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    Home » Recipes » Breads

    Published: Jan 1, 2022 · Modified: Feb 8, 2022 by Ella's Better Bakes · This post may contain affiliate links and I earn from any qualifying purchases. ·Leave a Comment

    Cheese Rolls 🧀

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Springy and light, with a subtle thyme flavour and overtones of mature cheddar. These Cheese rolls are perfect on their own or as an accompaniment.

    Cut cheese roll

    First thing to say here is that...
    BREAD IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO MAKE!
    Honestly, it's a doddle and so worth it.

    Well, we are now into a new year and so my baking is changing up to a wintery feel. For the next month, I want to focus on the foods I like to eat in January. We are talking comfort food here. I am also hoping to offer up some baking inspiration for Veganuary.

    I am a huge fan of homemade soups and having a soft, tasty bread roll to accompany my soup is a must. One of my favourite soup recipes is Delia Smith's Watercress Soup, it is so easy to make and tastes divine.

    two rolls stacked on top of others

    The bread rolls are also great just for making lunchtime rolls that bit more interesting!

    I hope you enjoy baking them and eating them as much as we did 😊.

    A tasty little cheesy biscuit, these are divine on their own or served with cheese
    Little Cheese and Ham Biscuits

    Jump to:
    • Why make these Cheese rolls?
    • Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Top Tips
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • FAQ
    • Linked Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why make these Cheese rolls?

    Soft and fluffy rolls✔️

    Warming cheese and herb flavours✔️

    Great for sandwiches✔️

    Perfect with soup or as a dinner roll✔️

    close up of cheese rolls

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    Bread flour: contains extra protein giving it more gluten than plain (all-purpose) flour, this therefore gives our cheese rolls an airy, chewy texture.

    Fine salt: salt is a critical element for bread dough because it strengthens the gluten strands within the dough and thus enables them to retain carbon dioxide which ensures our dough rises.

    ingredients

    Granulated sugar: feeds the yeast within our dough and thus helps produce more carbon dioxide to ensure a good rise.

    Dried fast-acting yeast: be sure to use this type of yeast, it will ensure your bread rises sufficiently.

    Olive oil: we use olive oil as it ensures our bread rolls are soft and it also adds flavour. You can replace it with 40 grams of softened butter and rub this into your flour instead.

    Grated cheddar: used within the rolls and on top, try to use a medium or mature cheddar to give more flavour to these cheese rolls.

    Fresh thyme: using fresh thyme gives a more mellow flavour than dried. We use just enough to allow a subtle flavouring.

    Warm water: your water should be lukewarm, i.e. about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The water needs to be warm in order to activate the yeast.

    Egg yolk: is painted onto our bread rolls just before they are baked. It gives them a lovely bronzed colour. You can use milk instead.

    Instructions

    See end of post RECIPE CARD for precise quantities and instructions.

    Mix together your bread flour, salt, sugar and yeast then stir in your olive oil.

    Mix your thyme and cheese together then stir into your flour mixture.

    • sugar, yeast and salt added for cheese cobs
    • cheese and herbs added to dough for cheese rolls

    Affix the dough hook to your stand mixer and begin mixing at a low speed.

    At the same time gradually drizzle in your warm water, then allow to continue kneading on the same setting for 2 minutes.

    Place into a greased bowl, covered with oiled clingfilm (plastic wrap), and allow to prove for up to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

    • dough left to rise
    • cheese dough risen after first prove

    Remove and knock back the dough.

    Split into 9 balls and place in your oiled tin.

    Allow to prove again for 30 minutes, again covered with oiled clingfilm.

    • dough rolled into balls for rolls
    • chesese cobs covered in egg yolk and cheese ready to be baked

    Coat with egg yolk and sprinkle over more grated cheese.

    Bake for 25 minutes until golden.

    Remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack to fully cool.

    baked in tin

    Top Tips

    • Make sure you use the fast acting yeast, not active yeast.
    • Ensure that your yeast has been kept in an airtight container and is still in date, the quality of the yeast affects the outcome of your bread.
    • Ensure that your bowl is large enough to give the dough room to double in size without touching the cling film covering.
    • Your dough is fully kneaded when it feels smooth and elastic.
    • If the dough sticks to your hands simply coat them in some olive oil or flour.
    • Your bread rolls should sound hollow when fully baked, tap the base to check.
    • To ensure that your rolls come apart easily, score the tops and sides with a knife once they have come out of your oven, then leave to cool.

    Variations

    If you are a garlic fan, try adding 3-4 cloves of minced garlic along with your cheese and thyme.

    You can replace the thyme with chopped rosemary and/or some chopped parsley. Or a mix of whatever fresh herbs you have.

    You can use any cheese that will grate in these rolls instead of cheddar cheese.

    Grated parmesan works very well sprinkled over the top of the rolls. Due to the high salt content, I don't recommend adding it to the bread dough itself.

    cheese rolls next to olive oil

    Storage

    Keep your rolls in an airtight container and they will last for about 5 days.

    Freeze as soon as baked and cooled and use within a month.

    Did you try this recipe?
    Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the Recipe Card below.

    FAQ

    What happens if you prove bread dough for too long?

    Bread dough is left to prove in order for carbon dioxide to form, which in turn allows the dough to increase in volume. However, the gluten structure in the dough needs to be strong enough to keep the carbon dioxide safely within. If the dough is allowed to keep proving then the carbon dioxide creates too much pressure for the dough to withstand and it therefore deflates. The dough will also then not expand when baked and the taste and texture will be compromised.

