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Rosemary Garlic Bread

This rustic rosemary garlic bread is wonderfully golden brown on the outside with a soft, fluffy center and plenty of garlic flavor. Readers have been loving this bread since we originally published it in 2012. Anyone can make this restaurant-quality bread!

Rosemary Garlic Bread round loaf.
The delectable aroma of roasted garlic and warm bread fills your home as this recipe bakes.

Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe

Easy Rosemary Garlic Bread (Restaurant Style)

Why This Recipe Stands Out

  • No Special Equipment: Kneaded by hand, it’s quick and easy to make – no bread maker required! 
  • Beautiful Texture: It’s crusty on the outside yet soft on the inside making it great for dipping. 
  • Friends and Family: With 8 servings per loaf, it’s the perfect option for feeding a crowd. 
  • Aroma: Simple pantry staples create bold, mouthwatering flavor with aromatics that will have you drooling as it bakes. 
  • WAY Better Than Restaurants: Baked fresh and served warm, it blows even the best restaurant bread out of the water. 
Rosemary Garlic Bread round loaf.
This rosemary garlic bread is guaranteed to be a hit with all your guests.

Key Recipe Ingredients

  • Active dry yeast combines with water, sugar, and salt to add flavor to the dough and provide structure to the bread, creating the fluffy texture we’re looking to achieve. 
  • Bread flour is then added to the mix to complete the base of the dough. We also use it for our chewy homemade bagels.
  • High-quality olive oil is drizzled on top, acting as a tenderizer and keeping your rosemary garlic bread soft. 
  • Plenty of flavor belongs here! Rosemary, black pepper, oregano, and roasted garlic create a savory flavor that is out-of-this-world delicious. 

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. In large bowl, Sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water. Mix in the sugar and salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until it foams.
  2. Add in olive oil. Add flour and knead (by hand or stand mixer/hook) for about 10 minutes.
  1. Add rosemary, black pepper, and oregano. Knead another 5 minutes. Knead in roasted garlic.
  2. Place dough ball in oiled bowl, turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil. Tightly cover bowl with cling wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled.
  1. After dough is doubled, gently punch it down and shape into a rounded loaf. Using sharp knife, make a criss-cross design on top. Cover up loaf with large mixing bowl inverted over it and let rise until doubled again.
  2. After dough has doubled again, very gently brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a bit more rosemary.
  1. Bake and let bread rest before cutting into it. Serve warm, with your favorite blend of good olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and balsamic vinegar!

Pro Tips for Success

  • Be sure your yeast is very fresh to ensure a good rise.
  • Let the yeast sit long enough to activate. Otherwise, your bread won’t rise in the oven! You’ll know it’s ready when it begins to foam. 
  • Measure the ingredients carefully, taking care not to “tap down” flour when measuring. Always use dry measuring cups and the scoop and scrape method as described here
  • You can roast several heads of garlic ahead at a time and keep them airtight in the fridge to use for recipes like this. Roasted garlic can last nicely for up to a week.
  • To speed up the rising process, place your rosemary garlic bread in an oven that has been slightly warmed up. 
  • After 25-30 minutes of baking, bump up the temperature of your oven to 425F, and spray your loaf with water. This will help create that nice thick crust while preventing your bread from burning. 
  • Every oven bakes slightly differently. So, be sure to keep a close eye on your bread, and remove it from the oven as soon as the top has turned golden brown! 
garlic bread, rosemary bread, rosemary garlic bread, garlic rosemary bread
Pair your bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the best appetizer!

Once you’ve mastered your hand at this bread, you will find this easy pizza dough a breeze for making homemade pizza!

Commonly Asked Questions

What Is Rustic Bread? 

In general, rustic bread is considered to be a type of bread that is made with simple ingredients including flour, water, salt, and yeast. Furthermore, it is shaped by hand rather than molded with a bread pan and baked at a higher temperature than other loaves. As a result, it has a thick, crusty, flaky exterior and a soft, fluffy interior

Can I use either dry or fresh rosemary in this bread?

You can absolutely use either dry or fresh rosemary. The amounts will stay the same. If rosemary “leaves” are very long, you may roughly chop them before use.

What is the best flour to use?

Bread flour is our flour-of-choice, as it contains a higher gluten content, which means you’ll enjoy a softer, chewier texture.

What are reasons my dough didn’t rise?

The reasons for bread that doesn’t rise well are typically: old yeast that has been sitting the in the pantry too long, room temperature being too chilly for a good rise, or using water that was too hot for the yeast to thrive in.

