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This post is sponsored by Cache Valley® Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
These Cheesy Stuffed Garlic Bread Bites are made with pizza dough stuffed with gooey garlic-flavored cheese curds and topped with savory garlic herb butter and parmesan cheese. Baked to perfection and dipped in marinara, they are perfect for a shareable appetizer or irresistible snack.
I partnered with my favorite, Cache Valley® Creamery, to make these Cheese Stuffed Bread Bites and I could not be more excited to share this recipe with you. These cheesy bread bites are a cinch to put together and are baked in a cast iron skillet for a buttery golden brown texture.
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What Ingredients You'll Need
- Dough - 1 ½ pounds of pizza dough will make 18 cheese bites, which fit perfectly in a 10” cast iron skillet. Either my easy Homemade Pizza Dough or store-bought will work just fine. Gluten-free pizza dough can be used as well!
- Filling - Cache Valley® garlic cheddar cheese curds give these bites their gooey garlicky center. You can also use cubes of Cache Valley® mozzarella cheese as an alternative.
- Topping - To get the best savory flavor, use fresh garlic and Cache Valley® salted butter. If needed, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley can be substituted for the fresh parsley. The parsley taste won’t come through as much, but it will still work. Don’t forget to grab the Cache Valley® finely shredded parmesan for the topping - it adds the perfect salty crunch!
- Dip - My favorite dip to serve with these is Easy Homemade Marinara, but any store-bought marinara or pizza sauce will work fine.
Amanda's Secret Tip
Make sure the pizza dough is at room temperature. This will make the dough easier to shape and ensure the bites cook evenly.
How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread Bites
Start by melting 4 Tablespoons of butter on the stovetop over low heat with the minced fresh garlic and parsley. You will also pre-heat the oven with your cast iron skillet inside, so it gets nice and hot.
Next, evenly divide the pizza dough into 18 pieces and roll them into balls, approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Take each dough ball and flatten it into a round, approximately 3 inches in diameter, and place 1-2 cheese curds in the middle. (The curds come in different sizes, so one larger curd will fit perfectly, but for smaller curds, use 2 or 3.)
Wrap the dough around the cheese curd and pinch the edges of the dough together to prevent the cheese from leaking out during baking.
By this time both the skillet and oven should be preheated and you can take the skillet out. (Don’t forget to use a towel or oven mitt, it will be SUPER hot!)
Add the remaining butter to the hot skillet and let it melt to coat the bottom. Next, place the cheese-stuffed dough balls, seam side down, in the hot buttered skillet.
Pour the garlic herb butter over all the dough balls and use a pastry brush to spread it evenly around.
Lastly, sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the buttered dough and return the skillet to the oven to bake for 15-17 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bread bites can be shaped and stuffed up to 24 hours ahead. Store them on a sheet pan covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake them, take them out an hour before they go in the oven so they come to room temperature. Preheat the skillet and cook the bites as directed.
They sure do! Bake the bites as directed and let them cool completely. Freeze them on a sheet pan in an even layer and then transfer them to a freezer bag for storage for up to 2 months. Make sure to defrost them fully before reheating.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use a baking dish or cake pan instead. Don’t preheat the pan in the oven though, instead, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter on the stovetop or in the microwave and brush it over the bottom. Baking times will be slightly longer.
As Seen on TV
I shared these Cheese-Stuffed Bread Bites on Fresh Living on KUTV—they’re one of my go-to party snacks! Soft, cheesy, and baked until golden, they're always a crowd favorite.
Watch the full segment on KUTV →
Leftover and Reheating Instructions
Keep leftovers (if any!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat on a plate in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
For larger batches, bake them in the oven on a sheet pan at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melty inside.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
Shareable Homemade Appetizers
Need more shareable appetizer recipes? Check out these other favorites that are perfect for sharing with friends and family!
Recipe
Cheesy Stuffed Garlic Bread Bites
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Cache Valley® salted butter, divided use
- 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced finely
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced finely
- 1 ½ pounds pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- 5 ounces Cache Valley® cheese curds, garlic flavor
- ¼ cup Cache Valley® finely shredded parmesan
- 1 cup marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F with a 10-inch cast iron skillet inside.
- In a small pot, melt 4 Tablespoons of the Cache Valley® salted butter over low heat with the minced garlic and parsley. (You only want this to melt, not simmer, so keep an eye on it and remove it from the heat if needed.)
- Evenly divide the pizza dough into 18 pieces and shape them into balls, approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter.
- Flatten each dough ball into a 3-inch round and place 1-2 Cache Valley® cheese curds in the middle. (The curds come in different sizes, so use only 1 for larger curds and 2-3 for smaller curds.)
- Wrap the dough around the cheese and pinch together the edges of the dough to prevent the cheese from leaking out during baking.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and melt the remaining butter in the bottom to coat it completely. (Make sure to use oven mitts, the skillet will be super hot!)
- Add the stuffed dough balls, seam side down, into the hot buttered skillet.
- Pour the melted herb garlic butter mixture over the dough balls and use a pastry brush to spread it evenly around.
- Sprinkle the Cache Valley® finely shredded parmesan over the top of the buttered bites and place the skillet back in the oven to bake for 15-17 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.
- Serve the cheesy bites with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Cheese - Cubes of Cache Valley® mozzarella cheese can be used instead of cheese curds.
- Parsley - To substitute fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free pizza dough. Baking times will vary.
- Pan - A cake pan or baking dish can be used if you don’t have a cast iron skillet. Don’t pre-heat it in the oven, but instead, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in the microwave or on the stove top and brush on the pan's bottom and sides before adding the stuffed dough balls. Baking times will be longer.
- Fridge - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Freezer - Completely cool the bites and freeze in an even layer on a sheet pan. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months and defrost before reheating.
- Reheating - Reheat on a plate in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. For larger batches, bake them in the oven on a sheet pan at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melty inside.
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