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Six freshly baked cheesy bread rolls in a line on a serving board, featuring a rich golden color and a drizzle of honey butter on top.

SMALL BATCH CHEESY BREAD ROLLS WITH HONEY BUTTER RECIPE

Bread rolls with a golden crust, beautifully adorned with honey butter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Bread:

  • 160 g  milk (⅔ cup), warm 
  • 40 g  sugar (3 tbsp)
  • 2 teaspoons yeast 
  • 325 g AP flour (2 ½ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 60  g unsalted butter, softened (¼ cup)
  • 1 egg

Cheese sauce:

  • 2 tbsp.  unsalted butter (28g)
  • 2 tbsp. all purpose flour (16g)
  • 1 cup  milk (240g)
  • 1 tsp  minced or chopped garlic
  • ½ tsp  each salt, pepper and chili flakes (add more to taste)
  • ⅓ cup  shredded mozzarella cheese + more to sprinkle (optional)
  • ⅓ cup  shredded cheddar cheese
  • ⅓ cup  shredded gouda cheese
  • 2 tbsp.  cream cheese (30g)

Honey butter:

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter (28g)
  • 2 tbsp. honey (40g)

Instructions
 

Bread:

  • Place all ingredients in a bowl and use a stand mixer with a hook attachment to knead the dough for 7-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and stretchy, pulling away from the edges.
  • Transfer the dough into a clean bowl lightly sprayed with oil. Cover it with cling wrap and set it in a warm, humid environment.
  • Allow the dough to rest for 60-90 minutes until it has doubled in size.

Cheese sauce:

  • Melt the butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and sauté the garlic until it becomes fragrant.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for one minute before slowly adding the milk and seasonings. Continue to cook, ensuring the mixture is smooth and free of lumps as it starts to thicken.
  • Lower the heat to low and add the shredded cheese and cream cheese, stirring until fully combined.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. The consistency should be thick but not overly stiff, as it will continue to thicken as it cools down.

Assembly:

  • Prep an eighth sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper and applying a thin layer of butter.
  • When the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 12x14" rectangle. Use an offset spatula to spread the cheese sauce evenly across the dough. If you like, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese over the top.
  • Cut the rectangle into 6 thick strips, then carefully roll each strip tightly and neatly to form 6 individual rolls. Arrange these in the prepared pan.
  • Let the rolls rise for a second time for approximately 30-45 minutes, until they look puffed up and ready for baking.

Baking & serving:

  • As the second rise nears its end, preheat your oven to 375F.
  • Bake the rolls for approximately 20–22 minutes until they reach a golden color.
  • For the honey butter, melt butter and mix in honey. Brush this mixture onto the hot rolls with a pastry brush.
  • Once brushed, serve the rolls and enjoy their delicious flavor.

Notes

To achieve soft rolls, it's essential to let the dough rise properly before shaping. Ensure that the dough has at least doubled in size. When you gently poke it, it should spring back partially, indicating it's ready for the next step.