Why did my dough deflate after rising?

This is most often due to over-proofing, which is when dough has been left out to rise for too long.

Why did my bread come out flatter than expected after baking?

This can be due to over-proofed or under-proofed dough during rise time, yeast or bread flour that isn’t super fresh, or an oven that was not preheated long enough. Inaccurate flour to water measurements can also affect the outcome of your loaf.

How can I tell when the bread is done baking?

The bread is done once it has puffed up/risen nicely in the oven and the top is golden brown. Towards the end of baking, start checking to ensure it’s not over-baked (do not open the oven door until it’s done).

How should I store rosemary garlic bread and can I freeze it?

This rustic garlic bread recipe is best eaten right away while still warm from the oven. However, on the rare chance you happen to have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.  To enjoy, let your frozen bread thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, warm it in the microwave or oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes or until it is soft and heated through. 

How should I serve this bread?

Our favorite way to devour this recipe is dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar while it’s still warm. However, it would also taste incredible used in a garlicky breakfast sandwich, served alongside cozy soup or hearty chili, or used to soak up the last of your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce


Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

garlic bread, rosemary bread, rosemary garlic bread, garlic rosemary bread

Rosemary Garlic Bread

4.82 from 342 ratings
This rustic rosemary garlic bread is wonderfully golden brown on the outside with a soft, fluffy center and plenty of garlic flavor. Better than any restaurant bread, it pairs perfectly with olive oil and balsamic for a tasty appetizer to all your favorite main courses.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Optional for Serving

Instructions

  • In large bowl, Sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water. Mix in the sugar and salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until it foams. Add in olive oil. Add flour and knead (by hand or stand mixer/hook) for about 10 minutes.
  • Add rosemary, black pepper, and oregano. Knead another 5 minutes. Finally, gently knead in roasted garlic by hand, about 1 minute. Dough should come together well at this point; slightly sticky is fine, but still should be manageable.
  • Place dough ball in well oiled bowl, turning dough a few times so that dough surfaces are protected by oil. Tightly cover bowl with cling wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free area to rise until dough is doubled, approx. 1 hour, depending on room temp (if your room is cooler, it could take 2 hours.)
  • After dough is doubled, gently punch it down and shape into a rounded loaf. Using sharp knife, make a criss-cross design on top. Place rounded loaf on greased baking sheet. Cover up loaf with large mixing bowl inverted over it. Make sure bowl is large enough that it gives your loaf room to rise. Let rise until doubled again, approximately 1 hour.
  • After dough has doubled again, very gently brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a bit more rosemary. Try not to deflate loaf at all.
  • Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes, spraying loaf with water once during the middle of baking. Bump oven up to 425F and spray loaf with water again. Watch carefully – bake just until top is a nice golden brown, taking care not to over bake (it should be pretty quick).
  • Let bread rest 5 minutes before cutting into it. Serve bread fresh and warm, with your favorite blend of good olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and balsamic vinegar!

Equipment

Notes

  • Be sure your yeast is very fresh, to ensure a good rise. Replace yeast if it’s been sitting in pantry for a long time. Tip: Store newly purchased yeast in the freezer for longer shelf life.
  • Measure ingredients carefully, taking care not to “tap down” flour when measuring. Always use dry measuring cups and use scoop/scrape method as described here.
  • You can roast several heads of garlic ahead of time and keep them airtight in fridge to use for recipes like this. Roasted garlic can last nicely for up to a week.
*If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you. 

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.5g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 7.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Sodium: 584mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 1.5g
Course: Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Bake, Oven

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Add a comment

Recipe Rating




309 comments

    • A
    • 3 stars

    It came out flat and it wasn’t even crunchy. Have no idea what I did wrong because I followed the recipe to a T.

    • Rohtak
    • 5 stars

    This bread is absolutely delicious! I am glad I chose this recipe for baking my first yeasted bread.

    • Patti
    • 5 stars

    I have made this twice and we loved it. I want to try it with half whole-wheat and leave out the rosemary. Have you done this? Any suggestions?

      • chewoutloud

      Patti, you can leave out the rosemary for a garlic-only loaf. I think half whole wheat would work fine; will probably slightly change texture but should still come out well 🙂

    • Lori
    • 5 stars

    I’m new to baking with yeast so this may be just an amateur question … I’ve twice made this recipe but cut the dough into rolls. While the crust and the crumb are perfect, they’ve tended to mostly rise sideways so they’re flatter more than rounded. Is it something I’ve done wrong or just a matter of trying to make rolls out of a bread recipe? The only things I did differently than the stated recipe was to use fresh rosemary and eliminate the roasted garlic and dried oregano. In any case, they’re delicious and I will keep on making them. Thanks!

