometimes adding too much yeast can cause the bread to collapse during the rest period. Just imagine putting more air than what is needed in a balloon, the balloon will explode. The same case with bread. 
• Right Type of Yeast – We’ve discussed the 3 types of yeast above. Make sure to use the right one for your recipe, and make necessary adjustments if you want to swap one from another. 
• Rest Period – Yeast bread needs time to rise. There are bread that uses less yeast but requires more rest time, the likes of No Knead Bread or Artisan Bread which usually require 8- 16 hours rest period to get the volume and to develop the flavor. There are 1 hour bread like my Rosemary Dinner Rolls which used this same bread dough. The point is, give it time to rest, don’t touch it just leave it in a warm place. The first rest period will normally tell you if your dough is good or not. If it rise and almost double in size, then your on the right track.  
• Expiration and Quality of the Flour – The quality of the flour greatly affect the texture of the bread. All-purpose flour could differ from country to country although they are all called as all-purpose flour. Sometimes it depends on the brand too. The closer the flour to expiration date or if it is already expired, the flour could tend to be drier, which means it would require more liquid than mentioned in the recipe. This is a common issue of way sometimes the dough tend to be tough and dry. This is why sometimes you have to add few more tablespoon from the suggested flour measurement to get the right texture. The dough should be soft, smooth and elastic. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour until it is no longer to sticky to handle. If it is too dry, a small amount of liquid helps provide moisture to the dough. A clean side of the bowl, with the dough slightly sticking at the bottom, a soft, smooth and elastic dough is what You are aiming for.

How do I Know if I Made the Bread Dough Correctly?

• Activating the Yeast –  This is the first thing that you should get right, otherwise do NOT proceed. After 5 – 10 minutes you should see a foam forms on top of the water, this is an indication that the yeast is alive. If you do not get this, either the yeast is old or the liquid temperature is too hot or cold. The temperature should be 100F, lukewarm but not hot.
• Clean Bowl After Kneading – The sides of the bowl should be clean, while the bottom is slightly sticking to the dough. This means that amount of liquid to the flour is correct. Enough to make a clean bowl and still make a slightly wet dough.
• Soft Dough – Soft dough means the amount of flour to liquid is enough. Too much flour could make the bread dense and heavy, and too much liquid could make it too wet. Both will affect how the bread rise in the rest period. Try to push your fingers in the dough, it should leave a “dimple” on the dough and should gradually disappear.
• Smooth Dough Surface – Again, this is a sign of correct flour to liquid ratio. A “bumpy” surface could mean that the dough is dry and tough.
• Elastic Dough – A soft dough is usually elastic. If your dough is dry and tough, it wouldn’t be as elastic when you pull it apart.
• First Rest Period – The dough should almost double in size. This is a sign that the activation of the yeast work which is crucial to making a soft and fluffy bread. This also means the yeast is alive (not yet expired) and the liquid temperature is correct. I always use baking thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid.
• Second Rest Period – The bread dough should be really puff up. This is crucial and the final state of the bread before baking. If you are able to make it puff-up, that is a good sign that there are air trapped inside which will make the bread fluffy.

Why is My Dough too Wet or too Dry?

Don’t get frustrated if your dough did not turn out immediately as what you see in the photo or video. Most likely It is not because you did not follow the recipe. When it comes to bread making, the amount of flour and liquid is not always 100% precise. This is why often times you will encounter recipes that says, if your dough is dry, add a bit more liquid. If your dough is too wet, add a little bit more flour. This instructions are not meant to confuse you, they are meant to guide you on how to adjust as you work through your dough. The reason for this is that  although the measurement of water and flour are specified in the recipe, it still could slightly vary depending on many factors. For instance, all-purpose flour could very from country to country, or even from brand to brand. Don’t be surprise if you find that some brand tends to require a bit more liquid as the others. On top of this, the amount of liquid is also affected by the state of your flour. How old is the flour that you are using? Older flour nearing expiry tends to be drier and this requires more liquid. Humidity also affects baking. The more humid it is, the more likely the dough will be sticky and wet. Bread making requires patience, and practice. Once you learn how to feel the right texture of the dough, everything will be quick and easy. You can instantly tell if you need to add more water or flour to get the dough in right state.

Success Tips in Making This Recipe:

1. Make your own Buns: Although you can use store-bought buns, I find that homemade buns are better in terms of having a more stable structure. Store-bought buns a often too soft and not as tall as homemade bread. A tall and fluffy buns is needed because you will make the slices to fill the filling in between.
2. Use softened Cream Cheese – this is very important because you will need to cream the filling. A softener cream cheese creams better than a cold one. Leave the cream cheese on counter top at least 1 hr being using it. You want it soft but not too the point that it is melting. As I mentioned above, if you want to skip thawing, you can use plain or flavored spreadable cream cheese in a tub.
3. The amount of garlic butter dip could slightly vary depending on the size of the bread you are using. If you noticed that you need a bit more, simply add more melted butter and cream.
4. Extra Cheese Topping is HIGHLY recommended – the traditional Korean Garlic Bread do not have extra cheese topping. It only uses cream cheese filling and garlic butter dip. What makes this version better is the extra cheese topping. I highly suggest you try it.

