These cheddar cheese rolls are tall dinner rolls that have a lot of flavor. The dough has garlic and herbs with cheddar cheese mixed in. They are topped with a heaping amount of parmesan cheese. They make the best holiday dinner side.
These cheddar cheese rolls were made for a great Thanksgiving side. I wanted something that wasn't just a boring white roll, but instead is full of flavor. These rolls are just that!
The best part of these rolls are the parmesan cheese top. It gives a little crunch!
These savory rolls are perfect for a holiday meal!
If you are looking for more Thanksgiving recipes, try monster cookie cheesecake, cinnamon roll cheesecake, and apple toffee cake.
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Why You Will Love This
- Fluffy dinner rolls- These dinner rolls are so soft and fluffy. They also bake very tall.
- Cheddar cheese rolls- There is cheddar cheese mixed into the roll.
- Parmesan crusted tops- Parmesan is baked right on top to give it a crust.
- Side dish- These rolls are a perfect side.
Ingredient Notes
- Active dry yeast- Active instant yeast is best, but you can use fast rise yeast.
- Milk- Use any type of milk.
- Butter- The butter needs to be slightly cooled before adding. Hot butter can kill the yeast.
- Garlic- I used 2 large garlic cloves.
- Rosemary- Fresh rosemary is best, but dried will work in a pinch.
- Cheddar cheese- I took an 8oz block of medium cheddar and grated it. You could also use sharp cheddar cheese. If you use pre-shredded, then it won't melt as smoothly.
- Parmesan cheese- I used the Kraft parmesan grated cheese found at my grocery store.
- Egg wash- This helps to give the rolls a shiny top.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these cheddar cheese buns. This recipe is to make these in a stand mixer with a dough hook or to be made by hand.
STEP 1: Prepare the ingredients. First, prepare the garlic and rosemary. Then, shred the cheddar cheese.
STEP 2: Mix warm water and yeast together in a small bowl. This allows the yeast to activate. While you wait, heat the butter and the warm milk.
STEP 3: Mix the dry ingredients. Make sure to use a sifter to prevent all-purpose flour lumps. Then, add in the white sugar, salt, garlic, garlic powder, and rosemary into a large bowl.
STEP 4: Add in wet ingredients. Add the rest into the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Then, knead the dough.
STEP 5: Rise. Let the dough rise in a warm oven or just a warm place for 1 hour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
STEP 6: Roll the dough. Roll the dough into 12 balls. I did this by diving into 12 equal pieces using a kitchen scale. Roll the dough balls out on a lightly floured surface like your counter top.
Place in a 9X13- inch pan. Let the cheddar dinner rolls rise for 35 minutes.
STEP 7: Bake the rolls. Brush the egg wash and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top before you bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Baking Tips
These cheesy rolls can be made using a stand mixer with dough hook or by hand. Either way they get kneaded for a full 5 minutes to activate the gluten.
The dough should be slightly tacky, but not a sticky dough.
To get evenly sized rolls, use a kitchen scale. Weigh the dough in grams and divide by 12. For me, the dough rolls needed to be 94-95 grams.
Making The Rolls Ahead Of Time
There are 2 options to make this dough ahead of time.
- Let your dough do the 1st rise in the fridge. Cover and chill overnight. Roll into small rolls, and let rise for 1-2 hours until room temperature. Then, bake.
- Go ahead and bake these rolls. Cover and chill. Allow the rolls to come to room temperature, cover with foil, and bake for 5 minutes or until warm.
FAQ
I don't recommend freezing the dough. Follow the make ahead instructions above.
Yes you can. I did recipe test this with mozzarella cheese, but I liked the taste of cheddar best.
Yes you can. You can make this with just the cheese.
Storing and Freezing
Store these cheddar cheese rolls in an airtight container in the fridge. Store up to 5 days.
Freezing
These rolls can be frozen after they are baked and kept in an airtight container up to 30 days. Thaw for 1 hour before eating. These rolls are best warm.
Other Roll Recipes To Try
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Cheddar Cheese Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Active rise yeast a whole packet.
- ½ cup Warm water warmed to 110°F
- 1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup Medium cheddar cheese grated
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon White granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary chopped and packed into 1 TBSP
- 1 Egg for egg wash
- Grated parmesan for topping the rolls
Instructions
- First, mince the garlic cloves and chop the rosemary. Set aside. Grate the cheddar cheese and set aside.2 Garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary, 1 cup Medium cheddar cheese
- Place warm water in a bowl and pour the yeast on top. Let sit for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate. Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool. Warm the milk in the microwave and let it sit 'til 110°F.2 ¼ teaspoon Active rise yeast, ½ cup Warm water, 1 cup Milk, 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour. Add in sugar, salt, garlic powder, garlic cloves, and rosemary. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.4 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon White granulated sugar, ½ tablespoon Salt, 2 Garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary
- Pour in water/yeast, butter, milk, butter, and cheddar cheese. For a stand mixer with a dough hook: Mix on low until a dough is forming, then knead for 5 minutes. By hand: Use a rubber spatula to mix the dough until it is hard to do. Switch to your hand to mix the dough together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.2 ¼ teaspoon Active rise yeast, ½ cup Warm water, 1 cup Milk, 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter, 1 cup Medium cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 200°F. Spray a large mixing bowl with non-stick spray. Form the dough into a ball and place into the mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and place in the oven. Turn off the oven and prop open the door. Let rise for 1 hour.
- The dough will rise a lot. Punch the dough down. Separate the dough into 12 balls. Pinch the bottoms into the middle. Then roll the dough by placing it on the counter, cup your hand over the dough ball and roll until smooth.
- Place rolls in a 9X13 pan sprayed with baking non-stick spray. Cover with a towel and let rise at room temperature for 35 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush and brush the rolls with a light layer. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of each roll. Sprinkle as much as you want.1 Egg, Grated parmesan
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The rolls are done baking when golden in color on top. Let cool slightly and serve.
madi says
i added butter to the top instead of parmesan and it turned out great.
Mel says
My husband made these for me and they turned out so delicious!
Eileen Rutherford says
Just came out of the oven and the house smells divine. Easy to follow directions for the perfect dinner rolls.
Ted says
I love these rolls so much. They are perfectly soft, buttery and addicting. I ate way too many. Send help.