      • chewoutloud

      Lori, you can try using a nonstick muffin tin and see if that helps with vertical rise. So glad you like this bread! 🙂

        • Lori

        I’m trying to get a hoagie roll shape rather than a dinner roll but you’ve given me an idea how to control the sides to force an upward rise. Thanks.

    • Melissa Beck
    • 5 stars

    This is a great bread recipe, but you should update it so that it doesn’t say total time 50 minutes. If you glance at it and then start it an hour before you need it you will in trouble!

    • Juliet Edwards
    • 4 stars

    Not sure what went wrong with my recipe but 1 cup of water to 2.5 cups if flour was so wet I couldn’t use the mix as is. It also went totally flat on the 2nd rise and just spread all over the baking sheet as the mixture was so wet. Think it would have been ok in a loaf tin. However still tasted good just looked like garlic bread sticks

      • chewoutloud

      Hi, Juliet…there may some previous notes here that can help you. Rule of thumb with this type of bread: if the flour mixture is too wet, add a bit of extra flour at a time until you reach the correct texture (similar to play-doh, just slightly sticky but fully workable.) It can be easy to measure flour inaccurately, so go with the feel of the dough if that happens. 🙂

    • E. schwartz
    • 5 stars

    Love this recipe! I use fresh rosemary but minced garlic and use a paper towel to soak up the extra moisture. I have also cooked it in a small Dutch oven but recently switched to a loaf pan. For
    Cooking in a loaf pan, I cover with foil for the first 15 min and then remove. Same cooking temps and times as the original recipe. Have also doubled the recipe for
    2 loaves. Will continue to make!!

      • chewoutloud

      Awesome! The loaves sound perfect!

    • Rachel

    I’m so excited to try this recipe!! I’ve honestly Henry made bread before, but I’m inspired to try this! What brand of bread flour do you recommend?

    • Ann

    Can this bread be made with whole wheat flour?

      • chewoutloud

      Ann, I would start with half whole wheat combined with half all purpose flour. If that works well for you, then you can gradually up the whole wheat flour for your next loaves. There’s also white-whole-wheat flour, which is a bit more tender in texture but still whole grain. Hope you love your bread! 🙂 🙂

    • Jess Goodenbury
    • 5 stars

    FULL MARKS. Best bread I’ve made to date. Followed the recipe exactly, but I was never able to get the dough as stretchy as I’m used too. Ever time I pulled to do to the window pane test it quickly tore. I needed it for a LONG time. It passed the poke test so I called it there. I also should have left a little more time on the second rise but I had to get it in the oven before bed. Next time I make this I think it will be perfect. Best tasting bread I’ve ever made!

    What do you think about trying it in my dutch oven?

    • Krisztina
    • 4 stars

    I made this bread today, there was only one thing i changed, i decided that I would make the dough in my bread machine (on the pizza dough program – for 45 min) then take it out and do it from there. I did all this and when I took the dough out it was very “runny” , I am not sure if this is the right expression for it. I did the rising time twice but it really didn’t rise, just got a flat mass. (with both rising times I used the oven on 50 Celsius just to keep it warm) . I baked it anyway, although it didn’t rise anything. When it got ready, it was only 1 inch thick , but tastes wonderful. So it looks like a flatbread 😀 . Any ideas why it didn’t rise and why it was so runny? It didnt form into a ball. Also, next time , I will use the bread machine and a full program from start to finish, but which one would you chose for this? Maybe Focaccia program? Any ideas? thank you in advance for your help.

      • chewoutloud

      It sounds crazy that I don’t own/use a bread machine. Usually, I’d recommend checking that yeast is fresh, as that’s largely what affects the rise. Also accurate measurement of flour to liquid ratio. Otherwise, I wish I could help with your particular machine, as that may also be an issue. If you’re willing to try making the bread by hand, I can help with that 🙂 Happy continued baking!

    • Norell
    • 5 stars

    Made this tonight and absolutely loved it! Will omit the sea salt and might reduce the other by 1/2. Personal preference and health reasons. I used my Dutch oven and it came out amazing! Was actually soft, light and fluffy…kinda like a white bread in texture. My darling man couldn’t get enough of it and didn’t stop raving about it!

      • chewoutloud

      Fabulous, Norell! 🙂 So glad you guys really enjoyed this bread!!

