Everything bagel pull apart bread is fun to make, delicious to eat, and will have you coming back time and time again. Savory monkey bread at its everything bagel best!
Um…so usually this is the part of the blog where I tell you a lighthearted childhood anecdote, or otherwise let you into some corner of my life. One, because blogs are inherently a bit narcissistic and two, because I think the more you know about me, the better the recipes will taste. I realize that’s entirely made up, but I believe it just the same. But today is a little different because I cannot waste valuable blog real estate (blogestate?) on how when I was five my mom took me on a canoe trip in Minnesota and we got lost and ran aground and had to be rescued after dark and I witnessed the first real panic from an adult in my life, ever. No, that is another story for another time.
Today is all about this EVERYTHING BAGEL PULL APART BREAD!
Get a good look. Basted in garlicky butter, it’s covered in the savory seasonings of an everything bagel. Inside you’ll find a buttery, slightly sweet, incredibly plush interior, and just when you think it can’t get any better you hit the CREAM CHEESE CENTER. And if that description didn’t make you drool (even just a little), then you may need to seek out a blog about cats, or auto repair or something, because maybe food isn’t really your thing.
Need more brunch worthy options? Try these out:
- Pumpkin Brown Sugar Babka
- Orange Almond Breakfast Buns
- Healthy Whole Grain Pancakes
- Baked Peanut Butter Donuts with Dark Chocolate Glaze
- Apple Cheddar Dutch Baby Pancake
- Charred Corn and Poblano Frittata
And don’t forget to subscribe (at the top right) to my monthly newsletter for sneak peeks and super, secret, members-only recipes. Thanks so much and enjoy all the carbs!
PrintEverything Bagel Pull Apart Bread
This is a teensy bit consuming (like don’t start it on a Tuesday at 6PM), but it’s great for a Saturday or Sunday because it’s actually pretty fun to make. I think kids would really be into the rolling and stuffing bit of the recipe and of course who doesn’t like to sprinkle everything bagel seasoning haphazardly all over puffy bread dough?
- Prep Time: 45 Minutes (plus 3 hours of rising time)
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
2 ½ C all purpose flour
1 C lukewarm water
1 T honey
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp active dry or rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
6 ounces cream cheese
2 T of Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
1 egg
2 T melted butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Measure the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Combine the water, honey, oil and yeast and let sit for five minutes or until the yeast starts to foam.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix on low speed for five minutes. The dough should be just a little sticky.
Turn the mixer off and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Add the salt and mix on medium for six minutes.
Remove dough from mixer and work into a rough ball with your hands. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for two hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, being gentle and trying not to work it too much. Pat into a rectangle and divide into 36 equal portions. (Somehow my math was wrong and I got 35…not sure how that happened).
Take a portion of dough and flatten into a disc like…thing. Place about a rough teaspoon of cream cheese in the center. Pinch the dough together to full encase the cream cheese, rolling each one in your hands to shape into balls.
Repeat with each dough portion.
Arrange in a greased cast iron skillet (10 inch) or baking dish (8X8).
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour or until puffed and crowding the pan.
Beat the egg with 1 tsp of water and brush the tops of the dough lightly with the egg wash. Then generously sprinkle on the seasoning.
Bake for 40 minutes. The tops will be a deep, golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread (in case you were curious) will hit 195° F.
Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and salt. Brush evenly over the top of the baked bread.
Let bread stand for 15 minutes, then loosen from the pan with a spatula, and remove to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge (although we finished ours in about 12 hours).
For best results, reheat any chilled leftovers in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Or if you’re like me just wolf it down in front of the open refrigerator door because 10-20 seconds is way too long to not have this in your mouth.
Keywords: everything bagel pull apart bread, pull apart bread, bread for brunch
I love Everything Bagels! A while back, I picked up some Everything Bagel seasoning from Costco, and haven’t known what to use it for. So I think I will try it as the seasoning for these (especially since we don’t have a Trader Joe’s)!
Cherryl,
I’m glad to know they have a version at Costco too! Let me know how they turn out. I also love sprinkling the seasoning on deviled eggs and avocado toast, if you’re into either of those situations.
Ummmm this is my dream food? Definitely making for brunch asap!!
It is super dreamy 😍😍😍
This recipe looks delicious! Question though, I don’t have a hand mixer. Is there anything I could use instead of that?
★★★★★
Hi Josabeth,
You can definitely mix this entire dough with a wooden spoon at first and then finish kneading with lightly oiled hands. You are looking for the dough to be relatively smooth and a little bit sticky.
Perfect thank you! I’ll make sure to tag you on IG when I attempt to make it! Haha
★★★★★
This looks awesome! Could you make the dough the night before and keep in the fridge overnight? Looking forward to trying this!
Hi Sam,
Thanks so much. Yes you totally can. I would either make the dough and put it in the fridge overnight. Then assemble, let rise again and bake the next day. Or assemble the whole thing and pop it in the fridge covered with plastic. Then give it a couple hours to come up to room temp the next day before baking.
I made these and they were great! Wanting to make them for thanksgiving and wanted to co firm it would be ok if I assembled everything (cream cheese and all- basically everything is done and they are ready to go in oven) store in fridge over night and bake them the next morning?
