Description
This Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread recipe features soft, fluffy buns filled with a savory, slightly sweet cream cheese filling, complemented by a rich garlic butter topping. A popular Korean street food, it skillfully balances sweet and salty flavors, making it a perfect snack, appetizer, or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Soft Buns
- 2 large soft buns (brioche or hamburger style)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz (½ block) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of cayenne powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onion (scallions)
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Garlic Butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted melted butter (omit sea salt if using salted butter)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons grated mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Buns: Using a sharp serrated knife, make slits in each bun about three-quarters of the way down without cutting all the way through. Depending on the bun size, divide into 6 or 8 sections. Set aside.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sea salt, granulated sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne powder, chopped parsley, and sliced green onions. Mix well until evenly incorporated. Add Greek yogurt and mix until smooth. Transfer this mixture into a piping bag and set aside.
- Prepare Garlic Butter: In a small bowl large enough to hold the bun, mix melted butter, sea salt, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and egg white until combined.
- Assemble Filling: Carefully pipe the cream cheese filling into each slit of the buns, dividing it evenly. Finish by adding a small dollop of filling in the center of each bun.
- Dip and Season: Dip the tops of the filled buns into the garlic butter mixture, ensuring they are well coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the tops of the buns.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Serve warm for the best texture and flavor experience.
Notes
- If you don’t have a piping bag, a food-safe plastic bag with a corner cut off or a spatula to spread the filling works well.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; avoid freezing to preserve texture.
- Reheat in the microwave for 30-40 seconds; note the cream cheese filling may ooze slightly when reheated.
- Use unsalted butter for the garlic butter to control saltiness precisely; if using salted butter, omit additional sea salt.
- Feel free to swap mozzarella cheese with Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano for varied flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 567 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: Korean cream cheese garlic bread, Korean garlic bread recipe, cream cheese buns, Korean street food, garlic butter bread, soft buns with cream cheese
