Next Post
Baked Boneless Honey BBQ Chicken Wings with Spicy Ranch.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
This light, doughy, and super soft bread is swirled with herb butter, hinted lightly with garlic, and makes for the most delicious and extra fancy companion to your dinner table. It’s easy, but impressive, and best served warm right out of the oven with just a little smear of butter. You will LOVE this bread. Bonus? This is a great way to use up all the end of summer herbs from the garden.
With Labor Day behind us, I’m ready to slowly start transitioning into the season the brings all the coziest recipes. I know it’s only the 3rd of September, and that the temperatures may still be warm, but autumn is in the air, especially around here. I couldn’t be more excited about this, as I said on Sunday, it’s my favorite season.
(dough log after slicing in half lengthwise)
With September here, my focus has shifted to a bit to cozier recipes. Recipes that are perfect for things like Sunday night dinner with the family, a simple gathering with friends, or tailgating before Sunday’s game (can you believe football starts on Thursday?).
Enter in this swirled garlic herb bread. It’s so pretty and so delicious. It’s going to be perfect for all your upcoming Sunday night family dinners, and gatherings with friends on fall evenings.
And the best part…while I mean, aside from the taste…while this bread may look super complicated to make, it’s really fairly simple. If you’re a visual person like me, the pictures within this post are going to be VERY helpful, so study them closely.
(dough after twisting)
(dough after the 1st coil)
Why You’ll Love This
- Crowd-pleasing flavor (garlic + herbs + buttery swirl) with bakery-style texture.
- Adaptable format: loaf, mini loaves, or pull-apart rolls.
- Make-ahead friendly; freezes well for holidays.
First, the dough. I used my go-to base dough recipe for soft breads. It’s kind of a mix between an eggy brioche bread and a more simple dinner roll type bread. It has your basic bread dough ingredients – milk, yeast, a touch of honey, eggs, flour, butter, and salt. Nothing new here, but yet still so good.
The real flavor in this bread is hidden between the layers. Or better yet, between the swirls, and it’s in the form of herb butter with garlic. The classic go-to flavors that I am craving so much of right now…
Well, that and the fact our herb garden is so full of end of summer herbs. So full that some of the basil is blossoming and becoming dry. Meaning, I need to use it up fast. So that’s kind of the reason for all the herb-filled recipes as of late. The good news is that I love herbs and I don’t mind using them in literally everything…even my cocktails.
For the butter, I used a mix of basil, thyme, and sage, BUT you all can use whatever herb combination you love most. I’m sure a touch of oregano or maybe some parsley would be great!
And another note…use salted butter and only just the right amount of garlic. The salted butter is key because it adds that special touch that makes everyone go back for a second slice, or two. For the garlic, I like to use 1-2 cloves. You want the flavor, but you don’t want it to overpower the bread, just a subtle hint.
Now, the rolling and twisting process.
I promise, this is not as scary as it looks. If you’ve made cinnamon rolls before you can make and shape this bread.
You’ll start out by rolling the dough up into a log. Then you simply cut the log in half vertically to expose those pretty, herby, buttery layers. Now, twist the two the pieces of dough over each other to create a loose twist. And finally, coil the dough up into a shape that resembles an S. Again, the words make it seem trickier than it really is. Use the photos as your guide, I’m telling you, they will help so much!!
Once you have the bread shaped, let it rise, and then bake. Please, please, please, enjoy this warm, right out of the oven, and preferably with a light smear of butter too.
SO GOOD. Oh, and the smell while this bakes? It. Is. Heavenly.
What every special dinner from now through December really needs…a side of pretty, swirled, garlic herb bread. I’d recommend serving this alongside one of my favorite September recipes, instant pot broccoli cheddar zucchini soup.
FAQ:
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes—dried herbs are more potent. A good general rule is to start with about one-third the amount and bloom them briefly in warm butter or oil for better flavor.
How do I keep the swirl from separating or leaking?
Roll the dough tightly, leave a clean strip to seal, and pinch the seam well. Proof until puffy before baking so the structure sets around the swirl.
Can I shape this as rolls or mini loaves?
