Cob Loaf Recipe

This Cob Loaf Recipe comes with three popular dip options - cheese, ham and chive, cheese and bacon and spinach and cheese.

You'll love this Aussie fave that screams "retro", "comfort food" and "party" all at once!

This party starter recipe can easily be made up in about half an hour and is always a hit. Take it to a party or serve it as a casual meal. You can't beat a Friday night in with a cob and glass of something special!

Jump to:

• Why this recipe is the only one you'll need
• Ingredients
• How to make this easy Cob Loaf Recipe
• Recipe FAQs
• Match it with
• Cob Loaf Recipe

Why this recipe is the only one you'll need

This recipe includes three popular dip options:

• cheese, ham and chive
• cheese and bacon
• spinach and cheese.

The base recipe includes a special ingredient that you don't often see in cob loaf recipes – keep reading to discover what it is and how it takes this popular snacking dish to a whole new level.

It's also extremely versatile. You can also get creative and start substituting to come up with your own delicious cob loaf creation! Let me know in the comments below if you discover a great flavour combination.

Ingredients

To make up this recipe you'll need these basic ingredients to start:

• 1 medium cob loaf (approx 500 grams) (most bakeries and some supermarkets will sell a cob loaf, which is a crusty round bread made into one large loaf)
• small onion
• olive oil
• cream cheese
• thickened cream (heavy cream)
• sour cream
• grated cheese (a mixture of cheddar and pizza cheese works best)
• white wine (preferably dry, but I sometimes use Moscato which often tends to be open in my fridge and it works just fine).

SECRET INGREDIENT: Yes, the white wine is the special ingredient I mentioned above. Including it – an idea I borrowed from Swiss cheese fondue recipes – really makes this one of the best Cob Loaf Recipes you'll find. The white wine helps to balance the flavours and elevates the cheesy dip to the next level.

Additional ingredients for flavour variations

For cheese and bacon cob loaf, you'll also need shortcut bacon rashers and fresh chives.

Fancy spinach and cheese cob loaf? You'll also need frozen spinach and French onion soup mix.

Finally, for cheese, ham and chive cob loaf, you'll also need ham and fresh chives.

How to make this easy Cob Loaf Recipe

Prepping

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180 degrees celsius / 355 degrees fahrenheit (fan-forced) or equivalent.

Using a large bread knife, slice the top off the cob loaf, about 4cm from the top, and cut into pieces. These bread pieces will be used to serve with the cob loaf – you'll be dipping these into the cheesy mixture.

Next, cut out the centre of the loaf. Use the knife and then your hands to pull out the bread until you have a 1-2cm thick bread "bowl".

Tear or roughly chop the inside bread into pieces.

Add these bread pieces to the pieces from the top of the cob loaf, place on a baking tray and place into your heating oven for about 10 minutes to toast.

Making the dip

TIP: Start making the dip – but set your timer so you remember to take the bread pieces out of the oven once they're toasted.

Make the dip by adding the olive oil to a frying pan and cooking the onion and ham/bacon/spinach for a few minutes over medium heat.

Add the white wine and cook for 30 seconds.

Next, add sour and thickened creams (and french onion soup for spinach and cheese cob loaf) and heat for one minute over low heat.

Add the cream cheese and 1 cup of the grated cheese and and stir until the mixture is smooth.

Add ⅔ of the chives (for ham or bacon cob loaf) and stir through.

Filling the bread bowl

Pour or ladle the mixture into your bread bowl.

Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and chives on top.

Baking

Place into oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Serving

Serve immediately with the toasted bread pieces.

You can also add other things, such as carrot and celery sticks, which go well with the dip.

Recipe FAQs

So many! Start with the bread recipes or the Aussie collection. The old-fashioned slices are also popular.

Match it with

Make it a real party by also serving one of these sweet treats: