Korean Garlic Bread With Cream Cheese - Korean Garlic Bread is one of my favourite sides. It is so soft, fluffy, creamy, golden and full of delicious garlicky cheese flavour. We have an option for ready made brioche rolls or a recipe to make your own delicious softer then soft milk (Hokkaido) bread rolls for this divine garlic bread. If you are looking for more Korean recipes, why not try Korean Egg Drop Sandwich with Beef Bulgogi or Korean Egg Drop Sandwich with Sweet Mayo.
What is Korean Garlic Bread?
This is a very popular Korean (South Korea) street food recipe that has been trending for the past year. In this recipe, a star shape is cut into Burger sized Buns.
These act as pull apart wedges (The buns are not cut all the way through), and are packed full of cream cheese. They are then dunked in a garlic herb butter.
Crispy and golden on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside, this Korean Garlic Bread just melts in your mouth and you are seriously left wanting more!
Ever since I laid my eyes on these buns, I knew that I was going to have to make them. This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread recipe lived up to all my expectations! It is SO SO Good!
Also known as six sided garlic bread, this is the BEST GARLIC BREAD EVER and trust me when i say, this is about to become your favourite garlic bread recipe. Who needs classic garlic bread?
It is called keurimchijeu maneul ppang in Korea, meaning Cream Cheese Garlic Bread.
What is Korean Garlic Butter?
Korean Garlic Butter is more of a custard. The addition of egg, cream or milk thickens the butter and also gives it a thick creamy consistency.
ingredients needed for Korean Garlic Bread
This cream cheese garlic bread recipe required simple ingredients and you will want to make it time and time again!
Butter
Plenty of softened butter is melted to create the most luscious garlic butter.
Softened butter will get into all the little nooks and crannies flavouring the bread throughout.
Buns
I like to either buy super soft Brioche buns from any major supermarket or use the bun recipe above for super soft buns.
Cream Cheese
Softened cream cheese is added to give that melt in the mouth feel to this bread.
This can be lightly sweetened to create a smooth and slightly sweet filling.
I add a pinch of icing sugar to the cream cheese to sweeten it. This can be piped os spread into and on top of the bread.
Milk or Cream
To make a creamy garlic butter which spreads a little further.
You can use Sour or Double Cream/Heavy Cream and add some Japanese or regular Mayonnaise. This along with the eggs gives the filling a more custard like feel.
Eggs
This thickens the garlic butter and makes it creamier and more like a custard filling.
Sugar
To lightly sweeten the garlic butter.
Garlic
Crushed or use a paste. You need a lot of Garlic in this recipe. I would suggest taste testing the butter and adjusting to your preference.
Parmesan Cheese
This is added to the garlic butter but you can sprinkle it over the top. You can also use Grana Padana.
Dry Parsley
Parlsey adds colour and flavour. You can also add Oregano and Thyme.
Salt
This will help to balance the flavours of the butter.
How to make Korean Garlic Cheese Bread
Slice the top of the bun/s (store brought room temperature buns or make your own Milk Buns) into a star shape (6 - 8 wedges), without cutting all the way through.
Combine cream cheese with sugar. Fill the buns with softened cream cheese mixture.
Tips for making Korean Garlic Cream Cheese Bread
Garlic -
In this recipe I recommend crushed Garlic/frozen crushed Garlic/Garlic Paste/or knife crushed/finely sliced Garlic rather then grated garlic.
If you do wish to use a microplane like I do when making a curry, I would recommend cooking it in the butter over low heat for 3 minutes first to dissolve some of the very strong flavour.
Garlic Butter
You can use reusable piping bags or snip the corner of a ziplock bag to fill the cream cheese into the buns. It is much neater!
Make sure that the rolls are completely dunked and coated all over in the garlic butter mixture for maximum flavour.
Bread
Don’t cut the bread rolls all the way through.
You will be cutting the bread into wedges that can be pulled open rather then into individual pieces. The roll itself needs to stay intact.
If you are in a rush, use store brought brioche buns that are 5 inches wide.
Storage for korean garlic bread recipe
The baked buns keep well wrapped in cling film for up to a week in the fridge. Or store in an airtight container.
How to freeze Korean Garlic Bread
Yes they freeze really well! Wrap them in cling film and freeze for up to 1 month.
