Garlic Butter Crusty Bread (Printable)

Crusty bread topped with aromatic garlic butter and herbs, baked until golden and flavorful.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 medium baguette or Italian loaf

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Topping

07 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Slice the baguette in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 2 or 3 pieces if preferred.
03 - Combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper in a bowl; mix thoroughly.
04 - Spread the garlic butter evenly over each cut side of the bread pieces.
05 - If desired, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the buttered bread.
06 - Place the bread pieces, buttered side up, on the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden and butter has melted.
08 - For extra crispiness, broil the bread for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
09 - Allow to cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly takes about 25 minutes from start to finish.
  • The garlic butter is so good you'll find yourself scraping it off the pan with bread long after the baking sheet is empty.
  • It works as a side dish, appetizer, or that thing you make at midnight when nothing else feels right.
02 -
  • Garlic is a bully when it's raw—mince it fine so it toasts evenly instead of leaving sharp, hot bites in your bread.
  • Room temperature butter spreads without tearing your bread into shreds and looking like you don't know what you're doing.
  • The broiler is optional but wonderful—just never walk away from it, as it can go from golden to burnt in seconds.
03 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper—it keeps the bottom from getting greasy and makes cleanup feel like less of a chore.
  • If your butter is too cold and tears the bread, let it sit out for another 5 minutes instead of forcing it and creating a mess.

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