Pizza Pull Apart Bread

This pizza bread is the bomb y'all! It combines soft pillowy bread with all of the flavors of a pizza; cheese, pepperoni, and sauce... Yum!

This pizza bread is the perfect appetizer or meal and is great served with dipping sauces like ranch or a garlic butter.

Trust me, you need to make this for your Football weekend!

For the Bread:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (or one packet) active dry yeast
1/3 cup whole milk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, room temp

For the Topping;
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together TWO cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, 6 Tablespoons butter, and heat over medium-low until the butter is melted and small bubbles start to form. Remove from heat and stir in the water, cool the mixture to 125 degrees.
3. Pour the milk/butter mixture into the stand mixer with the flour/yeast and attach your dough hook. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, kneading in between each addition until the eggs are fully incorporated. 
4. Add in a 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour, kneading on low speed until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup of flour and mix until the dough comes together but is still soft and sticky. 
5. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on top. Knead 5-6 times just until the dough forms a smooth ball. 
6. Lightly grease a bowl with vegetable oil, coating all sides of the dough, and stash in a warm, dry place, for one hour or until doubled in size. 
7. Gently punch down the dough and turn on to yet another lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a rectangle that is approximately 20" by 11", trim the edges as necessary to make the rectangle. Brush the rectangle with the sauce, sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese, and top evenly with the pepperoni.

Cut the rectangle (width wise) into 5 equal strips. Cut each strip into 4 smaller squares, there should be 20 total, and stack them on top of one another.

Grease a 9x5" loaf pan and place the stacked squares in the center, leaving a little room on either side.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to proof for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the proofed bread for 15 minutes. While the bread is baking, combine the garlic and melted butter. When the time is up, brush the top of the bread with the butter-garlic mixture and place back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes or until golden.

Remove the bread and allow it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Pull apart and enjoy!

*recipe adapted from justataste.com