These easy cheese rolls are irresistibly soft, cheesy and simple to make. This homemade recipe is budget-friendly and perfect for lunchboxes, dinners and snacks — you’ll find yourself making it often.
When I pack lunches for my kids I try to keep things interesting, but there is one thing they happily eat again and again: cheese buns from a local bakery. They are delicious, but expensive and not always convenient to buy. So I developed this homemade cheese rolls recipe that captures the same soft, cheesy goodness at a fraction of the cost. After a few rounds of testing and tweaking the cheese and seasoning amounts, I landed on a version that’s easy and reliable.
Ingredients for Homemade Cheese Rolls
The recipe uses simple pantry staples plus plenty of cheddar. Nothing fancy — just straightforward ingredients that come together into a tender, cheesy roll.
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 3 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing
How to Make These Cheese Rolls
If you have made cinnamon rolls from scratch before, this process will feel familiar: warm milk, activating yeast, mixing, kneading, two rises and rolling with a cheesy filling. If you’re new to working with yeast, don’t worry — this recipe is forgiving and well explained below.
- Warm the milk. Heat milk in a small saucepan or microwave (about 45 seconds on high) until warm but not hot — aim for roughly 105–110°F (40–43°C). Too hot will kill the yeast. In a mixing bowl combine the warm milk, yeast and sugar. Whisk briefly, then cover with a clean cloth and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, turn mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, then add 1/4 cup of the softened butter broken into pieces. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit uneven. Add 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 tsp salt and mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook, then add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour gradually. Knead on medium for 4–5 minutes; if dough sticks to the bowl add flour a tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the sides. When dough is smooth, add 1 cup shredded cheddar and mix another minute.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and roll into a roughly 12″ x 16″ rectangle. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle on the remaining cheddar and the Italian seasoning (or oregano), garlic powder, onion powder and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
- Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces and arrange them spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a 9×13″ pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap or foil and let rise again for 1–2 hours until puffy.
- Bake at 350°F. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls 20–25 minutes until the center no longer looks doughy and the edges are lightly golden. For softer tops, cover with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking, then remove the foil for the final 10 minutes so the rolls finish cooking without over-browning. Remove from oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These rolls are best fresh and warm, but they store very well. Once cooled, place any extras in an airtight container or resealable bag. At room temperature they stay soft for 2–3 days.
Freezing: Bake a full batch, then freeze half for later. Freeze in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm covered with foil in a 250°F oven for about 10 minutes before serving.
Lunchboxes: These cheese rolls are perfect for lunchboxes in place of a sandwich or as a side — they travel and reheat nicely.
Overnight Method
To break the process into two days, complete the recipe up through slicing the rolls and placing them on the baking sheet (step 5). Cover them tightly and refrigerate for up to 12 hours (no longer than 16). About two hours before baking, remove the rolls from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature, still covered, until they rise. Then bake as directed.
What to Serve with Cheese Rolls
These rolls are delicious on their own, but they also pair beautifully with warm soups, stews or a meat and cheese board. Serve them as a dinner roll at a holiday meal or alongside a hearty bowl of soup for a comforting dinner.
- Creamy tortellini soup
- Ham bone and bean soup
- Butternut squash soup
- Chili or other hearty stews
Other Favorite Bread Recipes
If you enjoy these cheese rolls, you might also like other simple bread recipes such as three-ingredient bread, overnight beer bread, cheesy cornmeal drop biscuits or quick 30-minute dinner rolls. All are easy, reliable and great to have in your baking repertoire.
Recipe Summary
- Author: Katherine | Love In My Oven
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including rises)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Prep Time: about 3 hours (includes rising time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizers / Bread
- Method: Oven bake
- Cuisine: American
Notes
- Keep the rolls covered with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking, then uncover for the remaining time so the tops don’t brown too quickly and the rolls stay soft.
- For the overnight method, refrigerate the shaped rolls up to 12–16 hours and allow them to come to room temperature and finish rising before baking.
- Freeze baked rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered with foil at 250°F for about 10 minutes.