When you need pillowy soft, savory pull-apart bread that is pretty to look at as well as being out-of-this-world delicious, this is the recipe you want. This easy pull-apart bread recipe produces a beautiful bread flower for your dinner or brunch table or regular dinner or breakfast rolls, whatever mood you are in. The flavor of this herby bread is a nice combination of sweet and savory that will satisfy kids and adults around the table.
You can switch up the fresh herbs and seeds as you wish: basil (as all fresh herbs) tends to become quite mild when baked in the oven while thyme remains stronger and flavorful. Rosemary is another classic, but my kids don’t love it as much as I do so here, I opted for thyme.
If you would like a stronger flavor from the herbs, go for the dried versions and reduce the amount to 1-2 teaspoons, according to your taste. Seeds add that satisfying crunch to the texture and make things a little bit more interesting, as well as adding to the nutritional value.
This is a really easy pull-apart bread recipe that combines all my favorite things about baking: it is easy to make, it is beautiful to look at, it has healthy ingredients and above all – it tastes not just good but great. And knowing that you and whoever you might share the bread with are eating something you made with your own hands from scratch is well worth the time it takes for that yeast to work its magic on the dough. Enjoy what you have created!
Easy pull-apart bread recipe
INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
1 sachet/2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
2 cups regular rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh herb of your choice: basil, thyme or rosemary work well
¼ cup golden syrup (use honey if golden syrup is not available)
¼ cup seeds of your choice: sesame, sunflower and pine nuts work well
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the water to slightly warmer than room temperature, pour the water into a large bowl and add the yeast and rolled oats. Mix well, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 20 minutes in room temperature so that the oats absorb moisture and become soft.
- Add salt, finely chopped herbs, golden syrup/honey, and seeds. Mix to combine.
- Add flour gradually and knead the dough for a couple of minutes.
- Add oil, knead until all of it is incorporated into the dough and it feels soft and even in texture.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and cut into 12 pieces equal in size. Form them into balls or place them into a springform pan to make a pull-apart bread flower. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 40 minutes. Heat oven to 425 F.
- Brush with water and sprinkle tops with sesame seeds, bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.