Ham and Cheese Rolls incorporate one of the most popular sandwich combination into soft and tasty bread rolls! These are a complete pockets of meat and cheese enclosed in a soft bread!
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I love it when food items come in one complete package such as in these Ham and Cheese Rolls. It is bread, ham slices, and cheese in one assembly and baked together to yield cheesy, meaty goodness!
All I need to do is grab them, and eat as I go.
These can be an a delicious game day recipe like my Easy Cheeseburger Sliders. These are similar to ham and cheese pinwheels or cheese sliders recipe, except the bread is totally made from scratch.
Although buying store bought Hawaiian rolls or slider buns is easier, there is something so special and delicious when the bread is homemade, and all baked together in one pan!
I guarantee that you will fall in love with these savory buns recipe, and that they will be gone in a flash.
Ham and Cheese Rolls
These ham and cheese rolls are drizzled with a garlicky butter glaze after they come out of the oven and that makes them so flavorful, moist and tasty.
The bread comes out with melty cheese, and the savory ham and butter glaze all compliment the soft bread. So cheesy, meaty and soft. I think you may have found your favorite savory bread.
Ingredients You will Need
- All-purpose flour
- Yeast
- Milk
- Melted butter
- Egg
- Sugar
- Salt
- Ham Slices
- Cheese Slices
- Mayonnaise
- Parsley
Variations for Making Ham and Cheese Rolls
- You can use any kind of deli ham. I used black forest ham. You can use honey ham or any kind of deli meat.
- You can also use any cheese slices that you like. I used Mozzarella, but Swiss cheese or cheddar cheese are good choices too.
- For filling the rolls, I used mayonnaise to brush the dough, but you can use honey mustard, Dijon mustard or a combination of these. You can also use ranch dressing.
- For added flavor and texture, sprinkle poppy seeds all over the shaped buns before baking.
Let’s Make Ham and Cheese Rolls
Step 1. Proof the Yeast
Combine yeast, a bit of sugar and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2. Make the Dough
Add the rest of the dough ingredients, except for the flour: the egg, sugar, melted butter, milk and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon.
Then, add the half of the flour then mix the dough using the dough attachment. Add the remaining half and mix until everything is incorporated.
Step 3. Knead the Dough
Run the mixer and beat the dough for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle up to about 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour during kneading.
The dough is adequately kneaded once it is smooth, elastic and slaps the sides of the bowl as the mixer runs. You can also do a windowpane test to be sure.
Step 4. Let the Dough Rise and Shape the Rolls.
After the dough has risen for 1½ hour or so, roll into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Trim the edges to straighten the rectangle.
Add the filling to the dough, then roll it into a tight log. Cut the log into 1 inch thick slices, about 16 portions or so.
Step 5. Let the Rolls Rise Again, then Bake
Arrange the rolls in a parchment lined 9x 13 inch baking pan. Cover and allow to rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake the buns at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden.
Step 6. Brush the Tops of the Rolls with Garlic Butter.
Combine the garlic powder, melted butter and optional honey and onion powder in a small bowl. Brush this butter mixture on the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle parsley.
Pointers and Tips for Making Ham and Cheese Rolls
(Make sure to read the recipe card for a full and detailed instructions.)
- During kneading in the mixer, the dough will start out to be wet and sticky. Knead the dough using the dough hook attachment and sprinkle a little amount of flour gradually. This should help the dough to form.
- Once the dough becomes smooth, it will start to clean the sides of the bowl, and shortly it will make slapping sounds against the bowl. This is a good indication that the dough is ready.
- Cover the entire surface of the dough with the ham and cheese slices. Also roll the log tight for easer slicing of the dough into portions.
- Remember, roll the log starting on the long edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ham and cheese roll-ups or ham and cheese pinwheels are often made with puff pastry crust, tortilla wraps or refrigerated dough. So they are in a sense similar, but the difference is that the dough here is made from scratch.
Essentially, ham sliders are made with ham slices, cheese and buns, all baked together until the cheese is melty and the the entire dish is hot. The assembly will be much easier when making sliders, but the extra effort here is surely worth it.
Serving Suggestions and Storage
- Serve these warm with a side of chips, fries or salad for a complete meal.
- You can also serve it alongside a hearty soup like this Creamy Italian Sausage Soup or Mushroom and Rice Spicy Thai Soup.
- You can store Ham and cheese rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To reheat, warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Want more filled bread? You will love these:
Ham and Cheese Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water 105-115 F
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus a few extra tablespoons as needed
For the Filling
- 5 tbsp mayonaisse
- 12 slices ham
- 12 slices mozzarella cheese
For the glaze
- 2-3 tbsp. melted butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
Make the Rolls
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, warm water and about a teaspoon of sugar. Let this sit for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
- Add the milk, remaining sugar, salt, melted butter and egg to the bowl. Stir everything with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
- Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. Add half of the flour and beat until the flour is moistened. Add the remaining half and beat until all the flour is incorporated. The mixture is now a soft, wet and sticky dough. Beat the mixture for 5-7 minutes, sprinkling up to about 4-5 tbsp. of flour, until the dough is smooth and has gathered in the center of the bowl. It should be slapping the sides of the bowl as the mixer runs.
- Dust a bowl lightly with flour, as well as your hands. Shape the dough into a smooth ball with your hands and place it in the dusted bowl. Cover and let this rise for about 1½ hours, or until it has doubled in bulk.
- On a lightly dusted surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Trim the edges to make the rectangle straight. Spread the mayonnaise all over the dough. Arrange the ham slices across the surface then top with the cheese slices. Make sure the entire surface is covered with the ham and cheese.
- With the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight log. Cut into 16 portions and place on a parchment-lined 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover the pan loosely and the the buns rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the rolls at 350F for for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden. In a small combine melted butter garlic powder. Brush the glaze all over the buns, then sprinkle parsley. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- The dough is adequately kneaded once it is smooth, and you can hear the slapping sounds it makes against the walls of the mixing bowl.
- Make sure to cover the entire dough with overlapped ham and cheese slices, especially the edges.
- You can add honey to the butter glaze if you want a touch of sweetness to the rolls.
- The baking time is a guideline, you may need to bake yours for a bit longer or shorter time. The top of the rolls should be lightly golden.
Great recipe! I make them as individual rolls (not touching each other) and freeze them for easy school lunches. I’ve done cheddar and ham with mayo and a touch of mustard, also pizza sauce and mini pepperoni slices with mozzarella. Wanted to point out that the nutritional information is incorrect. I count carbs as my son is type 1 diabetic I have this recipe at 24g of carbs not 4g. Not to be picky just thought it could help especially someone who is diabetic and needs to count carbs.
Hi Mel!Thank you! I am happy you love this! Thank you for your feedback, I will be updating the nutritional info. Take care!