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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 was SO delicious! I’ve made several of these now. Some by hand and some with a mixer and both ways are fun. I’ve also made some different renditions, but using the same dough, and each time, it’s come out fantastic. Looking forward to playing with this some more!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Monica! Thank you! xTieghan
Wow! Just made this today. I didn’t have basil so I subbed parsley. Next time I’d do the same thing, but use basil and parsley (and thyme and sage). Also, i think I needed to use more herbs. I made a second loaf, shaoed it, and put it right in the freezer. I’ll take it out in a couple weeks, allow to defrost and do it’s second rise, and bake. I think it will turn out ok. I also plan to make this dough and make it with other things. Like cinnamon sugar and nuts. Love this so much!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Erika! Thank you so much for trying it! I love to idea of cinnamon sugar and nuts! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan – do you think this could this be made without milk (lactose issues)? Let me know your thoughts!
Hey Dana! I think using a nut milk will work great within this bread. I would use almond or cashew. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
My second round of this was JUST popped into the oven. (Perfect for this Snowtober we’re having here in Colorado!). The first time I tried it, a few weeks ago, my 9 year old daughter and I made it together. SO much fun to have her in the kitchen with me! We all loved this bread with our tomato soup and decided it needs to be a regular in house this Fall and Winter. Is anything cozier than freshly baked bread? Tonight I’m slicing, toasting, and topping it with a French veggie-cheesy recipe my mom used to make when I was a kid. I usually serve it over regular toast but this will kick it up a notch. Thanks for another recipe that will become a staple in our house and for helping us continue our tradition of mother-daughter kitchen adventures.
There is nothing cozier!!… Maybe just paired with some soup haha! I am so glad you loved this recipe, Sarah! Thank you so much! xTieghan
How would one veganize this recipe?
Hi Amanda, I am so sorry, but due to the large amount of eggs within the dough I personally do not know how to advise you on making this vegan. Instead I would recommend finding a vegan bread recipe you enjoy and using that as your base, then adding in my herb mix. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So sorry I could not have been of more help. Thank you! xTieghan ??
Made this over the weekend. What a fun recipe! I bake bread every week, but I’ve never done a swirly situation like this before. Really enjoyed the process 🙂 And it looks so beautiful when it comes out. Definitely a great bread for company–everyone oohs and ahhs over it.
That is so amazing! Thank you Meg! xTieghan
This looks amazing! I had a question about the proportions though, I live in the UK and was googling cup to grams and it says 1 cup all purpose flower is around 125g, but above you’ve used a different conversion, where did you get yours? I don’t want to mess this one up! Thanks
Hi Louisa! I am sorry, but we do not have a metric converter for our recipes. I am not sure what you are using exactly. I would go with what google is saying since I really am not sure of the converter you are referring to. Please let me know if you have any other questions and so sorry I could not be of more help to you. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
How strong is the garlic in this? If we LOVE garlic, would you recommend adding more?
THANK YOU!
haha I love this comment! Add more garlic!! I would say the garlic flavor is subtle, so add 3-4 additional cloves. YUMMM. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I just realized I only have unsalted butter – is this ok for the dough part?
Hey Lauren! Unsalted butter will e fine. Just add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the dough recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
I made this bread tonight and it was absolutely delicious. It was so easy to make. I love swirled breads and I’m so glad I found this recipe. Now it has my brain churning on what other flavors I can add into the swirls.
I am so glad you found this one too! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Hi there! Can you freeze the dough before baking? If so, how would I bake it after it’s been defrosted? Thanks!
Hi Kate! See below for directions on how to freeze. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
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.
Oops! I forgot to rate it. :-(. But that’s fixed now!
Made this today, and OMG WHAT A MASTERPIECE. Your description was spot on and very clear, and it was super easy to just add a little flour to the mix if it was too sticky before rising. It came out perfect, though. I didn’t have any sage left so I used the last of the summer’s fresh herbs that I had on hand and needed to use, as they are starting to die off. That was basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and rosemary. The house smelled like heaven while it was baking, and the flavor was out of this world. Probably one of the best breads I have ever tasted, and the prettiest too. Smash hit!
Ok wow this is so amazing to read! Thank you so much for trying this, Aline! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Super annoyed with this bread. You gave 3 1/2 – 4 cups of flour but never specified how to tell how much to use. No mention of how wet the dough should be. At this point I’ve wasted hours of my day and ingredients. Your recipes are usually so spot on!
Hey Katherine, I am sorry you had trouble. You should start with 3 1/2 cups of flour and if the dough is feeling sticky, add additional flour as needed until the dough is soft and workable. How wet was your dough? I am so sorry if the directions where a bit confusing. I will adjust the directions to be a little more clear. Most have really enjoyed this bread. Please let me know how else I might be able to help you. I would love for you to be able to enjoy this! xTieghan
I have never attempted to make bread before. It’s always been a scary thing to bake for me, not really sure why. After making this recipe…I’m obsessed! This bread is SO GOOD. My family loved it! It was so simple and turned out beautifully. I’m so glad I tried it! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes! Thank you!
YES! I love to hear that! Thank you!! xTieghan