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If you’re looking for an easy snack or appetizer, this bacon cheddar bread is simple to make and so delicious. You don’t have to make the bread from scratch – instead, you can use a store-bought bread round and use it to make a pull-apart bread with melted cheddar cheese and smoky bacon bits.

I love pull-apart bread especially cheesy pull apart bread. They are so fun to eat, pulling up each small piece one at a time. It’s one of my favorite tv-viewing/game day snacks. I’ve made savory monkey bread and pizza bread, too, so I was excited to try this bacon cheddar pull apart bread.

The best part about this appetizer is that you don’t have to make the bread. You can use a store-bought loaf or one from your favorite bakery (I got mine at Boudin SF), which makes it so easy.

Type of Bread to Use

The best kind of bread to use for this recipe is a medium-sized round with a chewy crust. I used a sourdough round, but you can use another type if you prefer. Sometimes you can find bread rounds that are already flavored with garlic or other seasonings, too.

Ingredients

In addition to the bread round you only need a few more ingredients to make the pull-apart bread:

Shredded cheddar cheese
Cooked and chopped bacon
Chopped herbs like fresh parsley or chives

How to Make It

Using a serrated bread knife, cut a checkboard pattern into the surface of the bread, including the sides. Cut into the bread approximately 2/3 of through. Don’t cut all the way through.
Once you’ve made the cuts, pull the ends of the bread sections apart to create space in between them.
Stuff the cheddar cheese and bacon into the spaces between the slices. Be sure to stuff it down into the bread and not just at the top. That way there will be melted cheese through the whole loaf.
Bake the stuffed bread for about 10 minutes at 375°F or until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the chopped over the herbs and serve hot.

Other Ways to Make Pull-Apart Bread

What I love about this easy pull-apart bread is that you can customize it with different ingredients so you can switch it up every time you make one. I love the bacon and cheddar cheese combo, but there are other great flavor combinations to try, too:

One switch you can make with the version I am sharing is to use smoked cheddar cheese instead of regular. Smoked cheddar is delicious with bacon.
Make a hot ham and cheese version with finely diced cooked ham and cheddar cheese.
If you love pizza, try stuffing the bread with chopped pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. You could also use finely crumbled cooked Italian sausage, too.
Or try a meatless version and stuff the bread with nutty Gruyere cheese and chopped fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives.
You could also try an Italian-style version and use a combination of provolone cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese along with some finely chopped fresh basil.

Once you know how to make this easy pull-apart bread there are so many ways to switch up. I’ve also made a sweet version using chocolate so be sure to check out my s’mores pull-bread .