Totally—divide the dough evenly and tuck into a buttered muffin tin or mini loaf pans. Keep the same visual cues: puffy before the bake, deep golden when done.
How do I know it’s baked through?
Look for a deep golden crust; the loaf should sound hollow when tapped and feel set in the center (not squishy). Let it cool before slicing so the swirls hold their shape.
If you make this swirled garlic herb bread be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Swirled Garlic Herb Bread.
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 795 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 large eggs
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for serving
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast, honey, eggs, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons room temp butter and mix until combined, about 2-3 minutes more. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional 1/2 cup flour, adding more as needed until the dough is smooth to touch.2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the garlic, parmesan, basil, sage, and thyme in a small bowl. 4. Punch the dough down and roll out onto a lightly floured surface, creating a large rectangle about 12 x 18 inches. Spread the garlic herb butter evenly over the dough. Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. 5. Using a sharp knife, cut the log of dough in half lengthwise, leaving a small portion at one end intact (see above photo). Turn the halves to expose the filling. Cross the dough ropes over each other, repeating the twisting until you have a long, twisted dough.6. Coil half the rope up like a snake, stopping when you reach halfway. Then, coil the second half of the rope in the opposite direction (see above photo). Carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the bread to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread is cooked through. Brush the top of the loaf with butter. Slice and serve warm…with additional butter.
Notes
To Make Ahead: prepare the bread through step 6. Once the bread is shaped, place it on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, remove the bread from the fridge 1 hour prior to baking, then bake as directed.
To Freeze: bake the bread as directed and allow to cool completely. Once cool, wrap the bread tightly with plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and warm or toast before serving.
Leftovers: the bread is best served warm after baking, but the leftover bread is delicious when lightly toasted or served at room temperature.
This post was originally published on September 3, 2019
this might be the best bread I’ve ever made.
I did make some minor modifications just so I didn’t have to go to the store. I used bread flour instead of all-purpose, and used oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley, because it’s what I had in my garden. The bread is moist, and the bread flour gave a delightful spongy-chewiness to the baked loaf, if that makes sense.
I made 1.5x the recipe, and made 3 half-loaves, one to keep, two to give away. I just slightly reduced baking time to accommodate the smaller loaves, and they turned out gorgeous. It’s going to be a struggle for me to not eat my entire loaf in one day. This recipe is an absolute crowd-pleaser.
Hey Julien,
Yay!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this bread, thank you so much for making it and sharing your notes:) Have a great short week! xT
I’m excited to try this recipe, but I’m wondering if I can split the dough after the first rise in two and make two loaves in loaf pans? (I want to skip the last curling step and make them like babkas.) Based on how much they rise do you think they would do well in 9 inch loaf pans?
Hi Heather,
Sure, I think that sounds like it should work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Surprisingly, I have only made bread a few times, and this turned out good for me. Even my little ones enjoyed it. I LOVE that it is not too sweet. I ADORE sage, so I added a little extra to the mix 🙂 I will be making this recipe again. Thank you so much!
Hi Nicole,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well! x
I have made this recipe four times and it’s fantastic, A “sock knocker” as my wife likes to say. That said, I have a few comments and an alternate way of finishing it.
The first three times that I made it, I followed the directions exactly, starting with 3 1/2 cups of flour and adding more flour to get it to the right consistency. For me, the dough was very wet and sticky until I had added about another cup and a half or 2 cups of flour, far more than the 1/2 cup called for.
I never use measuring cups for baking, I weigh the flour. Using a measuring cup can vary quite a bit and the brand of flour varies in weight too. I use King Arthur AP flour which is 120 grams per cup. I figured that the reason I was using more flour was because I wasn’t using the same amount and/or brand as Tieghan used and by adding more bit by bit requires more than by starting with more. So the last time I made it, I started with 500 grams of flour (instead of 420 grams) and then only had to add 20 grams to achieve the desired consistency.
Also, I rolled the rectangle to 7 inches wide by 36 inches long, spread the herb butter and rolled it into a rope which I cut into 3 3/4 inch segments. I cut and twisted them and pulled the ends together and nestled them in a buttered lasagna pan (like cinnamon buns) and baked them. They came apart quite easily and were more individual breads rather than slicing it. They were quite a sensation at our dinner party of 20 people!
