Description

These Garlic Cheese Rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with a delicious blend of mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses combined with a savory garlic butter spread. Perfect as a snack, appetizer, or side dish, they are easy to make from scratch using yeast dough, fragrant herbs, and cheesy goodness for an irresistible treat that will impress everyone at the table.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour (or store-bought dough)
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (around 110°F)
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup butter (softened)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp salt

Garlic Butter

½ cup butter (softened)
6 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Cheese Mixture

2 cups shredded cheese (Mozzarella and sharp cheddar blend)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Activate Yeast: Dissolve the active dry yeast in warm milk (about 110°F) with the sugar. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, remaining sugar, and salt thoroughly.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the softened butter, eggs, and the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients.
Knead Dough: Mix and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface or using a stand mixer with a dough hook until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, about 8-10 minutes.
First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
Make Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to form the garlic butter spread.
Mix Cheese: In another bowl, mix the shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheeses with the grated Parmesan cheese.
Roll Out Dough: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle approximately 12×18 inches.
Spread Butter: Evenly spread the prepared garlic butter mixture over the surface of the dough.
Add Cheese: Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly on top of the garlic butter layer.
Shape Log: Roll the dough tightly from one long edge to the other, creating a long log.
Slice Rolls: Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut the rolled dough into 12 equal pieces (about 1.5 inches each).
Arrange in Pan: Place the rolls cut side up into a greased baking dish, leaving a small gap between each roll.
Second Rise: Cover the rolls with a cloth and let them rise again until puffy, about 30-45 minutes.
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) in preparation for baking.
Bake Rolls: Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and the cheese is bubbly on top.
Brush with Butter: Optional – brush the hot rolls with additional garlic butter for extra flavor and shine.
Cool and Serve: Let the rolls cool slightly for about 5 minutes before serving warm for the best taste and texture.

Notes

You can substitute store-bought pizza dough if short on time, but fresh yeast dough yields the best texture.
For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for some heat.
Feel free to experiment with cheese blends, such as adding provolone or fontina for different tastes.
These rolls freeze well after baking; just reheat in the oven before serving.
Make sure not to overbake to keep the rolls soft and gooey inside.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Bread, Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American, Italian-inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 roll (approx. 90g)
Calories: 280 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 10 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg

Keywords: garlic cheese rolls, cheesy bread, homemade rolls, garlic butter rolls, yeast bread, soft cheese rolls, appetizer bread