Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza – Just a Taste

Two of the ultimate comfort food favorites join forces in this recipe for Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza made with homemade or store-bought pizza dough.

A top-down view of Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza slices atop a wood serving board surrounded by small bowls containing marinara sauce, parmesan and fresh herbs

Some decisions are just so easy: Do I want cheesy pizza? Yes. Do I want garlic bread? Absolutely. Do I want Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza? It’s going to be a very definitive YES! I’m all for adding more easy decisions to my life, and so should you.

How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread with Pizza Dough

Bread and pizza dough are essentially identical in their ingredients (water, flour and yeast), but they do differ due to the amount of yeast. You might have noticed that pizza dough just isn’t as elastic (or requires as much proofing) as bread dough, which is due to bread dough having more yeast. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a deliciously cheesy garlic bread with pizza dough. Pizza dough is also an amazing base for cinnamon rolls, pretzel bites and even croutons!

A clear bowl containing garlic butter and mayonnaise mixture topped with shredded mozzarella cheese

The texture of this will skew towards pizza crust obviously, but the garlic bread flavor will be spot-on, thanks to a cheesy compound-butter-esque mix that couldn’t be easier to spread onto the dough. Just 10 minutes of baking the pizza (and a quick 3- to 5-minute broil) will have you in cheesy, garlicky, heaven.

What Can I Add to Pizza Dough for Flavor?

bread flavor by adding garlic powder right into your dough as well. Feel free to use your favorite herbs and spice mixes when when up your store-bought or homemade pizza dough. I’ve even added everything bagel seasoning with great success on breakfast pizza.

Pizza dough topped with garlic cheese mixture atop parchment paper

Outside of mix-ins, I love to baste the crust with butter, sprinkle it with parmesan and top my pizza stone with plenty of cornmeal (in lieu of flour). The cornmeal also has a dual role (outside of adding a nice nutty flavor and crunch): It will very effectively keep your pizza from sticking to the pizza stone.

Can I Substitute Garlic Powder for Fresh Garlic?

Absolutely. In general, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to 1 fresh garlic clove, so you’ll need ½ teaspoon total for this recipe. One thing to be mindful of is that you’re using garlic powder and not garlic salt. So double check those shakers before you get to mixing!

The best Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza on a wood serving board next to a pizza cutter and small bowls containing parmesan cheese, fresh herbs and black pepper

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (See Kelly’s Notes.)
Lightly flour your work surface then roll the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick.
In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, mayonnaise, chives, garlic and black pepper. Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Transfer the pizza dough to the prepared baking sheet then spread the cheese mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
Bake the pizza for 10 minutes then switch the oven to “broil.” Broil the pizza (about 3 inches away from the flame) until it is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly before topping with additional chives, then slicing and serving.