Cheesy Garlic Herb Bread Rolls

Easy-to-make, soft and fluffy, cheesy garlic herb bread rolls make perfect pull-apart dinner rolls that stay soft for days. These cheesy bread rolls have both mozzarella and Parmesan cheese baked into the dough. And they’re seasoned with plenty of herbs and spices, including garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme and Italian seasoning. Serve them warm, slathered with softened butter, on the side of a bowl of hearty stew or a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner.

You might also love these pumpkin shaped dinner rolls, fluffy milk buns and Parker House rolls with maple butter.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

So Soft and Fluffy. I started with my fluffy milk buns recipe when I created these garlic, herb and cheese bread rolls. This is a classic yeast rolls recipe that uses a tangzhong starter, a simple paste of flour and milk, that keeps the rolls soft for days.

High Altitude Tested. While you can make these garlic and herb cheese rolls at any altitude, high altitude bakers can bake with confidence since I test all my recipes at Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet.

Perfect for Holidays. I usually make homemade rolls for dinner on all the major holidays, like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re delicious warm from the oven, but also so good the next day made into a sandwich with leftover ham, turkey or roast beef.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Tangzhong

• The tangzhong starter is a simple mixture of water, milk and flour. Added to the dough, it keeps the buns soft and pillowy, and helps them rise higher and fluffier.

Dough

• Butter. Unsalted butter adds moisture, richness and flavor to the buns.
• Milk. Be sure to use whole milk for the best flavor and texture.
• Yeast. The yeast is the leavening agent which makes the buns rise.
• Honey. Adds a touch of sweetness and helps to activate the yeast. You can also use plain granulated sugar instead of the honey.
• Flour. For the best texture, use bread flour, not all-purpose flour.
• Salt. Flavor.
• Egg. Gives the dough structure and a richer flavor.
• Herbs and Spices. I used a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried basil, and Italian seasoning to give these rolls lots of flavor.
• Cheese. For lots of cheesy goodness, I used both mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Egg Wash

• An egg beaten with a little milk and brushed over the buns before baking makes them golden brown and shiny.

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

• In a small saucepan, whisk together the water, milk and flour. Cook over medium heat for several minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a paste.
• Remove from the heat, scrape the tangzhong into a small bowl, and refrigerate to cool it down while you make the dough.

Make the Dough

• In the same saucepan you used to make the tangzhong (no need to wash the pan first), melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the milk, and warm the mixture just until it reaches between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the yeast and the honey. Let sit for a few minutes until it starts to get bubbly.

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all but 1/2 cup of the flour with the salt, herbs and spices, the warm yeast mixture, the cooled tangzhong, grated cheese and egg.

• With the dough hook, knead the dough for 10 minutes, gradually adding the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. The dough should be smooth, and will wrap around the dough hook, but may still stick to the bottom of the bowl. Don’t be tempted to add more flour, though, or the buns will be dense.
• Scrape the dough into a greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. This could take anywhere from 45-90 minutes, depending on the freshness/brand of yeast, and how warm your kitchen is.If your oven has a bread proof setting, you can use that. Otherwise, preheat your oven to the lowest setting, turn it off, then set the dough inside to rise.

Shape the Buns

• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and flour the top of the dough, too. Gently roll the dough out into a square, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut the dough into 9 equal portions for large buns, or 12 portions for medium sized buns.
• Take a piece of dough, cup it in your hand, and pinch the dough together to form it into a bun, so that it’s smooth on top and pinched on the bottom.

• Place the buns, smooth side facing up, into a greased 9-inch baking dish (or a 9×13 baking dish for 12 buns).
• Cover the pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside until the buns are starting to puff up, about 20-30 minutes.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
• For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and milk, and brush the egg wash over the buns. This will give them a beautiful golden brown shine as they bake.
• Bake the milk buns for about 22-25 minutes, until golden brown on top and baked through.
• Let cool for a few minutes, then pull the buns apart and serve warm with softened butter.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tangzhong?

Tangzhong or tang zhong is a simple roux or paste made of water, milk and flour. The tangzhong method is quick and easy. Just cook the ingredients in a saucepan for a minute or two until the mixture thickens into a paste. When this paste is added to yeast dough, it plays a very important role in improving the texture of the dough and the baked bread.

• It helps the starches in the flour absorb more liquid, which in turn makes the dough less sticky and easier to knead and shape into buns.
• It can help the bread rise higher and fluffier as it bakes.
• The baked bread, rolls or buns will stay soft and fresh for longer.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

If all-purpose flour is all you can get your hands on, you can use it. But bread flour has a higher percentage of protein, which makes for a chewier texture in yeast dough.

What’s the best way to reheat garlic herb bread rolls?

Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can microwave them at 50% power for 30 seconds, or reheat them in the oven at 300 F for about 5-7 minutes.

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