Ok, I think you have every tip that you need to make this bread successfully. Let’s get started! 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 3 tablespoon granulated Sugar (Divided: 1/2 teaspoon for the yeast, remaining for the flour)
• 2/3 cup warm Milk microwave 20 – 25 seconds or until temperature is 110F
• 1 Egg – room temperature
• 1 3/4 cup Bread Flour (plus 2 tablespoon ONLY as needed)
• 2/3 teaspoon Table Salt
• 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 box 8oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tablespoon granulated Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup cold Whipping Cream

Garlic Butter Mixture

• 6 tablespoon melted unsalted Butter
• 5 large cloves Garlic – grated
• 2/3 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 tablespoon dried Parsley
• 1 Egg – beaten
• 1/2 cup Whipping Cream or full fat Milk

Cheese Topping:

• 2 tablespoon Powdered Parmesan Cheese – optiona
• 75grams white Cheddar Cheese – grated
• 1/8 teaspoon Paprika

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast: Pour the milk in the mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir. Add active dry yeast, stir and leave for 10 minutes to bloom.
   • If using instant yeast, mix 1 teaspoon yeast with the dry ingredients. No need to activate it.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and sugar to the yeast mixture.
3. Add Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour and salt onto the yeast mixture.
4. Knead the Dough (Speed 2) for 15 minutes.
5. Add the Softened Butter and knead for another 15 minutes. When you add the butter, you will notice the dough will break apart and it will look like it is too wet. Do not panic, this is expected. Continue mixing (even if longer than 15 minutes) until the dough comes together completely (it will), the side of the bowl is clean and the dough is slightly sticking at the bottom of the bowl. Do not stop mixing until you get to this stage. It takes time to fully incorporate the butter to the flour mixture, be patient.
   • To Check: The dough should be smooth, soft, elastic and slightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl
6. Divide Dough: Divide the dough into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a ball, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. This extra rest period will hell make the dough easier to shape and flatten.
7. Shape the Dough: shape each portion into a disk about 2.5-inch size. Arrange in a parchment lined baking tray, spacing each piece with 2-inches apart. Dust with all-purpose flour and cover.
8. Let Rest: Cover loosely with plastic wrap or warm towel, and then let rise in a warm place for at least 60 minutes to 90 minutes, or until doubled. (Rising time is dependent on the temperature of the room; let rise until the dough is doubled). I find 75 minutes my sweet spot, perfectly fluffy.
   • Trick: Pre-heat the oven to 110F then turn it OFF. Put the covered dough inside

9. Pre-heat the Oven: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F in the last 10 minutes of rest time or however long it takes to pre-heat your oven. If you are using the oven to rest the dough, do NOT forget to take the dough out before pre-heating.

10. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown. Check on 13 minutes, rotate the pan to bake evenly.

11. Let Cool completely to allow the bread texture to get better.

12. Make the Cream Cheese Filling:

Cream Cheese Filling Instructions:

Transfer the cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic powder. Beat until soft, about 1 minutes. Granular pour the whipping cream while continuously beating. Beat until soft and fluffy. The consistency have to be softer than when being used as a frosting. You want something softer enough to easily pipe in between the bread. Transfer the cream cheese in a piping bag with frosting tip. I used Wilton 1M.

13. Make the Garlic Butter Dip:

Garlic Butter Dip Instructions:

In a pan, the butter, salt, garlic and parsley. If using salted butter, you can skip or reduce the salt by half. Cook for 2 -3 minutes in low heat just to infuse the butter with garlic. Let cool completely before adding the cream or milk and egg. Stir to break the egg. The mixture will be thick. Alternatively, you can us eth microwave to melt the butter with garlic, salt and parsley.

14. Fill the Bread with Cream Cheese Filling: Make 6 cuts on top of the buns. The cut should be just enough to open it up to fill with the filling. Be careful in making the cut as you do not want to cut it all the way though. Cut about 3/4 deep. Using a think tall buns is key to having a nicely filled beautiful looking end result. Fill each slice with the cream cheese filling. Lightly squeeze the piping bag and fill the in between slices.

15. Fill with Cheddar Cheese: Fill each slices with grated cheddar cheese. Use your fingers to push the cheddar cheese in between the slices with cream cheese filling.

16. Dip in Garlic Butter: Dip each buns in garlic butter mixture. Hold the bottom of the buns and dip to cover the bread with butter. Alternatively, you can also spoon the garlic butter to coat the bread.

17. Parmesan Cheese: Transfer in a pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese powder. This is optional but highly recommended.

18. Bake at 350F for 13 -15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. The bread will open up like a flower bun exposing the slices filled with cream cheese filling and the bread will be lightly toasted but still soft.

19. Cool: Let cook slightly before serving. Enjoy the bread while warm to fully appreciate the meting cheese.

20. Store: This can be kept in the refrigerator at least a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

21. Re-heating: When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in a 300F oven for 15 minutes.

Enjoy! If you make this, share and tag me in Instagram #SweetNSpicyLiving. I would like to see your creations too.

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