The Key To Getting Ultra Crispy Edges On Your Garlic Bread

Whether you're making it from scratch, ordering it at a restaurant, or taking it out of the freezer, garlic bread can be a real treat. There's just something satisfying about butter and garlic spread on a warm piece of bread. While you can elevate the flavor with a bit of lemon zest like Ina Garten does, or with a dash of hot sauce à la Guy Fieri, garlic bread in its simplest form can be just as delicious. 

If you want the butter and garlic to shine, altering the texture of the bread can transform your recipe. Why settle for garlic bread that's either crunchy or soft when you can have it both ways? Food blog Inspired Taste shares that it's pretty easy to achieve. Start by wrapping your garlic bread in foil or parchment paper. Place it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the butter is fully melted. Then remove the foil, put it back in the oven with the buttered sides facing up, and let the tops crisp.

As long as you have garlic, butter, and bread, you can technically make garlic bread, but remember that not all bread is the same. Some are softer, chewier, or denser than others. The good news is if you want your garlic bread to be crisp on the outside but soft on the inside, you aren't limited to one type of bread. As creator Danlicious Food demonstrated in a YouTube video, you can even use slices of sandwich bread. 

When working with a loaf or a piece of less-crusty bread, put it under the broiler for the last few minutes until it starts to brown, rather than just baking the bread uncovered. For even softer bread, the same principle applies, and CrunchyCreamySweet recommends spreading the bread with a butter-and-olive-oil combo to help the surface get crispy. Even if all you have is store-bought garlic bread, it's easy to ramp up the crispiness with the right oven settings — just let the butter melt first, then increase the heat.