Sweet Cheese Rolls

Ultra soft bread gets filled with melty cheese inside. You will love these sweet cheese rolls for your snack, breakfast, or dessert.

Enjoying a rich, hot drink can be very comforting. And I think I am a late bloomer. But in the past years, I finally get how coffee lovers feel as they sip into a hot cup, savoring every slow gulp.

These sweet cheese rolls are the perfect companion for a nice cup of hot chocolate (or coffee). The sense of comfort that surrounds you like a blanket as you sip from a hot mug, a soft, warm bread in your hand, that can be hard to beat.

Filipino Style Sweet Cheese Rolls

These cheese rolls are spot on with the melty cheese nestled inside a soft, sweet bread dough. I love the sweetness and texture of the sprinkled sugar as I bite into the soft bread. I just can’t stop at one.

Tangzhong Method

This bread dough uses a starter called tangzhong. It is made with flour and water that you cook together to form a paste. It adds softness to your finished bread.

I have gotten a common question from a lot of you regarding the previous version of this recipe. This used to be an overnight dough. Understandably, not all of us have the luxury of time or the patience to make a recipe with an “overnight” step in it, so I tweaked the recipe a little to accommodate that.  

No more overnight sitting here. Just cook the tangzhong briefly into a paste and allow it to cool. We all win!

Cheese

Again, another common complaint on the previous version of this recipe is that the cheddar cheese oozes out, leaving a hollow in the bread with a thin smear of cheese hanging on to the roof of the bread. 

So we are changing that today. We are using cream cheese. It holds thru the baking. It remains inside the bread and you get more cheesy bites. Hail, oh cream cheese!

Characteristics of an Adequately Kneaded Dough

• It is still tacky but not sticky. As you knead, the stickiness of the dough diminishes. It turns from being a shaggy, loose dough into a smooth, clean-looking dough that no longer sticks to your hands or the board.
• It is stretchy. Pull out a little piece of dough, use your finger to stretch it out to form a small square. The dough should stretch thin enough for a translucent film to form in the center of the square. See windowpane test.

Making Sweet Cheese Rolls

Make the tangzhong: Whisk together flour and water in a small saucepan until the mixture is lump-free. Over medium heat, stir until a smooth paste is formed. This should not take long, about 45 seconds to a minute. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.

Next, in a large mixing bowl, add the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until it is foamy.

No thermometer? This water should be about two to three notches hotter from being lukewarm. You can dip your fingers quickly on it, but you cannot let it stay unlike when water is lukewarm.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the yeast mixture except the flour: the milk powder, the sugar, egg, salt, melted butter and tangzhong. Stir everything with a wooden spoon.

Add the 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour and stir it in until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Gradually add some of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour just until the dough gathers on the center of the bowl.

Turn the dough over on a floured surface and knead. Add a little bit of flour as needed just to help with the stickiness. Don’t overdo it, though. The dough should not be stiff and dry, instead, it should be soft, smooth and elastic after kneading.

Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it in a bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Roll the dough into a 16×10 rectangle. Divide it into 4 sections vertically, then 5 sections horizontally to create 20 rectangles. It helps to score or mark the cuts first at the edges so you will get somewhat even portions of the dough.

Place strips of cream cheese into the edge of each rectangle. Roll each into a log. Pinch the edges together to close the rolls.

Place each roll onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Position them with about an inch of space in between. Cover the rolls loosely with a clean kitchen towel.

Let them rise for about an hour or more until the size is doubled. Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the temperature is attained, bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden. 

Once slightly cool, spread softened margarine on the rolls. Then, roll each of them on a plate of sugar.

There they are, fresh from the oven, glistening with sugar with warm cheese inside. Coffee time is just about to get started.

Storage

Place cheese rolls inside a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.  These bread stays soft until then. If you prefer, microwave them for 8 seconds to re-heat.

Do you love baking bread? Check out these other bread recipes:

• Japanese Milk Buns
• Milk Bread
• Yema Rolls
• Ube Bread Rolls
• Hawaiian Rolls
• Austrian Buchteln ( Sweet Mini Buns)
• Chocolate Walnut Bread
• Also, try serving these with Coffee Jelly. Perfect day!
• Bread Machine Pandesal
• Pandesal Recipe

Continue to Content

Sweet Cheese Rolls

Yield: 20 bunsUltr

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Ultra-soft bread filled with melty cheese, these sweet cheese rolls are so good fresh from the oven and stays soft for days.

Print

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong

• 1/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

For the Bread Dough

• 3/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 3 tbsp milk powder
• 1/3 cup plus one teaspoon sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup extra

For the Filling

• 20 strips cream cheese, or Filipino style processed cheese

For Coating the Cheese Rolls

• 1/4 cup softened margarine
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

In a small saucepan, combine flour and water. Stir until the mixture is lump-free. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is a paste and smooth, about 45 seconds to one minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Let cool.

