The North Woods Inn holds a special place in many hearts, and their garlic cheese bread is the stuff of legends. This isn’t just any garlic bread, it’s a rich, gooey masterpiece that combines sharp cheddar and Romano cheeses with aromatic garlic and a hint of paprika. What makes this recipe special is the creamy cheese spread that melts into every crevice of the thick-sliced French bread, creating the perfect balance of a crispy exterior and a gooey interior.
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Why This Recipe Works
The secret to authentic North Woods Inn garlic cheese bread lies in the technique used for the cheese spread. By combining grated cheeses with softened butter and seasonings, you create a mixture that spreads evenly and melts uniformly. The addition of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco adds depth without overwhelming heat, while Hungarian sweet paprika provides both color and subtle smokiness.
Ingredients
For the Garlic Cheese Spread:
- Grated Cheddar cheese – Provides sharp, tangy flavor and excellent melting properties
- Grated Romano cheese – Adds nutty, salty notes and helps create the signature taste
- Butter – Creates a creamy texture and helps bind the mixture
- Garlic powder – Delivers consistent garlic flavor throughout
- Hungarian sweet paprika – Adds mild smoky flavor and beautiful color
- Tabasco sauce – Provides subtle heat and tang
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds umami depth and complexity
For Assembly:
- French or sourdough bread – Thick-sliced for optimal texture and absorption
How to Make North Woods Inn Garlic Cheese Bread
- Combine all ingredients except the bread with a mixer or food processor.
- Spread the cheese mixture on the bread slices.
- Place the cheese-covered slices on a baking sheet.
- Lightly sprinkle sweet paprika over the cheese bread.
- Broil until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
- You can wrap the garlic cheese bread in foil to keep warm.
Chef’s Notes
The key to perfect North Woods Inn garlic cheese bread is maintaining the right temperature. The cheese spread should be at room temperature for easy spreading, and careful monitoring during broiling prevents burning. The original recipe creates a large batch of spread, which can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover cheese spread in airtight containers for up to 14 days. Prepared bread should be consumed within 2 days.
- Reheating Method: Reheat bread slices in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted. Avoid microwaving as it can make bread soggy.
- Freezing: Cheese spread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
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North Woods Inn Garlic Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cheddar cheese grated
- 2 ounces Romano cheese grated
- 1 1/2 pounds butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika plus more for sprinkling
- 4 drops Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 loaves French or sourdough bread sliced ½ inch thick
Instructions
- Use an electric mixer or food processor to combine all the ingredients except for the bread.
- Spread the resulting cheese mixture generously over each slice of bread. Place them on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with sweet paprika.
- Broil until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Wrap the garlic cheese bread in foil to keep warm.
This isn’t even close to the recipe of Northwoods Inn cheese spread. I’ve read most of the recipes for this that people post and most all of you have the same recipe/ingredients. And no one at all has gotten the whipped texture of their margarine spread. I live maybe a 1000 feet from one of the Northwoods Inns, I think all the time of going over there and asking about the whipped texture, but I know they wouldn’t say.
Been obsessed with this bread (and their cabbage salad) for decades. This recipe is close. Can’t vouch for the quantities as haven’t tried this recipe (just looking for authentic ingredients.) Clearman’s do not use butter, but margarine. It is whipped to acquire the light, fluffy texture. There are methods for this found on the internet. They use sourdough bread, which they used to sell at the restaurant in San Gabriel along with the spread. It was not thick sliced, just good quality. Also, tabasco sauce is not listed on the container of spread that can be purchased at some markets in Southern California. The purchased spread also does not have large shreds of cheddar, so maybe use smaller holes of a grater. I loved to put their cabbage salad on the cheese bread. What a treat! I’ve perfected that recipe too!
This taste just like the clearmans original cheese spread. I buy. 1 container cost almost $8 and I made 3 containers same size with this recipe. Thanks for the great recipe.
I use to eat at he NorthWoods Inn , in Southern California all the time. I always ordered the Red Cabbage salad and cheese bread. I am sorry to say this recipe for the cheese bread isn’t even in the ball park.
Look for Bill’s bleu cheese dressing recipe (switch the mayo and sour cream measurements); make that, toss with iceberg lettuce and serve with that red cabbage recipe listed here. Pretty identical.
I’ll try this butter mixture but I tried one before that wasn’t even close and was so disappointed. We usually have to bring a bunch back in our checked luggage when we go for a visit and then store in our freezer. 🙁
Not sure who this alleged former employee is, but he’s dead wrong about the ingredients in this recipe. I have a container of Clearman’s spread in my fridge. Those ingredients are *quite* different.
This recipe may yield tasty bread, but it’s not even close to Clearman’s.
I too have the spread as well, and sorry to say it too is not close as to what you actually get at Northwoods Inn. So I am going to try this recipe and we will see..
So, someone finally got one of Clearman’s recepies correct. The cheese bread recepie above is correct, although it is missing the “key fact” that you must use non-enriched, regular sliced (not thick – apx. 1/4″ thick) hearty italian or french bread in order for it to come out right. I worked at the Covina location for 4 years, and except for the actual amounts of each ingredient, I know for sure the list of ingredients is correct. I prefer more Romano and a bit more tobasco, but that’s just my tatse.
Any chance you could recreate the creamy blue cheese salad dressing for us? I would be most grateful. I moved to WA and miss that so much
Would love the blue cheese and red cabbage salad recipes! We moved out of the area and don’t get back to “The Woods” often enough!
The Red Cabbage recipe is really easy. My husband says this is spot on!.
The Red Cabbage of the Northwoods Inn
Active Work Time and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours standing
1/2 head red cabbage, cored
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Shred the cabbage so it is irregular, with some fine and some coarse shreds, and place in a large nonaluminum bowl.
Combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, pepper and onion powder. Add to the cabbage and mix well.
Cover the salad and let stand several hours to allow the flavors to mellow and the cabbage to achieve a deep red color.
6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 148 calories; 887 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.67 gram fiber.
Finally! Someone, In this case Jim Fehr, told us the bread. I’ve seen so many recipes calling for 1/2″ thick bread or thicker and, given I visit Northwoods for salad and bread every couple of weeks, know it’s thinner. 1/4″ thick non-enriched hearty Italian or French bread. Which do they use, Italian or French?
It is important to whip the butter until it is very light. This is a great recipe, but the picture looks nothing like how the actual finished result is (at the restaurant or when made at home).