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Cheesy Bread Recipe with Pizza Dough
August 16, 2025
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If you’ve been hunting for a Cheesy Bread Recipe that’s soft, fluffy, perfectly garlicky, and loaded with golden, bubbly cheese… this is it. My recipe uses my Small Batch Homemade Pizza Dough that bakes up tender inside with a little crisp on the edges, brushed in buttery garlic and topped with plenty of melty mozzarella and parmesan. You’ll want to tear into it right out of the oven, and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t bother with plates.
Ingredient Notes + Variations
This cheesy bread is all about a simple homemade dough, real butter, and plenty of cheese. A few fresh herbs and a swipe of garlic butter bring it all together. Here are a few things to note about the ingredients.
- Warm water – Around 107–110° F to activate the yeast.
- Active dry yeast – Gives the dough its rise and chewy texture.
- Honey or sugar – Feeds the yeast and adds a hint of flavor.
- Butter – Use salted for flavor, and melt it for brushing over the dough.
- Italian seasoning – Brings in a blend of herbs that pairs perfectly with the cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese – Shreds melt into that gooey epic cheese-pull we all want.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated for the best salty-nutty kick.
- Pizza sauce or marinara – Warm for dipping. Homemade or store-bought is fine.
How to Make Cheesy Bread with Pizza Dough
This recipe is straightforward and comes together in a few easy steps. You’ll mix the dough, let it rise, top it with garlic butter and cheese, then bake until golden perfection.
For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
Stir yeast and honey into warm water. Let it foam up—this means it’s ready.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add salt, olive oil, and flour in stages until the dough is slightly tacky but not sticky. Knead until smooth.
Step 3: Let It Rise
cover the dough + let it double in size
Step 4: Preheat and Prep
Heat oven to 475° F with a pizza stone inside.
mix the butter, garlic + Italian seasoning
Step 5: Shape and Top
stretch dough into a 10-inch circle
brush with garlic butter
top with cheeses
Step 6: Bake and Finish
bake until golden + bubbly
garnish with basil, slice + serve
Tips for Success
- Use a pizza stone for the best crust texture.
- Let the dough rest after stretching to avoid shrinkage.
- Shred your own mozzarella for the best melt.
- Watch the last few minutes of baking closely—cheese goes from perfect to overdone fast.
What to Serve with Cheesy Bread with Pizza Dough
- Margherita Pizza – Fresh, herby, and light alongside cheesy bread.
- Classic Baked Ziti – Perfect for a hearty pasta night.
- Caesar Salad – Crisp and tangy to balance the richness.
- Tomato Basil Soup – A cozy pairing for dipping.
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza – For a full-on cheesy carb feast.
This cheesy bread is the kind of recipe you keep in your back pocket for pizza nights, game days, or when you just need a warm, cheesy carb fix. Once you try it, it’s going in your permanent rotation. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!
Cheesy Bread Recipe with Homemade Pizza Dough
Cheesy, golden, and ridiculously easy, this Cheesy Bread Recipe with Pizza Dough is your new go-to side. Made with my oh so popular homemade pizza dough and loaded with melty cheese, it bakes up perfectly every time.
Equipment
Ingredients
for the dough-
- 1/2 cup warm water aim for 107-110° F
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/2 packet
- 1/2 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt I used Diamond Kosher Salt (use less if you are using table salt)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups bread flour give or take 1/2 cup, depending on the heat & humidity (I used just shy of 1 1/2 cups)
for the cheesy bread-
- 3 tablespoons butter salted, melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon basil fresh, chopped (or parsley), for garnish
- 1 cup pizza sauce warmed, or marina
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir yeast and honey into warm water.
- Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking.
- Pour in salt, olive oil, half the flour, and mix.
- Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it, it doesn't stick to your hands.
- Once you reach this stage, knead on low for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be mostly clean!*
- Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn't dry out and cover with plastic wrap.
- Place in a warm area of your kitchen (the oven with a light on is perfect for this) and let it rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and place on a lightly floured work surface.
to make into cheesy bread-
- Preheat oven to 475° F with pizza stone inside. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, use an upside-down cookie sheet with parchment paper.)
- Mix butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
- On a floured surface, gently stretch and spread dough ball into a 10-inch circle.
- Carefully remove hot pizza stone from oven and and transfer to the pizza dough to the stone, quickly repositioning it to keep its shape and cover the entire stone.
- Brush the garlic butter mixture over the dough and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
- Bake 9-12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Ovens can vary, so keep an eye on it.
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.
- Allow to cool 1-2 minutes before slicing. I like to cut the whole thing in half, then into 1 1/2" strips.
- Serve hot with warm pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.
Notes
*This is the point when you could freeze your dough. Divide into portions, place into a freezer bag, seal removing all air, and freeze. To use, remove from freezer and let sit out to get to room temperature and double in size; 6-8 hours. Then use as you’d like.
Serving size is 4 if you are serving this as an appetizer. If it is a meal, I’d say this feeds closer to 2 people.
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: If you’ll be eating it within a few hours, keep the cheesy bread loosely covered at room temperature. This keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Refrigerator: Wrap leftovers in foil or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350° F oven until warmed through.
- Freezer: You can freeze the baked cheesy bread. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in foil, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350° F oven until hot and cheese is melty again.
- Make Ahead Dough: Prepare the dough through the first rise, then refrigerate up to 24 hours before shaping and baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 446IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 1mg
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Variations
- Swap mozzarella for provolone or fontina for a different flavor.
- Add red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for heat.
- Sprinkle extra fresh herbs on top after baking for color and freshness.
More Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