Make the Bread Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Let this mixture stand sit for about 5 minutes, or until it is foamy.
2. Add the tangzhong, the milk powder, the remaining sugar, the egg, melted butter, and salt. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until the ingredients are incorporated. Add the flour and stir it in until a loose, shaggy dough is formed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour as needed just until the dough gathers into a soft ball in the center of the bowl. You may not need all of the remaining flour.
3. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. You can dust with a little flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking too much. Place it in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for an hour and a half or so, until doubled in size.
4. Gently punch down the risen dough. Roll the dough into a 16x10 inches rectangle. Divide it into 4 sections vertically, then 5 sections horizontally to create 20 rectangles. It helps to score or mark the cuts first so you will get somewhat even portions of the dough. 
5. Place strips of cheese into the edges of each rectangle. Roll each into a tight log. Pinch all the edges together to close the rolls. Place each roll onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Position them with about an inch of space in between. Cover the rolls loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise for about an hour or more until the size is doubled.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the temperature is attained, bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, or until the rolls are very lightly golden. Allow the cheese rolls to cool slightly. Using the back of a spoon. Spread softened margarine on the rolls. Pour the sugar on a wide plate. Roll the buns in the sugar to coat. Serve.

Notes

Storage- To store the cheese rolls, place them in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Making the Dough -During the mixing of the dough, You only add the extra 1/4 cup of flour just until the dough is gathered in the center. The dough should not be dry. Instead, it still has moist spots, a little loose but somewhat forming a mass.

Kneading-During kneading, you can dust with more flour as needed to help with the stickiness. Don't be tempted to add more, as it will dry the dough out and you will end with dry, tough rolls. I would say, 1-2 tablespoon maximum. The kneaded dough should be soft and elastic, not stiff and dry.

Need help with Kneading?- Watch How To Knead Bread Dough with Video.

Cheese- I used to use cheddar cheese here, but most of the readers commented that the cheese just melts completely and oozes out of the bread, with very little cheese left inside and a hollow on the bread. So, definitely suggest using cream cheese here, because it can withstand the baking and leaves lots of cheese inside.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 245mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 3g

Continue to Content

Sweet Cheese Rolls

Yield: 20 bunsUltr

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Ultra-soft bread filled with melty cheese, these sweet cheese rolls are so good fresh from the oven and stays soft for days.

Print

Ingredients

For the Tangzhong

• 1/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

For the Bread Dough

• 3/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 3 tbsp milk powder
• 1/3 cup plus one teaspoon sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup extra

For the Filling

• 20 strips cream cheese, or Filipino style processed cheese

For Coating the Cheese Rolls

• 1/4 cup softened margarine
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

In a small saucepan, combine flour and water. Stir until the mixture is lump-free. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is a paste and smooth, about 45 seconds to one minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Let cool.

Make the Bread Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Let this mixture stand sit for about 5 minutes, or until it is foamy.
2. Add the tangzhong, the milk powder, the remaining sugar, the egg, melted butter, and salt. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until the ingredients are incorporated. Add the flour and stir it in until a loose, shaggy dough is formed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour as needed just until the dough gathers into a soft ball in the center of the bowl. You may not need all of the remaining flour.
3. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. You can dust with a little flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking too much. Place it in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for an hour and a half or so, until doubled in size.
4. Gently punch down the risen dough. Roll the dough into a 16x10 inches rectangle. Divide it into 4 sections vertically, then 5 sections horizontally to create 20 rectangles. It helps to score or mark the cuts first so you will get somewhat even portions of the dough. 
5. Place strips of cheese into the edges of each rectangle. Roll each into a tight log. Pinch all the edges together to close the rolls. Place each roll onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Position them with about an inch of space in between. Cover the rolls loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise for about an hour or more until the size is doubled.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the temperature is attained, bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, or until the rolls are very lightly golden. Allow the cheese rolls to cool slightly. Using the back of a spoon. Spread softened margarine on the rolls. Pour the sugar on a wide plate. Roll the buns in the sugar to coat. Serve.

Notes

Storage- To store the cheese rolls, place them in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Making the Dough -During the mixing of the dough, You only add the extra 1/4 cup of flour just until the dough is gathered in the center. The dough should not be dry. Instead, it still has moist spots, a little loose but somewhat forming a mass.

Kneading-During kneading, you can dust with more flour as needed to help with the stickiness. Don't be tempted to add more, as it will dry the dough out and you will end with dry, tough rolls. I would say, 1-2 tablespoon maximum. The kneaded dough should be soft and elastic, not stiff and dry.

Need help with Kneading?- Watch How To Knead Bread Dough with Video.

Cheese- I used to use cheddar cheese here, but most of the readers commented that the cheese just melts completely and oozes out of the bread, with very little cheese left inside and a hollow on the bread. So, definitely suggest using cream cheese here, because it can withstand the baking and leaves lots of cheese inside.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 245mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 3g