Caramelized Onion Garlic Bread Twist

Name: Caramelized Onion Garlic Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 145 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 teaspoon white sugar; 1 1/4 cups almond milk (any milk works, warmed to 100°F/38°C); 1 teaspoon salt; 3 cups all purpose flour; 2 yellow onions (sweet onions will work, chopped); 4 garlic cloves (minced); 1/2 cup vegan butter (regular butter works too, softened); 2 teaspoon dried chives (double the amount if using fresh); 1 teaspoon dried parsley (double the amount if using fresh); 1 tablespoon olive oil

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Caramelized Onion Garlic Bread | This easy recipe features layers of soft buttery bread with caramelized onion and a burst of garlic in every bite! My easy garlic bread twist is perfect to serve with soup, pasta, or a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Caramelized onion garlic bread on a wooden board.

This easy caramelized onion garlic bread recipe is simple to make and results in a flavourful, pillowy bread twist. Caramelized onion bread features an easy yeast dough spread with sweet caramelized onion and garlic butter, twisted and baked to buttery perfection.

This easy garlic onion bread recipe is one of the best breads that you can make at home.

Everyone loves garlic bread, it’s pure comfort food. Soft dough slathered with savoury garlic butter. But how about adding some caramelized onion into the mix? Nothing beats this delicious caramelized onion garlic bread! The edges of the loaf get crispy and golden while the inside remains soft and pillowy.

The best part about making this onion garlic bread is the buttery bread layers! That caramelized onion butter is so delicious, with sweet caramelized onion and a hint of herbs. I do dried chives and parsley, but you could even do thyme and rosemary.

How to Make Caramelized Onion Butter

The caramelized onion butter is made by mixing butter with caramelized onions, fresh garlic, and dried herbs. It’s a super versatile butter and you can use it beyond this caramelized onion bread recipe.

You could spread it on regular bread and bake it in the oven, like regular garlic bread, to make caramelized onion toast.

Caramelized onion garlic bread sliced on a wooden board.

How to make a caramelized onion garlic twist

First, proof the yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. You could mix the dough by hand instead too.

Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add the flour and salt. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until a smooth tacky ball forms. Lower the speed to medium low and mix for 4-5 minutes, until you can press the dough and it bounces back into place without sticking to your finger.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it almost doubles in size.

While it’s rising, caramelize the onions. This requires cooking them over medium low heat, and deglazing the pan with water. The whole process takes 30-40 minutes. Once they’re cooled, mix with butter, garlic and dried herbs.

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch in thickness. I like to roll it out on a baking mat for ease.

Making the twist loaf is the fun part! Spread the dough with the butter and roll it up like you would for cinnamon buns. Pinch the seam closed, and cut the log in half the long way, leaving an inch at the top. Turn the 2 strands so the layers are facing upward, then twist them together. Tuck the top and bottom into the middle to create an S shape.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°F/180°C. The edges should be browned and crisp, and the inner part should look soft and fluffy.

How long does it take to caramelize onion?

Caramelizing onions results in a rich brown colour and sweet caramelized flavour. It can take 20-45 minutes, depending on how dark you want them and what kind of pan you use.

I recommend cast iron or stainless steel, as they retain heat well and produce the best caramelized onions.

The caramelizing process involves cooking the onions until they’re translucent and starting to brown, then letting them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. They’ll start to brown more and stick to the bottom of the pan.

This is the fun part, deglazing the pan. I use a few tablespoons of water (some people use stock or wine) and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The water will evaporate after a couple of minutes.

Repeat the process of letting the onions cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, and then deglazing them, for about 30 minutes, until the onions are a deep brown colour and sweet tasting.

Ingredients

More about the ingredients in this recipe. The exact measurements are below.

Active dry yeast, milk, sugar- Active dry yeast needs to be proofed! The milk (I use almond milk) should be warm, about 100°F/38°C.
All purpose flour and salt- For the bread dough. Salt is a must for flavour!
Yellow onions- They provide a nice sweet onion-y flavour when caramelized.
Garlic cloves- I recommend using fresh garlic but jarred garlic also works.
Dried chives and parsley- For some freshness in the butter. You could use fresh herbs instead, about double the amount called for of dried.
Butter- I use vegan butter. Make sure it’s softened so it’s easy to mix!
Oil for cooking onions.

Substitutions

Instead of yellow onions, sweet onions can be used. They are sweeter than yellow onions.
For herbs, you can use any kind that you like. Thyme and rosemary would be delicious. You could add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the onions too.

Instructions

Dice the onion into about 1 cm pieces. I recommend dicing instead of having to bite through strands of onion.

First, add the warmed milk, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the dough attachment. Stir it, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it’s foamy. Then add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until it forms a tacky ball.

Mix on medium low for 4-5 more minutes, until a smooth ball forms and the dough bounces back when you press it. The dough shouldn’t stick to your finger. Coat the dough in oil, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and set aside somewhere warm to rise for 1-1.5 hours.

Start cooking the onions over medium low heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until they start to brown. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let the onions cook undisturbed for 3-4 more minutes.

Add another splash of water to deglaze the pan when the onions start sticking to the bottom. Scrape up all the browned bits. Continue this process until they reach a deep brown colour, about 30 minutes.

Let the onions cool and mix with the butter, garlic, and dried herbs.

Dough rectangle spread with onion garlic butter.

Once the dough has risen, place it onto parchment paper or a baking pat, and roll it out to a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly sprinkle flour on the dough if your rolling pin sticks. Spread the dough with the butter, leaving an inch border on one of the longer sides to pinch the seam closed.

Dough spread with onion garlic butter being rolled into a log.

Roll the dough up as you would for cinnamon buns. Roll it towards the side you left unbuttered, and pinch the seam closed.

Two strands of dough layered with onion garlic butter.

Turn the loaf over, seam side down. Cut the loaf in half the long way, leaving 1 inch at the top. Turn the 2 strands so that the layers are facing upward.

Caramelized onion garlic bread twist on a baking mat.

Twist the strands together and tuck both ends until the middle so the loaf looks like an S. Transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet, and cover the twist with greased plastic wrap. Let it rise for 30 minutes.

Now you can preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be crispy and brown, and the inside soft and pillowy.

Top down view of caramelized onion garlic bread on a wooden board.

Tips for making an onion and garlic twist

Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot. Put it in the oven (an unused one) with the light on, to provide warmth.
Caramelizing the onions takes time! Cook on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until they’re a deep brown colour.
Softened butter is easiest for mixing.
Assemble the loaf on a baking mat or parchment paper, so you can easily lift it on to the baking sheet.

What to serve with onion garlic bread

Serve the garlic loaf with a pot of soup! Try my easy Lima Bean Soup or Carrot Lentil Soup. Bread and pasta are also a classic pairing!

Dip the bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar or bread dipping oil.

This garlic bread twist is a great appetizer when having friends or family over!

If you’re looking for more easy bread recipes, try my Vegan Bagels or Vegan Bannock.

Storage

Store the bread in a large sealable plastic bag, or wrap it in plastic wrap. To reheat, microwave a single portion until heated through, or lightly sprinkle with water and bake at 350 until warm. The water will help it retain moisture and be soft.

Sliced caramelized onion garlic bread on a wooden board.

FAQ’s

How long does it take to caramelize onions?

Caramelizing onions can take anywhere from 20-45 minutes. Cook the onions over medium low heat and deglaze the pan every 5 minutes to get a deep brown colour and caramelized flavour.

Can I make caramelized onion garlic bread ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Allow to rise at room temperature before assembling the bread twist.

Disclosure: This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Caramelized onion garlic bread with black text.

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