Maura,
So glad you like them! Yes, totally make it all ahead and the day of just let it come up to room temp and do a final rise (2ish hours) before baking.
Just made this and it’s to die for. Will definitely be making this again. Was worth the work!
★★★★★
Ryn,
I’m so glad you liked it. It’s one of my faves!
It was so tasty, my friends loved it! Would make again
★★★★★
Marikay,
I’m so glad! It’s one of my faves.
This is so good! It took half a day to make but so worth it! I tested it today to make sure it would work out for me for Christmas Eve appetizer!!!!
★★★★★
Hi Cartie,
It is a bit of time committment I know, but I’m glad you thought it was worth the effort!
I don’t have a stand mixer with a hook, is there something else I can do?
Meagan,
No problem. You can definitely mix this entire dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula at first and then finish kneading with lightly oiled hands. You are looking for the dough to be relatively smooth and a little bit sticky. It will take longer (about 3-4 more minutes of kneading) than if using the stand mixer. Feel free to use a light dusting of flour if you need to, but try to keep it to a minimum.
Happy holidays!
Should be able to convert the dough recipe to bread machine using the dough cycle. I will try
JD,
I haven’t used a bread machine for this, so I’d be interested to hear how yours turned out!
Do you have to fill them with cream cheese?
Laurie,
No of course not. But they may bake a little faster if not filled so I’d start checking on them about five minutes earlier than the recipe calls for.
Jo
Well this just brightened a rough day of “sheltering at home”!! It is DELICIOUS!! Also, my three year old son loved helping roll up the little balls. This recipe was a God send!
★★★★★
Melissa,
I’m so glad you and your son liked it. It’s one of my all time faves!
Delicious. As others said, time consuming but worth it!
★★★★★
Totally true, not a fast recipe, but glad you enjoyed it!
Mmm this looks delish! Question though, I can’t have honey. Do you think there’s something I could substitute for it in the dough?
Melanie,
So sorry for the late reply! Maple syrup or brown sugar would both make great subs for honey here.
Jo
Can this be frozen? If made without cream cheese? If so, how would you recommend wrapping it and thawing it? Thanks!
★★★★★
Laura,
It can totally be frozen. I would bake it fully without cream cheese (probably dial back on the baking time by 5 minutes or so). Let it cool completely. Then wrap tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Then pop it in a freezer zip top bag and stash it in the fridge. Defrost overnight in the fridge (still in the bag) and then reheat in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
I made this yesterday and didn’t realize the time commitment until I had already started. My oven has a proof cycle and it took less than an 45 minutes for dough to double in size and once I shaped rolls only about 20 for them to proof again. This is an awesome recipe, my family loved it.
★★★★★
Can you make the dough the night before and refrigerate over night, to make it first thing in the morning?
Michelle,
Yes definitely. I would take it out about an hour before you want to bake it.
Enjoy!
I love this recipe and have played around with the fillings and toppings. Do you know how I could make this ahead and freeze it? How would I deal with it if pulling out of freezer to bake?
★★★★★
Crystal, I’m so glad you like the recipe – it’s one of my faves. I would fill and assemble in a metal pan. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. I’d defrost the whole thing in the fridge the day before you want to bake. Let it sit at room temp for an hour or so before baking.
I’ve made this a few times and played with the fillings. Do you have suggestions on how to make this ahead of time and freeze it ,and pull it out and bake it at a later time?
★★★★★
I don’t have a dough hook, I will have to do it by hand. Do I knead for the same times mentioned?
Stacy,
Similar times, but possibly a little longer – Look more for visual cues like the dough springing back when you press with your finger and also that it begins to feel soft and smooth.
This looks delicious! I wonder if I could make it with refrigerated pizza dough to save some time. Also, my daughter is allergic to eggs. Could I just leave off the egg wash or what would you recommend instead?
Amanda,
Definitely feel free to use refrigerated pizza dough – excellent time saver. Also you can skip the egg wash in favor and instead brush with butter before baking instead of after. Enjoy!
I’m looking forward to trying this. A colleague beat me to it and said they were delicious. I’m curious about why the salt is added so late, unlike typical breads I’ve made. Have you tried adding it earlier with a noticeable difference in flavor and/or texture? I can feel myself wanting to take this shortcut but I don’t want to sacrifice the tastiness of the recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Hey Beth,
The salt is added a little later in the process because salt inhibits the growth and activity of the yeast. So by waiting , you’re giving the yeast a chance to get going before adding the salt. You can add it all at once, but the rise will take longer. Hope you enjoy!
I made this & it was gone before I could blink. I did make smaller pieces so more people could have them but that’s the only thing I did differently. I highly recommend. Yes, it was a lengthy process but this kind of thing often is. It wasn’t difficult, it just took time. I will absolutely make this again.
★★★★★
Kapri,
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a bit of time, but I think so worth it.
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe! I just made it for the third time. Everyone just gobbles them up because they’re so delicious, and then asks me for the recipe. They are a little time consuming to make so allow yourself plenty of time.
★★★★★