    Why do you need to use warm water when making bread?

    In order for bread to prove, the yeast needs to be activated. Using warm water activates the yeast. The water should be lukewarm, so around 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit. So not hot, just nicely warm.

    Linked Recipes

    Cinnamon and Maple Syrup Buns

    Roasted vegetable quiche

    Little savoury cheese and ham biscuits
    A savory taste sensation, these biscuits burst with the sharp cheddar and parma ham and are the super quick and easy to make.
    Take Me To The Recipe!
    cheese and ham biscuit collage

    📖 Recipe

    featured image

    Cheese and Thyme Rolls

    Springy and light, with a subtle thyme flavour and overtones of mature cheddar. These Cheese and Thyme rolls are perfect on their own or as an accompaniment.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin CLICK STARS to Rate this Recipe
    Course: Snack
    Keyword: bread rolls, dinner rolls, herb bread
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Proving times - maximum: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 9 rolls
    Calories:
    Author: Ella's Better Bakes
    Tried this recipe?Follow at @ellasbetterbakes or tag #ellasbetterbakes!
    TOGGLE TO ALTER SERVINGS (metric only) 9 rolls
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    Here's what you'll need...

    • Stand mixer with bread hook attachment (or your can knead by hand)
    • Square baking tin sized 23 cm x 23 cm
    • Wooden spoon
    • Pastry brush (optional)
    • Cheese grater
    • Clingfilm (plastic wrap)
    • Dough cutter (optional, you can use a knife otherwise)
    • Cooling rack

    Ingredients you'll need...

    Cheese and Thyme Rolls

    • 500 g Strong white bread flour (US = 3 cups and 4 tablespoon)
    • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
    • 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
    • 2¼ teaspoon Fast action yeast (7 gram sachet)
    • 2 tablespoon Olive oil plus extra for greasing bowl and tin
    • 300 ml Warm water (US = 1 Cup + 4 tablespoons)
    • 50 g Cheddar cheese grated (US = 6 tablespoons)
    • 2 tablespoon Fresh thyme finely chopped

    Topping

    • 1 Egg yolk
    • 50 g Cheddar cheese grated (US = 6 tablespoon)

    Here's what we do...

    • (I recommend reading the NOTES below first).
    • Add your bread flour, salt, sugar and yeast to your stand mixer bowl and mix together with your wooden spoon.
    • Stir in your olive oil.
    • Mix your grated cheese and chopped thyme together and then stir into your flour mixture.
    • Place your bowl onto your stand mixer and fit the bread hook, start mixing on a low speed.
    • As your flour is mixing, slowly drizzle in your warm water.
    • Once all of the water has been added, leave to knead for 2 minutes on the same low setting (number 2 if using a KitchenAid). Don't worry about scraping your bowl down, the kneading hook will find all of the loose mixture itself and incorporate it. If kneading by hand this will take you 8-10 minutes.
    • Remove your dough from your mixer bowl. It should be smooth and elastic in texture and a bit tacky and sticky.
    • Grease your mixer bowl with some olive oil.
    • Take a large piece of cling film, big enough to cover your bowl, and grease with olive oil.
    • Return your dough to your greased bowl, cover with your oiled clingfilm and leave to prove for 1½-2 hours or until doubled in size. My kitchen is very warm so mine only took 1 hour.
    • Grease your baking tin with more olive oil (or butter).
    • Remove your dough and knead 3 times just to knock the air out, then split into 9 segments (mine weighed about 100grams each) and roll into balls. Add a bit of flour to your hands if your dough is sticky. Try to ensure the surface of each roll is smooth, but don't handle the dough more than you have to in order to keep it aerated.
    • Place your dough balls into your tin in rows of 3 x 3, they should be just touching each other.
    • Cover again with your oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for another 30 minutes.
    • Heat your over to 200°C/220°C/430°F/Gas mark 7.
    • Spread your egg yolk over the top of your rolls with your pastry brush, or you may find this easier to do with your fingers so that you can be gentle and thus avoid deflating your cheese rolls.
    • Sprinkle over your cheddar cheese.
    • Bake your rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. When ready, your rolls should sound hollow when you tap the base.
    • Remove the whole lot in one go onto your cooling rack. Leave to cool before tearing apart.
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    Supporting Notes

    • Make sure you use the fast-acting yeast, not active yeast.
    • Ensure that your yeast has been kept in an airtight container and is still in date, the quality of the yeast affects the outcome of your bread.
    • Ensure that your bowl is large enough to give the dough room to double in size without touching the cling film covering.
    • Your dough is fully kneaded when it feels smooth and elastic.
    • If your dough sticks to your hands simply coat them in some olive oil or flour.
    • Your bread rolls should sound hollow when fully baked, tap the base to check.
    • To ensure that your rolls come apart easily, score the tops and sides with a knife once they have come out of your oven, then leave to cool.

    Make Your own Notes on this Recipe here...

    Click here to add your own private notes.
    « Cherry Tiramisu 🍒
    Vegan Olive Oil Cake »

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    Hi, I'm Ella! It is SO great that you have dropped on by! I am a baking blogger/lifelong baking addict and my aim in life is to provide easy recipes for all levels of bakers with simple and helpful instructions. Together we will bake bake bake!

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