Healthy Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread Recipe

Emma came home from his friend's house last Saturday talking nonstop about "this amazing bread thing" they got at the Korean bakery downtown. He tried describing it with his hands, making these dramatic gestures about how it was "soft and garlicky and had cream cheese inside but also sweet?" I had no idea what he meant until I drove to that bakery the next day and bought one. One bite and I got it. This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread is like nothing you've had before soft, pillowy milk bread sliced and stuffed with sweet cream cheese, slathered in garlic butter, and baked until golden.

A cheesy Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread on a plate, golden brown and garnished with herbs, with dipping bowls in the background.

Why I Love This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

This Korean cream cheese garlic bread hits every craving I have for something comforting and a little different. The Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread stays soft and pillowy even after baking, not crispy like Italian garlic bread. That cream cheese filling gets warm and melty, with just enough sweetness from the condensed milk to balance all the savory garlic butter. When you pull a piece apart, you get these long stretchy cheese pulls that make Emma literally gasp with excitement. The garlic butter soaks into every cut and crevice, and the top gets just golden enough to have a slight crunch. It's sweet, savory, garlicky, creamy, and completely addictive all at once.

Jump to:

Why I Love This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Ingredients You'll Need For Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
How To Make Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread Step By Step
Equipment For Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Tasty Twists on Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Smart Swaps for Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
Storing Your Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
The Flavor My Mom Never Shared (Until Now)
Top Tip
FAQ
Sweet, Savory, and Totally Addictive!
Related
Pairing
Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Ingredients You'll Need For Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

For the Bread:

1 loaf soft bread
Or 6-8 individual soft dinner rolls

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Garlic Butter:

½ cup unsalted butter, melted
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

For Topping:

Shredded mozzarella cheese
Extra parsley for garnish
Sesame seeds

Optional Add-ins:

Green onions instead of parsley
Honey drizzle
Red pepper flakes
Grated parmesan

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread Step By Step

Prep the Bread:

Preheat oven to 350°F
Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Cut bread in a crosshatch pattern
Make cuts about 1 inch apart
Place on prepared baking sheet

Hands scoring a round loaf of bread dough with a knife on a floured baking tray, preparing it for baking.

Make the Fillings:

Beat softened cream cheese until smooth
Mix in condensed milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla
In separate bowl, mix melted butter with garlic, parsley, sugar, and salt
Keep both mixtures ready

Stuff and Bake:

Let cool 5 minutes before serving
Spoon cream cheese mixture into the cuts
Use a butter knife to really push it down
Brush garlic butter all over the top and into cuts
Sprinkle with mozzarella if using
Bake 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbly

A close-up of pull-apart garlic bread with gooey melted cheese stretching as a piece is lifted, topped with parsley and garlic butter.

Equipment For Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Baking sheet (rimmed is best)
Parchment paper or foil
Sharp serrated knife (for cutting bread)
Medium mixing bowl (for cream cheese)
Small bowl (for garlic butter)
Pastry brush or spoon (for spreading butter)
Butter knife (for stuffing cream cheese)

Tasty Twists on Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Air Fryer Version:

Prep bread exactly the same way
Air fry at 320°F for 10-12 minutes
Check halfway through
Gets extra crispy on edges
Perfect for smaller batches

Pizza Style:

Add pepperoni between cuts
Mix marinara into cream cheese
Top with extra mozzarella
Bake until cheese bubbles
Emma calls this "pizza bread"

Dessert Version:

Skip the garlic entirely
Add cinnamon to cream cheese filling
Drizzle with honey after baking
Dust with powdered sugar
Tastes like cinnamon rolls

Spicy Korean Style:

Mix gochugaru into cream cheese
Add minced jalapeños
Brush with gochujang butter
Top with sesame seeds
Sweet, spicy, garlicky perfection

Smart Swaps for Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Healthier Options:

Reduced-fat cream cheese → Full-fat (less creamy but works)
Regular milk → Condensed milk (less sweet)
Whole wheat rolls → White bread (heartier texture)
Less butter → Full amount (still tasty, less rich)

Dietary Needs:

Vegan cream cheese → Regular cream cheese (dairy-free)
Plant-based butter → Regular butter (vegan option)
Gluten-free bread → Regular bread (celiac-safe)
Dairy-free condensed milk → Regular (coconut-based works)

Bread Options:

Brioche → Hawaiian rolls (richer, more buttery)
Dinner rolls → Loaf bread (individual servings)
Texas toast → Soft bread (thicker slices)
Milk bread → Any soft bread (most authentic)

Flavor Twists:

Everything bagel seasoning → Plain (extra flavor)
Garlic powder → Fresh garlic (easier, less punchy)
Honey → Condensed milk (floral sweetness)
Green onions → Parsley (more Korean-style)

Storing Your Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Refrigerator (2-3 days):