    • Linda

    Can I bake in a Dutch oven?

      • Linda
      • 5 stars

      Can I bake this in a Dutch oven?

        • chewoutloud

        Yes, Linda, you can bake in your Dutch oven! You may want to leave lid off so it can brown nicely 🙂

    • Emily

    Can’t wait to try making this! Question, if you don’t have cloves of garlic but still want the garlic flavor, what do you suggest? We have minced garlic and garlic powder?
    Thanks!

      • chewoutloud

      You can use 1/2 tsp garlic powder in the dough mixture. Happy baking, Emily! 🙂

    • Ghianna

    Hello! This is my first time EVER making bread. It is on its first rise as we speak, but I am a bit concerned. In your recipe it says that by the time you are done kneading the dough can be “slightly” sticky. Mine is sticking to everything. I used a stand mixer with a dough hook, and followed the times you provided. I should probably wait until it is done cooking to comment, but is the stickiness normal? I feel like I am wasting some of the dough. I did my best to scrape everything together, but it also did not form a “dough ball”. It just looks like a blob lol. Any tips? Or anything you think I did wrong? Thankyou!

      • chewoutloud

      Ghianna, so sorry I didn’t see this comment earlier. It sounds like a bit of extra flour would solve the stickiness of dough. Add 1 TB flour to the dough mixture, knead, and repeat (without over-mixing the dough) until it is only slightly sticky and easily forms a dough ball. Thank you for being here, and hopefully that helps.

    • Bene

    Hi, Can I substitute the bread flour with normal flour. It is Good Friday in NZ and all the shops are shut and the COVID thin g is still happening anyway.
    Will; the recipe still work with normal high grade flour?

    Thanks, it looks yummy and I desperately want to make it for my wifes birthday.

      • chewoutloud

      Bene, yes, you may use regular flour. The texture of baked bread may be a bit denser, but it should still taste great. Enjoy and happy baking at home 🙂

    • Debbie
    • 5 stars

    This was the second time that I ever made bread. With the inaccessibility of bread in the grocery stores (because of Covid virus) and making two batter breads that just didn’t satisfy my bread craving, I made this with Red Mill Artesian Bread Flour. It turned out absolutely perfect. I didn’t have roasted garlic, so I used refrigerated minced garlic. The garlic didn’t mix as well in the batter perhaps, but the overall bread was absolutely perfect! Will make this one often. Thank you!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, that’s awesome, Debbie! So happy you loved this bread…it’s definitely bake time around here, too 🙂

    • Susan LaCroix
    • 5 stars

    My husband and I have been baking bread while quarantined. This was so amazing. We can’t stop eating it. Two questions – How high is it supposed to be? How do I get a crisp crust? Mine wasn’t. Thanks!!!

      • chewoutloud

      Susan, the overall height will depend on the size of your shaped loaf after risings. Mine is usually about 4 inches or so? If your crust didn’t crisp up, you can brush top/sides with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 TB water) prior to baking. SO happy you guys liked this bread 🙂 🙂

    • Suz

    Going to try today. If you refrigerator dough after first rise do you need more time for second rise? Trying to make a day in advance.

      • chewoutloud

      If your dough is cold during second rise, then give it some extra time second rise. Enjoy and happy baking!!

        • Vanessa

        Hi

        I’m going to make this a day in advance. Is it recommended to let it first rise outside of the refrigerator, punch it down and then cover it in saran wrap and refrigerate it until I’m ready to use it? Or is it better to put the dough directly into the refrigerator after kneading, let that be the first rise and don’t punch it down until the next day when I’m ready to use it?

        Thank you

          • chewoutloud

          Let it rise at room temp, punch down, shape as instructed, and cover tightly/chill until ready to complete the 2nd rise. Enjoy! 🙂

    • Stephanie

    Hi, I just made this bread and it didn’t turn out. It was great until I added the garlic and then it turned into a sticky gooey glop. It did rise but when I formed it into a ball and placed on the sheet to rise for the second time it just grew outwards and not up. Its flat and dense (though it does smell wonderful!!). Would you have any idea what I did wrong? Thank you so much!

      • chewoutloud

      Hi, Stephanie! The dough should overall be similar to Play-Doh or a tad bit stickier, but not too sticky. Summer humidity in the air could require adding an extra 1 TB flour at a time, until the dough has right consistency. Be sure the roasted garlic prior to rising, as it should be in the initial dough. It sounds like the rise issue was too much water in the dough. If your yeast is fresh and your dough texture is right, it should rise nicely for you next time 🙂

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