How to reheat
From the fridge - you can either place under the grill for 2 minutes or place on a lined tray and bake in a preheated oven for about 6 minutes at 180 C/Gas Mark 4/350 F.
From the freezer - Bake at 180 C/ gas Mark 4/ 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.
Just keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t colouring too much. If they are, cover the tops with foil.
Variations
Milk - The milk in this recipe can be replaced with double cream, sour cream, evaporated milk or condensed milk.
Mayo - You can add 1 tablespoon mayo into the garlic butter to make it rich, thick and creamy. Japanese (Kewpie Mayo) would be a great choice here.
Honey - The sugar can be replaced with honey.
Cheese - You can use whatever cheese you like for the bread.
Breadcrumbs - You can add Panko Breadcrumbs on top before baking.
FAQS
What does Korean Garlic Cheese Bread taste like?
This popular Korean street food is a twist on garlic bread.It is slightly sweet and savoury.
The bread itself is extremely soft and the flavour is of a rich sweet garlic butter.
The texture is soft and creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
What makes Korean garlic bread different to Garlic bread?
Standard Garlic Bread is made by making a Garlic Butter using crush Garlic, Melted Butter, Salt, Cheese (sometimes), and Dry herbs such as Parsley.
Regular garlic bread is typically made with regular bread slices or entire baguettes or ciabatta.
It is entirely savoury and has a strong garlic flavour. It can be served as a side dish or appetiser, but rarely as a main dish. The bread is usually a baguette or flat bread. It is then baked for 5 minutes.
Korean Garlic Bread is made by cutting into round buns to create 6 - 8 wedges and filling with softened Cream Cheese and dunking the entire bread in a butter made with Garlic, Milk, Sugar, Egg, Parmesan, dry Parsley and Salt.
Unlike regular garlic bread, the Korean version is a combination of sweet and savoury.
Although it can be served as an appetiser, it’s mostly eaten as a snack between main meals.
Do i have to make my own bread for this recipe?
I brought Brioche Buns for this recipe. I also tried it with a soft bread roll and I prefer the Brioche version. You can, if you prefer make your own bread rolls.
For super squishy bread dough made using the tangzhoug method, you can make either these Burger Buns or these Milk Buns (dinner rolls).
Why use Hokkaido/Milk Bread?
Hokkaido bread is a soft and fluffy bread that originated in the Hokkaido region of Japan. It is usually sweeter then bread in the UK.
The Tangzhoug method is the Mandarin name for the Yudane method but there are differences between the 2.
This method uses a roux made with flour and water or milk or a combination of the two. These are cooked till thickened, cooled and mixed into the dough making for super soft bread which lasts longer.
The Yudane method uses liquid and flour in a ratio of 8:1 whereas the Tangzhoug method uses liquid in a ration of 5:1.
More Bread Recipes:
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Korean Garlic Bread With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 Burger sized Buns I used Brioche
- 250 g Cream Cheese Softened
- Large Pinch Icing Sugar
Garlic Butter
- 200 g Butter Melted
- 50 g Milk or Evaporated Milk, Sour Cream or Double Cream
- 1 Egg
- 25 g Sugar or Honey
- 16 cloves Garlic Crushed or 3 tablespoon Garlic Paste/Garlic Cubes
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese Grated or Grana Padana
- 3 flat tsp Dry Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Slice buns into a star shape (8 wedges), without cutting all the way through.
- Combine cream cheese and icing sugaring a bowl and mix till combined. Fill the buns with the sweetened softened cream cheese leaving enough to add a little extra on top of the buns at the end.
- Make the butter by combining all the ingredients listed under Garlic Butter in a large pot. Place over medium flame for 1 minute to combine and whisk together.
- Dunk the buns into the garlic butter.
- Add more cream cheese in the middle of the bun.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/Gas Mark 4 for 25 minutes.
Ora says
Simple and delicious recipe. A big hit with the family. The kids said, "11/10, this recipe is a keeper."
Safira says
Thank you so much for your feedback. So glad you and the kids enjoyed it! 🙂
farhana197022 says
OMG these were amazing. I used ready brioche buns from M&S and they were so good!!!
Safira says
Glad to hear that you liked them. I use the same buns too when I make these. It makes life so much easier!
Blue says
Can I use another cheese instead of cream cheese?
Safira says
Hi
It does need to be Cream Cheese in this recipe. I imagine that Mascarpone would work well but I haven't tried it. x