Store in airtight container once cooled
Or wrap tightly in foil
Reheat in 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes
Or air fryer at 300°F for 5 minutes
Microwave makes it soggy (don't do it)

Freezer (1 month):

Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap
Then wrap in foil
Thaw at room temperature
Reheat in oven until warm
Cream cheese texture changes slightly

Make-Ahead Tips:

Prep bread with fillings up to 4 hours ahead
Cover and refrigerate unbaked
Bake right before serving
Takes same amount of time
Tastes freshly made

Best Serving Practice:

Loses that pull-apart magic when cold
Serve warm, not hot
Let cool 5 minutes after baking
Cream cheese needs time to set
Best eaten within 2 hours of baking

A round loaf of garlic bread cut into sections and topped with melted cheese, minced garlic, and parsley, placed on a wooden board.

The Flavor My Mom Never Shared (Until Now)

My mom has never been one for trendy foods. She's a meat-and-potatoes person who thinks "fusion food" is just confused cooking. So when I showed her this Korean cream cheese garlic bread last Christmas, I expected her to wrinkle her nose and politely pass. Instead, she took one bite, got really quiet, and said "Huh. This reminds me of something." Turns out, back in the 1980s when she was in college, she had a roommate from Seoul who used to make something similar with leftover dinner rolls and whatever was in the fridge.

They'd sweeten cream cheese with honey instead of condensed milk, add way more garlic than seemed reasonable, and bake it until the tops were almost burnt. They'd eat it at midnight while studying, and my mom said it was the only thing that got her through finals week. She never asked for the recipe because back then you didn't really think about writing down your roommate's late-night study snacks. They lost touch after graduation, and she just forgot about it for 40 years.

Top Tip

Back making this at least 25 times, here's what makes the difference between good and amazing. First, your cream cheese needs to be really, really soft. Not just room temperature, but actually soft enough that you can stir it with a spoon easily. I've tried making this with cold cream cheese straight from the fridge and it was a lumpy nightmare that wouldn't mix smooth or spread into the cuts.

Now I take it out at least an hour before I start, or I microwave it for 10 seconds if I'm impatient. Also, don't be shy with the cream cheese filling. Really stuff it down into those cuts with a butter knife or your fingers. The first time I made this, I barely put any in and it all melted out during baking. You want those pockets full.When you're cutting the bread, use a gentle sawing motion and don't press down hard or you'll squish it.

Cut down about three-quarters of the way through, leaving the bottom intact so the whole loaf stays together. I ruined my first loaf by cutting all the way through and ending up with individual cubes that fell apart. Also, make your cuts close together about 1 inch apart in both directions. Too far apart and you don't get enough filling in each bite.

FAQ

What is Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread?

It's a Korean bakery trend that took off a few years ago and became wildly popular. Instead of the crispy Italian-style garlic bread we're used to, this version uses super soft milk bread that's sliced in a crosshatch pattern, stuffed with sweetened cream cheese filling, and brushed with garlic butter before baking. The key difference is that sweet element the cream cheese is mixed with condensed milk and sugar, so you get this amazing sweet-savory combo.

Is Mama Bella's garlic bread being discontinued?

I honestly have no idea about Mama Bella's specific products I'm not super plugged into commercial bread news. But if you're looking for good garlic bread and can't find your usual brand, this Korean version is so easy to make at home that you don't really need store-bought. Just grab some Hawaiian rolls and you're halfway there.

Is cream cheese good on garlic bread?

Yes! But it depends on how you do it. Plain Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread would be weird and kind of bland. But when you sweeten the cream cheese with condensed milk like they do in this Korean style, it becomes something completely different. That sweetness balances the savory garlic butter perfectly.

Why do Koreans put sugar on garlic bread?

Korean bakery items tend to be less savory and more balanced between sweet and savory than Western baked goods. Adding sugar to the garlic butter creates this caramelized, slightly sweet coating that complements the sweet cream cheese filling. It's not enough sugar to make it taste like dessert, just enough to round out the flavors and add complexity.

Sweet, Savory, and Totally Addictive!

Now you have all the tricks to make perfect Korean cream cheese garlic bread from stuffing that sweet cream cheese deep into the cuts to brushing garlic butter everywhere it can reach. This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread recipe proves that the best food trends are worth the hype. Just soft bread, cream cheese, garlic butter, and a little sweetness that changes everything.

Craving more comfort food mashups? Try our The Best Pesto Grilled Cheese Recipe for Italian flavors meeting classic comfort food. Need the perfect side for dinner? Our Healthy Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Recipe brings heat and cheese to any meal. Looking for quick breakfast treats? Our Delicious Chocolate Croissants In Less Than 10 Minutes delivers bakery-quality pastries without the work!

Share your Korean garlic bread creations! We love seeing your golden, gooey, pull-apart masterpieces!

Rate this Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread and join our bread-loving community!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these: