Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread {Easy Recipe}

Little Caesars Italian cheese bread is cheesy comfort food at its best! Soft, fluffy bread is loaded with hot, melty cheese and perfectly seasoned with herbs. It’s a quick and easy snack and dinner side that you’ll crave again and again.

What is Little Caesars Italian cheese bread?

Little Caesars Italian cheese bread is a thick, yeasty bread with crispy edges, covered with cheese and topped with Italian spices. It’s like a cross between a deep-dish pizza and cheesy garlic bread.

If you’re looking for a copycat Italian cheese bread recipe, you’re in the right place. My homemade version bursts with flavor and cheesy goodness and tastes exactly as if it came from a restaurant.

I love, love, love this Italian cheesy bread. There’s nothing better than snatching and devouring one of these cheese bread sticks. I would honestly eat it with every meal and be totally fine.

It’s the only cheese bread recipe you’ll ever need. I hope you and your family will enjoy it as much as mine!

Ingredients

This Little Caesars Italian cheese bread recipe is super easy to put together and starts with a seriously simple ingredient lineup. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the fixed amounts.

Bread Dough

• Flour: All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the bread and provides structure.
• Instant yeast lets the dough rise at a quicker pace.
• Olive oil makes the bread richer. You can also use canola oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil.
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon of sugar is needed to help the yeast rise.
• Salt to season the bread.
• Water softens the dough and adjusts the texture.

Cheese topping

• Cheese: I used a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. They melt together and fill each bite with cheesy deliciousness.
• Italian seasoning adds an herbal pop of flavor. It’s an herb mix that usually consists of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.

How to make Little Caesars Italian cheese bread

This Little Caesars Italian cheese bread is SO good! It’s always a huge hit and will not last long. Watch how easy Italian herb and cheese bread comes together with these simple steps:

#1 Step: Preheat oven

• Preheat the oven to 200°F / 100°C / gas mark 1/2 and turn it off after 10 minutes.

#2 Step: Make dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast until evenly combined.
• Pour the lukewarm water and 2 tablespoons olive oil into the flour mixture.
• Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until smooth and well combined for 5 to 10 minutes.

#3 Step: Let dough rise

• Pour the 1 tablespoons olive oil over the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap (cling film). Let the dough rise in the warm, turned-off oven for 20 minutes.

#4 Step: Bake bread

• While the dough rises, line a 9 in x 13 in baking dish with foil and grease with 1 tablespoon olive oil. The foil makes it easy to transfer the baked cheese bread out of the pan.
• Using your hands, press the risen dough into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top of the dough. Season with Italian seasoning.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4. Bake the bread until the cheese topping has melted and looks golden brown, for 10 to 15 minutes.

#5 Step: Cut into sticks

• Transfer the hot cheese bread out of the pan and let it cool briefly.
• Then cut it into 12 rectangles.
• Serve the cheese bread sticks immediately. Enjoy!

Helpful tips

I have several tips that will set you up for perfectly yummy cheese bread sticks. Let’s go over them!

• Yeast: Active dry yeast works best here. You want to make sure your yeast is fresh. The bread might turn out dense and flat if you use old yeast.
• Lukewarm water: The water should be warm to activate the yeast.
• Proofing the yeast: To proof the yeast, simply add the water and sugar. You can tell good yeast when you see foam after dissolving it in the mixture. If it doesn’t foam, discard the yeast – your cheese bread will not rise.
• Rising the dough: For a quick rise, turn the oven to 200°F / 100°C / gas mark 1/2. Once that temperature is reached, turn the oven off and let the dough rise in the warm oven.
• Oil the bowl: When letting the dough rise, brush the bowl with a bit of oil. This will prevent the dough from sticking.
• Go with your favorite cheese: Any melty cheese will work well in this recipe. Mozzarella, asiago, provolone, and Romano cheese are great options.
• Grate your own cheese: Freshly shredded cheese melts better and creates a creamier, more flavorful cheese topping.

Variations

This recipe for Little Caesars Italian cheese bread is a regular staple in my home because it’s so versatile! It’s a great canvas for countless topping options. Here are some ways how you can introduce unique flavors to your homemade Italian cheese bread:

• Garlic butter sauce: Melt 3 tablespoons butter and stir in 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves. Using a pastry brush, brush over the freshly baked bread.
• Pepperoni:  Prepare the cheese bread as indicated in the recipe. Then top with pepperoni slices and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake until crispy and golden brown.
• Veggie: If you are a fan of veggies, top your Italian cheese bread with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and olives. Spinach, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts are delicious too!
• Supreme: For a supreme pizza-style topping, cover the bread with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onion, and green peppers.
• Hawaiian: Top the cheese bread with smoky ham + pineapple chunks and bake.
• Pizza: To turn the Little Caesar bread into a Detroit-style deep-dish pizza, spoon 1/2 cup pizza sauce of the dough after pressing it into the baking pan. Top with cheese and bake until done.

Shortcuts

• Readymade pizza dough: Instead of preparing the bread dough from scratch, buy pre-made pizza dough. Stuff it into a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake as indicated in the recipe instructions.
• Bread: You can spread the cheese herb mixture on baked bread too. French loaf, Italian bread, and flatbread will turn it into a tasty appetizer or snack.
• Pre-grated cheese: Using pre-grated cheese is another way to save time with this recipe. A mix of shredded mozzarella and parmesan or Italian cheese mix are tasty options.

Serving suggestions

This Italian cheese bread recipe is utterly delicious, and you can enjoy it with practically anything. It pairs well with a multitude of dishes and can even be a snack or appetizer if you want it to.

It’s an excellent side for all kinds of pasta and Italian food like fettuccine alfredo, stuffed shells, or gnocchi bake. Even a simple plate of meatballs with marinara sauce goes with cheese bread.

Little Caesars Italian cheese bread is great for dunking into soups or stews. My favorite combination is pumpkin soup, curried zucchini soup, and this delicious chunky chicken noodle soup.

If you’re looking for something a little lighter, toss a cheese breadstick on the side of a fresh green salad or roasted veggies. We love it with spinach caprese salad and Tuscan tortellini salad.

Storage & reheating

How to store Italian cheese bread

If you are lucky to have leftovers, I have some pointers on how to store Little Caesars Italian cheese bread to keep it fresh for the next day.

• Room temperature: Cheese bread can sit out at room temperature for serving, but not longer than 2 to 3 hours.
• Refrigerator: Let the bread cool completely. Then cover leftover Italian cheese bread with plastic wrap (cling film) or foil, keeping slices separated with wax (sandwich) paper. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

How do you reheat Little Caesars Italian cheese bread?

To reheat cold cheese bread, preheat your oven to broil. Arrange the cheese bread on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes.

Alternately, use a microwave to warm up the cheese bread in 20-second intervals. Be careful not to overheat the microwave, or the bread might end up overcooked and dry.

To reheat frozen cheese bread, preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4. Place the bread on a piece of foil, a baking sheet, or directly on the rack for crispier bread and bake for about 10 minutes.

Can I freeze Italian cheese bread?

Yes! After the bread has cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap (cling film) and place it in a large freezer bag. You can also freeze individual slices. Wrap each portion to fully seal and put them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Reasons to love Italian cheese bread

• Cheesy goodness: Each bite is absolutely cheesy and filled with ooey-gooey deliciousness, you won’t be able to stop at one slice.
• Great appetizer, snack, and side: The bread serves well as an appetizer or snack and makes a great side for mac and cheese and pasta dishes. Try it with salmon pasta or this creamy mac and cheese.
• Simple ingredients: Basic pantry and fridge staples make this Little Caesars cheese bread recipe a success.
• Freezer-friendly: You can whip up a double batch of this cheesy bread and freeze one batch to enjoy later.

FAQ

What is the best yeast for cheese bread?

High active yeast works best when making Little Caesars Italian cheese bread. Traditional yeast takes longer to rise compared to high active yeast.

What is the best flour for Little Caesars Italian cheese bread?

Although bread flour is often used for bread and this type of bread, I recommend all-purpose flour for this Little Caesars Italian cheese bread recipe.

Why didn’t my cheese bread rise?

Many variables can influence the rise of yeast bread. To start, your yeast may be old and expired, and not functioning properly. If your liquid were cold when mixing the dough could be another reason.

Or there may not have been enough time for the bread to rise. If you are baking yeast bread in winter, you may need a little more to proof the dough since it’s colder.

More cheesy bread recipes

Cheesy bread is the absolute best! They make delicious pasta sides, appetizers, and snacks. Try some of your other bread ideas! My family goes crazy over these and they are so easy to whip up.

• Olive Oil Garlic Bread
• Hot Dog Bun Garlic Bread
• English Muffin Garlic Bread
• Mayo Garlic Bread