Cheesy Garlic Butter and Herb Star Bread with herbs made using yeast, garlic, and herb cheese. Basted with a garlic butter topping with herbs. Perfect for the Holidays!
This festive bread is made using gournay cheese which is soft and creamy and the perfect cheese to make cheese-stuffed bread.
Ingredients in Garlic Butter and Herb Star Bread
- Warm water- The temperature should be around about 110˚ F for proper proofing. A themometer works great to get the correct temperature.
- Granulated sugar - this helps show that your yeast is active and working!
- Active dry yeast (equal to 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- Aall-purpose flour - spooned and leveled to prevent overpacking the flour in the recipe.
- Baking powder
- Unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pats
- Salt
- Milk
- Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese - if Boursin isn't available near you, Rondele or Aloutte work well, too!
- Parmesan- shredded
- Fresh parsley- chopped
- Butter, softened
- Fresh thyme- chopped
- Egg- beaten
Ingredients for Garlic Butter Topping
- Butter - meltd
- Garlic cloves, minced. A garlic press makes mincing garlic fast and easy.
- Italian seasoning
- Parsley
- Basil
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How to Make Garlic Butter and Herb Star Bread
Prepare the star bread dough- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, stir the warm water and sugar together until dissolved, then stir in the yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. It will become frothy. This is how to tell if your yeast is alive. If using, rapid-rise yeast, it will not become frothy.
Combine the dry ingredients- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture into the stand mixer bowl as well as the butter pats. Blend the cold butter into the flour. As the dough kneads, add in the milk.
Knead the dough and proof- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough forms into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
Make the cheese filling- Meanwhile, combine the Boursin cheese, parsley, butter, thyme, and egg in a small bowl. Mix together until the mixture is smooth. You can also use other brand gournay cheeses with garlic and herb for this recipe. Rondele is a good substitute option.
Make the star shape- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
Pat the dough out to a one-inch thickness and divide the dough in half.
Prepare the baking sheet by lining a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. A pizza pan works well for this as well! Using a rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough into an 11-inch round on a floured surface and transfer to the pan lined with parchment paper.
Spread with the filling, stopping about ½ inch from the edge.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the filling.
Roll out the second piece of dough into an 11-inch round and place it on top of the first. Seal the edges of the circles by hand.
Center the rim of a small drinking glass into the middle of the dough; pressing gently to create a ring in the middle. This will help keep your lines even and the center whole.
Slice 4 cuts into the circle equally spaced apart starting at the 12 ‘o clock mark starting at the center mark and slicing all the way through the edge of the dough.
Slice 4 more cuts equally between the cuts you just made.
Continue slicing evenly between the cuts to create 16 equally cut slices of dough.
Starting at the top of the dough, twist two slices of dough away from each other three times and then pinch the top of the dough to join the pieces and to create a star point.
Repeat the process until all of the bread is twisted and there are 8 twists of dough with 8 points.
Then, proof the dough for an additional 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven and bake the star bread - Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Pinch the edges of the star bread together if needed as proofing the dough may cause the edges to come unattached as the dough continues to rise.
Beat the egg and baste it onto the bread, making sure to get into the nooks and crannies.
Bake until golden brown, about 23 to 36 minutes. Oven times may vary.
Make the Garlic Butter Topping and baste it evenly onto the bread when three minutes are remaining on the timer.
Continue baking the bread for three minutes after basting.
Allow the bread to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving.
If desired, serve with Bread Dipping Oil.
RELATED: Apple Crumb Coffee Cake
Perfect Holiday Bread Recipe
This Christmas Star Bread is perfect not only served at the Christmas dinner table but also at Thanksgiving and even Easter! It's big, beautiful, and delicious which makes it a great addition to any feast!
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Garlic Butter and Herb Star Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Garlic and Herb Cheese Bread
- ½ cup warm water - about 110˚ F
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast - equal to 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter - cut into small pats
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 5 oz package soft Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese - Rondele or Aloutte works well too
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon butter - softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme - finely chopped
- 1 large egg - beaten
Garlic Butter Topping
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1-2 garlic cloves - minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ¼ teaspoon basil
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, stir the warm water and sugar together until dissolved, then stir in the yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the stand mixer bowl as well as the butter pats.
- As the dough kneads, add in the milk.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough forms into a ball.
- Transfer the ball of dough to a greased bowl and cover with a towel.
- Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, combine the Boursin cheese, parsley, butter, thyme, and egg in a small bowl. Mix together until the mixture is smooth.
- Make the Star
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
- Pat the dough out to a one-inch thickness and divide the dough in half.
- Line a rimless baking sheet (a pizza pan works, too!) with parchment paper.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough into an 11-inch round on a floured surface and transfer to the pan.
- Spread with the filling, stopping about ½ inch from the edge.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the filling.
- Roll out the second piece of dough into an 11-inch round and place it on top of the first. Seal the edges of the circles by hand.
- Center the rim of a small drinking glass into the middle of the dough; pressing gently to create a ring in the middle.
- Slice 4 cuts into the circle equally spaced apart starting at the 12 ‘o clock mark from the line that the glass makes all the way to the end of the dough.
- Slice 4 more cuts equally between the cuts you just made.
- Continue slicing evenly between the cuts to create 16 equally cut slices of dough.
- Starting at the top of the dough, twist two slices of dough away from each other three times and then pinch the top of the dough to join the pieces and to create a point.
- Repeat the process until all of the bread is twisted and there are 8 twists of dough with 8 points.
- Proof the dough for an additional 30 minutes.
- Bake the Star Bread
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Pinch the edges of the star bread together if needed as proofing the dough may cause the edges to come unattached as the dough continues to rise.
- Beat the egg and baste it onto the bread, making sure to get into the nooks and crannies.
- Bake until golden brown, about 23 to 36 minutes. Oven times may vary.
- Make the Garlic Butter Topping and baste it evenly onto the bread when three minutes are remaining on the timer.
- Continue baking the bread for three minutes after basting.
- Allow the bread to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving.
- If desired, serve with bread dipping oil.
Garlic Butter Topping
- Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and then stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, and basil.
- Baste the melted mixture onto the bread three minutes before the baking is done.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Tina says
How beautiful! I have never thought about baking bread like a star. Thanks for the detailed instructions on how to do it!