15 mins Garlic Butter Cheese Toast
If you love garlic bread and melted cheese, this recipe is something you’ll probably end up making again and again. It’s simple, quick, and incredibly satisfying. Imagine crispy golden toast on top, buttery garlic flavour soaked into every cut, and stretchy mozzarella hiding inside.
This toast is a little different from a normal cheese toastie. Instead of leaving the bread whole, we cut the top slice into a 9-square grid before cooking. This makes the toast easy to pull apart and also allows the garlic butter to seep into the cuts, giving every piece more flavour.
The bottom slice stays uncut, which acts like a base to hold all the melted cheese inside. That way, the cheese melts beautifully without leaking everywhere in the air fryer.
It’s the kind of snack that works for almost any situation — quick breakfast, afternoon snack, late-night craving, or something fun to share with friends. It also looks amazing when you pull the squares apart and see the cheese stretch.
The best part? You only need a few ingredients and about 5 minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients
- 30g butter
- 1tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4tsp salt
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the garlic butter
Place 30g butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the butter is fully melted.
Add 1tbsp minced garlic and 1/4tsp salt to the melted butter. Stir well until everything is evenly combined and the garlic is coated in the butter.
❤️ Tip: If your garlic smells very strong, you can microwave the butter and garlic together for 10–15 seconds after mixing. This slightly cooks the garlic and gives the butter a milder flavour.
2. Prepare the cheese layer
Place 1 slice white sandwich bread on a chopping board or plate. Spread 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bread.
You want a generous layer of cheese so it melts nicely and creates that stretchy cheese pull. However, try to keep the cheese slightly inside the edges of the bread so it doesn’t spill out too much during cooking.
3. Assemble the sandwich
Place the second slice of white sandwich bread directly on top of the cheese layer.
Press down gently so the bread sticks slightly to the cheese. This makes it easier to cut in the next step.
4. Cut into a 9-square grid
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the sandwich into a 3 × 3 grid, creating 9 small squares.
Important: Cut through the top slice and the cheese layer, and lightly score the bottom slice of bread, but do NOT cut all the way through the base. The bottom slice should stay intact so it can hold the melted cheese inside while still creating cut lines that make the toast easy to tear into squares later.
❤️ Tip: Use a gentle sawing motion with the knife instead of pressing straight down. This helps you avoid cutting through the bottom slice by accident.
5. Spread the garlic butter on top
Use a spoon or pastry brush to spread the garlic butter mixture evenly across the top surface of the bread.
Make sure some of the butter goes into the cut lines between the squares, as this helps flavour the inside of the toast and makes those edges extra crispy.
6. Air fry the toast
Place the prepared toast carefully into the air fryer basket.
Cook at 180°C for 5 minutes until the top becomes golden and slightly crispy and the cheese inside is fully melted.
❤️ Tip: Every air fryer cooks slightly differently. If the toast isn’t golden enough after 5 minutes, cook it for another 1–2 minutes.
7. Cool slightly and serve
Carefully remove the toast from the air fryer and let it rest for 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp parsley for garnish.
Once it cools slightly, gently pull apart the squares and enjoy the stretchy melted cheese inside.
Extra Tips
1. Extra cheesy
Add 1tbsp grated parmesan into the 1 cup shredded mozzarella for extra savoury flavour.
2. Garlic flavour boost
Add 1/2tsp chilli flakes into the 1 cup shredded ham for gentle heat.
3. Parmesan topping
Mix 1/4tsp garlic powder into the 4 eggs before coating for subtle garlic flavour.
4. Spicy version
Add 1/4tsp chilli flakes to the garlic butter mixture for a gentle spicy kick.
5. Extra crispy top
Lightly spray the top with oil spray before air frying to help the bread become more golden and crispy.
Garlic Butter Cheese Toast
Ingredients
- 30 g butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic butter: Place 30g butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fully melted. Add 1tbsp minced garlic and 1/4tsp salt, then stir until well combined.
- Prepare the cheese layer: Place 1 slice white sandwich bread on a board and spread 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bread.
- Assemble the sandwich: Place 1 slice white sandwich bread on top of the 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese layer and press gently so the bread sticks slightly to the cheese.
- Cut into a 9-square grid: Using a sharp knife, cut the sandwich into a 3 × 3 grid to create 9 squares. Cut through the top slice and the cheese layer and lightly score the bottom slice, but do not cut all the way through the bottom slice of bread.
- Spread the garlic butter on top: Spread the prepared 30g butter, 1tbsp minced garlic and 1/4tsp salt garlic butter mixture evenly over the top slice of bread, allowing some butter to run into the cut lines.
- Air fry the toast: Place the prepared toast into the air fryer basket and cook at 180°C for 5 minutes until golden and the 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese inside is melted.
- Cool slightly and serve: Remove the toast from the air fryer and rest for 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp parsley for garnish, and then pull apart the squares and serve.
Notes
- Extra cheesy: Add extra mozzarella on top of the 1–1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese layer before placing the second slice of bread if you want an even stronger cheese pull.
- Garlic flavour boost: Add 1/4tsp garlic powder into the 30g butter, 1tbsp minced garlic and 1/4tsp salt garlic butter mixture for deeper garlic flavour.
- Parmesan topping: Sprinkle 1tbsp grated parmesan on top of the garlic butter before air frying for a nutty savoury crust.
- Spicy version: Add 1/4tsp chilli flakes to the garlic butter mixture for gentle heat.
- Extra crispy top: Lightly spray the top with oil spray before air frying to help the bread become more golden and crispy.