Thank you, Tieghan, for this recipe and it will become a staple for us!
Hey Paul,
Wow! Thanks for making this recipe and taking the time to share notes on what worked best for you! I really appreciate your feedback, sounds like a great way to finish this bread! Have an awesome week! xT
The garlic herb bread is a keeper. Perfect dough for any filling. Thanks
Hi Ellen,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Amazing recipe, have made it many times! A note about the metric measurements – the weight for the flour is way off, 3.5-4 cups of flour would be 437.5-500g, not 937.5! Seems like the two got added together somehow in the recipe.
Hey Barb,
Fantastic! Thank you so much for making this recipe so often and sharing your feedback, glad to hear it is always enjoyed! Thanks for letting me know about the metrics! x
I made this bread over the weekend. Helping my granddaughter make it for her 4-H food baking. It was very easy to make. Thanks for sharing it, great bread!
Hey Tammy,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! Xx
I made this and it tastes fantastic! However, after baking, it was huge, about 12×10. It was also pretty loose and fell apart when slicing. Any tips? I’ll definitely make it again, let it rise a little less and try and wrap it a bit tighter.
Hey Paul,
Thanks so much for trying this bread, glad to hear it was enjoyed!! It definitely grows when baking. I think if you wrap it up a bit tighter next time that should help when slicing. xx
Hey Tieghan,
I’m Paul’s wife. The bread was a “sock-knocker,” as we say (knocks your socks off it’s so good!). We have another question… have you ever used this recipe to make individual portions, like a little knot, or some kind of a roll? We’re having a family style sit-down dinner party in a few weeks and thought individual ones might be easier to pass around.
Lol love that!! I haven’t but I bet that would work well for you! I would bake in a 9×13 baking dish. Let me know if give that a try! xx
Delicious and much easier than expected!
Thanks so much, Jamie!! Glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed! xT
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is a hit! I was asked to bring bread to a creekside picnic so tried this recipe the day before to try it out, it turned out so great, I made a fresh warm loaf for the picnic the next day. My friends loved it! I got lots of compliments! Thanks again!
Thanks so much Heidi! I love to hear that this recipe turned out nicely for you! Thanks for your comment! xT
Looks delicious and I just bought everything to make it this week! My main question is – the ingredients list 9 3/4 cup flour but then the directions only mention 3 1/2 plus another 1/2 if the dough is too sticky. To clarify, does that first line of directions just mean to incorporate ALL the 9+ cups of flour then? I assume so but don’t want to mess this up. Thank you!
Hi Rhianna,
So sorry, I am not sure where you are seeing 9 cups, but definitely do not use 9 cups of flour. Step 1 calls for 3 1/2 cups of flour. If the dough is super sticky after mixing you can add 1/2 cup more of flour. That is all the flour you need:) I hope this helps! xx
I believe the 9 cups is in the metric format. 937.5 g is FAR more than 3 1/2 cups no matter how you scoop the flour lol. It was a mistake I myself made kept thinking that there wasn’t enough liquids till I switched over to the US measurements.
This bread looks intimidating to make but it was way easier than I was expecting! It is so beautiful and honestly tastes even better than it looks! I will be making this a staple in our house!
Hi Mette,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xT
This bread was sooooo amazing. Just like the soft herb swirl bread I was trying to imitate from our local bakery. Only tweak is that the metric conversion for flour was way too much, had to start over using cup measurement.
Love to hear this Jenna!! Thanks so much for trying this bread and sharing your feedback! xT
Being winter I only had dried herbs, but they did not disappoint! This bread has such a soft texture. My oven is different so the bread browned a little more than yours in less time, giving it a slight crunch on the outside only. I served it with homemade tomato soup. Wonderful winter dinner.
I cannot wait to make this for family and friends!
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for giving it a try! xT
This is my go to impressive holiday contribution. I make this several times a year and it always looks stunning on a table. While it looks like it must have been complicated and skillfully made it’s so easy to do. I might let that part be my secret lol it gets requested at every family dinner.
LOL love to hear this Nicole!! Thanks for making this recipe so often and sharing your feedback:) xT