Bacon Cheddar Rolls
Take your dinner rolls to a whole new level! These Bacon Cheddar Rolls are packed with crispy bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. Yum!
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I love a good dinner roll. There are so many fun ways to mix ’em up, too. Butterflake Rolls are an all-time favorite – I love the way they fan apart as they bake! These Cloverleaf Rolls are another classic in our house. Pulling off the pieces of fluffy bread as you eat each roll is always fun.
Today’s post focuses more on a classic round dinner roll – but don’t let that fool you! These rolls are anything but boring. Bacon. Cheese. Green Onions. All of that rolled up inside a tender bread roll? Yes, please!
Bacon Cheddar Rolls
These Bacon Cheddar Rolls started out several years ago as a full-on loaf of bread. This Bacon Cheddar Bread is absolutely fantastic, and I’ve made that recipe probably a dozen times (or more). It’s fantastic when it’s fresh out of the oven, and it makes amazing grilled cheese sandwiches on days 2, 3 and 4.
As much as I love that bread, sometimes you just want a good dinner roll. So I took that recipe and transformed it into this Bacon Cheddar Rolls recipe. All of the same flavors (plus green onions)…just in a smaller form. It was all I could do to keep from eating every.single.one of these rolls when they came out of the oven!
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Rolls
These dinner rolls are truly easy to make. Sure, it took a little time to cook the bacon first. And then you have to let the dough rise a bit, too. But overall? Not too bad. And you will be rewarded for your efforts!
Once the dough is mixed, just let it rest in a warm place for about 45 minutes. That will let the yeast do its’ job while you clean the kitchen or help the kids with homework. The next step is just dividing the dough into 12 equal pieces. I used a kitchen scale for this – it takes the guesswork out and makes sure each roll is the same size.
Let the rolls rise in the pan for another hour or so, and you’re all set! Those Bacon Cheddar Rolls can head into the oven, and you can get ready for a fantastic treat. It’s hard to beat a warm dinner roll filled with bacon and cheese!
Ingredients in Bacon Cheddar Rolls
- Bacon. Adds a salty delicious punch of flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese. The cheese “melts” into the dough as these rolls bake. The result is something fantastic! I used Cabot’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese – it’s my #1 go-to cheddar cheese.
- Green Onions. Adds flavor. It pairs well with the bacon and cheese.
- Sugar. A bit of sugar provides food for the yeast.
- Salt. Adds flavor and tenderizes the dough.
- Active Dry Yeast. As the yeast eats the sugar, it produces carbon dioxide which then helps the bread rolls rise.
- Milk. Tenderizes the dough.
- Butter. Leads to a softer bread…and adds flavor, too.
- Egg white. Brushing the tops of the rolls with egg white improves the appearance of the bread. As they bake, the rolls will turn a golden brown color that is also slightly shiny.
How to Store Leftover Dinner Rolls
Since these Bacon Cheddar Rolls contain bacon and cheese, leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator. To reheat, wrap them with foil and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through. A toaster oven is great for this!
If needed, these bacon rolls can be frozen. Just place the rolls in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let rolls thaw at room temperature and then reheat using the notes above.
If you’re looking for a fantastic dinner roll recipe, then put these Bacon Cheddar Rolls on the menu. They were a huge hit here in our house – I’ve already made a couple batches of ’em! Happy baking!
Did you bake a batch of these Bacon Cheddar Rolls at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Bacon Cheddar Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped green onions divided
- 1 cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 large egg white
Instructions
- Using a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Pat bacon dry with paper towels and crumble into a small bowl; set bowl aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir until well combined. Set flour mixture aside.
- Using a small saucepan, add milk and butter; place over medium-low heat until mixture reaches 125°F. (Tip: If you don’t have a thermometer, the goal is to heat the milk until the butter melts. Do not let the milk begin to simmer though.)
- Pour warm milk into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the green onions, ¾ cup of shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon; stir until well combined. Cover and place bowl in a warm location; let rise for 45 minutes.
- Working on a well-floured surface, turn dough out of bowl and fold several times. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.
- Roll each piece of dough into a tight ball and place in a 9” cast iron skillet. (If you don’t have a small cast iron skillet, you can use any oven-safe skillet or even a round cake pan.)
- Cover skillet and place in a warm location; let dough rise for 45-60 minutes or until approximately doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a small bowl, whisk the egg white with 1 Tbsp of water. Brush mixture on top of the dough. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of the rolls.
- Bake for 26-30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.
Looking for more dinner roll recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu i never had bacon cheddar rolls before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I’ve never tried baking rolls like this with tofu, Ramya – but give it a try! I bet it would work out well. 🙂
Love these. I love that you made the dough yeasted for them.
I love baking with yeast – it does all of the work for you! Thanks, Mimi! 🙂
these look utterly delicious David. I like to weigh things out too. A great idea to ensure you get the right size.
I’m with ya, Sherry – that kitchen scale gets a lot of use in our house. It takes the guesswork out of things!
These bacon cheddar rolls look so good! Really can’t go wrong with a yeasted dough, cheese and bacon!
My thoughts exactly, Michelle! Bread, cheese and bacon is always going to lead to good times!
So many of my favorite things: bacon, cheese, and carbs! I’ll bet these would be a hit at a party.
Question, Jeff: If there’s only one person, can it still be a party? I only ask because I could eat this entire pan of cheesy, bacon-y rolls by myself. 🙂
These decadent rolls are calling my name, David! I love that they’re hearty enough to be the main attraction – you could pair them with a simple salad and boom! dinner’s done.
Thanks, Marissa! These rolls are mighty tasty – and they’re quite easy to make. Cheddar + bacon makes everything better, right?? 🙂
I can imagine the aroma wafting through the kitchen as these rolls bake to golden perfection. Yum
Oh the kitchen smells fantastic while these rolls are in the oven, Raymund!
I love that you made these from scratch David I’m saving this recipe for our next dinner party, then I won’t eat as many.
Haha – that’s a good plan to make these when company is around, Pauline! I could easily eat way too many of these, too! 🙂