Name: Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Rolls
Prep time: 2 h 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 16 rolls
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup milk; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1/4 cup shortening; 1 egg; 3 to 3-1/2 cups flour (if you use bread flour, you will need the lesser amount, unbleached flour-more, bleached flour-the most); 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast; 2 cups (4 ounces) sharp, shredded Cheddar cheese; 1 tablespoon milk

Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Rolls are a pillowy soft, cheese-infused dinner roll with a chewy, cheesy crust. They make scrumptious slider buns, too.

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These may be the best cheese rolls on the planet! My family thinks so.

Should I use a bread machine or a stand mixer to make these?

I nearly always make these in my bread machine–but I used an electric stand mixer this time to illustrate a different method. Click here to see the same dough mixed and kneaded in a bread machine.

If you follow that recipe, don’t forget to knead in the shredded cheese after the dough has risen in the bread machine and before you make the dough into balls.

Making sandwich buns with this dough:

In addition to dinner rolls, try using Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Rolls as slider buns. Sliced ham and a little mustard are all you need for a memorable sandwich.

The small size of slider buns helps with portion control. On the other hand, you could make your rolls twice as big (or any size you want since you’re doin’ the makin’ and use them as regular buns.

Can I use regular yeast instead of instant or bread machine yeast?

Note: You can still use bread machine or instant yeast in a stand mixer. However, if you decide to use regular yeast instead, it must be dissolved before adding it to the other ingredients.

Use a small amount of the warmed liquid specified in the recipe. Add yeast and stir to dissolve. Allow this mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes until it bubbles

How to mix up Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Rolls in a stand mixer:

picture tutorial for how to mix up the dough in a stand mixer

How to add the cheese and form the rolls:

showing how to add the cheese and make dough into balls

Cheesy Crusted Yeast Rolls --in a pan; also showing empty pan with crust bits of cheese left behind

See those cheesy bits left clinging to the pan? Consider them the cook’s reward.

Pin the picture below to save for later.

Pinterest image of Cheese-Crusted Dinner Rolls

If you make this and enjoy the recipe, it would help me and others if you would return to this post and leave a rating (on the recipe card itself underneath the picture). Although always appreciated, no comment is required. Thank you for visiting! Paula

Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Rolls

Yield: 16 rolls

Prep Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Cheesy-Crusted Yeast Dinner Rolls are a light and fluffy dinner roll with melty cheese on the inside and crusty cheese on the outside.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
3 to 3-1/2 cups flour (if you use bread flour, you will need the lesser amount, unbleached flour-more, bleached flour-the most)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast
2 cups (4 ounces) sharp, shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Warm milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Add to mixing bowl along with salt, sugar, shortening and egg. Add 3 cups flour, then yeast on top of flour. (You can use regular yeast but dissolve it in the warmed milk first, adding to other ingredients before the flour.)
Using dough hook, start mixer on LOW until all ingredients are combined and mixed. Increase speed to 2-3 and knead 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary. Dough should begin to hold a shape and not level out. It may be slightly sticky but should not be a gooey mess.
Remove dough from mixing dough, form into a loose ball and place in a greased bowl, turning quickly to grease all surfaces. Cover loosely and allow to rise to double in a warm place. Allow 60-90 minutes.
Push dough down gently and turn out onto generously floured surface. Place 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese on the dough and knead in. Cut dough in half. Then cut each of those halves into half and continue until you have 16 balls. Use your fingers to mold the dough into a smooth round ball. When you get the hang of it, the whole process goes quick.
Place small dough balls in a greased 8 or 9-inch round pan. Cover loosely and allow to rise again until almost double.
Before baking, carefully and lightly brush rolls with milk. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the rolls. Bake in 375 degree F oven until brown 13-16 minutes. Allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes. Run knife carefully around the edge of the pan to loosen rolls,especially where cheese is sticking to the pan. Flip out and let rest on cooling rack. (Leaving rolls in the original pan will result in soggy bottoms.)

Notes

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:

To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape rolls as indicated in recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape rolls as indicated in recipe
Please note: If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the lukewarm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape rolls.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 roll
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 297 Total Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 29mg Sodium: 239mg Carbohydrates: 43g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g Protein: 10g

If you enjoy making and/or eating bread, take a look at these delicious ideas: