Sourdough cheese and garlic cob loaf dip is a warm, bubbly appetizer made with a round sourdough loaf filled with creamy cheese, garlic, and herbs, then baked until golden. It uses simple ingredients and comes together in under an hour. This is THE sourdough recipe you need when you're entertaining! I first created this recipe for my son's graduation party and it was an absolute hit, so I decided I should definitely share it!

A sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip topped with fresh herbs and surrounded by toasted bread pieces for dipping.

If you're looking for more sourdough recipes for entertaining, you might also love my sourdough Ritz crackers, sourdough whole wheat crackers, or my sourdough dinner rolls, which are all great for dipping in this cheesy dip.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Everyone Will Ask For The Recipe! - Creamy cheese, garlic, herbs, and warm sourdough are flavors everyone loves. I always get asked for this recipe when I serve it at gatherings.

Great Use For Sourdough - The loaf becomes both the bowl and the dipper, which means less washing up and more reason to bake a good sourdough boule or two!

Easy But Impressive - It looks like you’ve gone to a lot of effort, but the process is simple and forgiving. Perfect for when you want something that feels special without stress.

Dipping a piece of bread into a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip to show creamy texture.

Ingredients

Sourdough Boule - I've used a round sourdough loaf that has been made using my simple sourdough bread recipe but you could also use a round sourdough discard loaf too.
Garlic - I've used a combination of fresh garlic and garlic granules for this recipe.
Cream Cheese - Use a block of cream cheese softened at room temperature. I don't recommend using the whipped cream cheese.
Sour Cream - I recommend full fat sour cream for the creamiest result.
Cheese - I've used a combination of mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese, but you can use a combination of cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, pretty much any cheese you like to eat.
Onion Powder
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Herbs - I've used fresh chives, sage and flat leaf parsley in the actual dip and then garnished with fresh chives.
Butter and Olive Oil

How to Make A Sourdough Cob Loaf Dip

Place your round sourdough loaf on a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut a neat circle out of the top, removing the "lid". Pull out the soft bread from the centre, tearing it into bite-sized chunks, and set the pieces aside for dipping later. Rub the inside of the hollowed out loaf with a clove of garlic and set this aside while you make the dip.

Two photos to show how to make a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip including how to cut the sourdough loaf into a bread bowl and chopping the inside of the bread into pieces.

At this stage, you'll also want to preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Making the Dip

Before you start making the dip, prepare the garlic butter mixture and set aside as you'll need this when you fill the loaf.

Add the softened cream cheese and sour cream to a medium sized saucepan and melt over medium heat, whisking to combine.

Whisking sour cream and cream cheese in a saucepan to make a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip.

Once the cream cheese and sour cream is combined, add the shredded mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic granules, onion powder, salt and pepper and whisk until the cheese is melted and the mixture is starting to bubble. Stir through the fresh herbs.

Two photos to show mixing the cheese mixture and adding fresh herbs to the saucepan to make a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip.

Pour the hot dip into the sourdough loaf.

Using a pastry brush, brush the garlic butter all around the outside of the loaf, ensuring you cover every surface. You can pour any leftover garlic butter mixture over the top of the dip.

Two photos to show adding cheese mixture into a bread bowl, brushing a butter olive oil mixture on the outside and topping with fresh herbs to bake a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip.

Grate some fresh parmesan over the top and bake the sourdough cobb loaf for around 20 to 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F). You want the dip to be golden and bubbling when you remove it from the oven.

While the dip is baking, chop up the lid you took off the loaf into cubes and arrange on a baking tray with the soft pieces of bread you removed from the middle of the loaf. If you're expecting a crowd, it's a good idea to chop up some extra bread cubes too. Drizzle these bread cubes in olive oil and salt (a little garlic powder is nice too). Bake these in the oven while the dip is cooking to make them all golden and toasted.

Toasting sourdough bread pieces on a baking sheet to eat with a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip.

Remove everything from the oven oven and place the sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip into the centre of a serving platter, arranging the toasted sourdough bread cubes around it.

Sprinkle the dip with fresh chives and serve while warm.

Adding toasted bread to a serving plate with a sourdough cheese and garlic cobb loaf dip for serving.

Kate's Recipe Tip

When making this dip, I always chop up a second sourdough loaf to ensure there's enough bread for dipping. I usually have a few in the freezer for this purpose. If you don't want to use extra bread, you can serve this dip with crackers and veggie sticks.

How to Store + Freeze

This dip is best served warm and fresh from the oven. If it sits out for a short time while serving, it will stay safe and delicious, just a little less gooey, a bit like this beer cheese dip.

I don't recommend storing, freezing or reheating this dip after it's been sitting out. Any excess dip that won't fit into the cobb loaf can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheated for up to 2 days.