Cob Loaf Recipe

It’s an Aussie fave that screams “retro”, “comfort food” and “party” all at once!

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

This Cob Loaf recipe can be made up in about half an hour and is always a hit at parties or served as a casual meal.

Along with the three dip options, 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 come up with a great flavour combination.

Ingredients for this Cob Loaf recipe

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

• 1 medium cob loaf (approx 500 grams)
• 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).

Including the white wine in this recipe – 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.

Cob Loaf Dip: flavour variations

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

For spinach and cheese cob loaf, you’ll also need frozen spinach and French onion soup mix.

For cheese, ham and chive cob loaf, you’ll also need ham and fresh chives.

How to make up this easy Cob Loaf Recipe

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180 degrees celsius (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 – using the knife and then your hands to pull out 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.

Start making the dip – but set your time 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.

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 mixture is smooth.

Add 2/3 of the chives (for ham or bacon cob loaf) and stir through.

Pour or ladle the mixture into your bread bowl.

Sprinkle remaining grated cheese and chives on top (for ham or bacon cob loaf).

Place into oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Serve with the toasted bread pieces.

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

Recipe FAQs

Q. Wondering where to buy cob loaf?

Most bakeries and some supermarkets will sell a cob loaf, which is a crusty round bread made into one large loaf.

Q. Wondering what to serve with cob loaf?

You serve the cob loaf with the bread pieces made from the top and inside of the cob loaf. You can also add some carrot, celery or other vegetable sticks that can be dipped into the cheesy mixture.

Q. Do you eat the bread “bowl”?

It would be a crime not too!

Q. Can you reheat cob loaf

It’s best served immediately, however I have re-heated the next day covered in alfoil.

Q. Does cob loaf have a bad reputation?

Matt Preston apparently described the filled cob loaf as “tacky and dated”.

But it’s been a favourite for decades for a reason!

Crispy bread, gooey cheese, bacon… how could anyone not love a filled cob?

Q. Do you have other old school recipes like this Cob Loaf Recipe?

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