Ham and Cheese Rolls
If you’re not into sweet breakfasts then try this savory twist on the classic cinnamon rolls. These ham and cheese rolls from scratch are made by rolling up a pork sausage and gruyere cheese filling and topping with melted butter and herby chives. They’re perfect for Easter brunch or to serve as a bread side at Thanksgiving.
About This Homemade Ham and Cheese Rolls Recipe
I love a good cinnamon bun, and I love experimenting with different fillings and flavors. But it got me thinking about a savory “cinnamon” roll, and how to execute that. While there are so many options for a savory bun, I got stuck on ham and cheese sandwiches, and here we are, homemade ham and cheese rolls. Great for an Easter brunch or a Christmas brunch or an any day brunch, these rolls are fluffy, buttery, and filled with savory flavor.
The Origin of Cinnamon Buns
Cinnamon buns were born in the 17th century when the Dutch took over Sri Lanka, cinnamon harvesters. Soon after, the Age of Exploration brought cinnamon to Europe where it became popular. Bakers immediately started adding it to baked goods including their yeasted breads. One of those was the English Chelsea Bun, which was an early version of the cinnamon bun. German and Swedish bakers took over and created the cinnamon bun that we know today. It is one of the least changed foods since German and Swedish immigrants settled around Philadelphia creating their own spin on the breakfast treat. By 1956, Pillsbury began creating their famous tubes of cinnamon buns and selling them at grocery stores. Find out more here!
Homemade Ham and Cheese Rolls Ingredients
- Pork sausage: You can get sausage links or sausage meat to make life easier, however, if you choose sausage links, make sure to remove the casings. In terms of flavor profile, go with what you like best! I prefer hot, Italian sausage for mine.
- Gruyere cheese: Gruyere goes so nicely with pork and you will need to shred it as it gets sprinkled on top of the sausage filling.
- Ground spices: This recipe uses ground spices like onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. If you are not a fan of any of those spices, feel free to leave them out!
Major Allergens Present: Gluten, dairy
Equipment Needed
- Hand or stand mixer: Used to make the dough. You will use the hook attachment for both a hand and stand mixer.
- Food processor: Used to make the sausage filling. Alternatively, you can use a blender in multiple rounds of pureeing.
- 9″x 13″ pan or 12 ea muffin tin: You have 2 choices for how you want to present your buns: either all together for a pull apart method in one pan or individually in a medium muffin tin. One single pan is easy for cleanup, but the muffin tin is easier for serving.
- Rolling Pin: Used to roll out the dough. Alternatively, you can use any long cylindrical object.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Rolls from Scratch:
What are ham and cheese rolls made out of?
This favorite recipe of mine is made with an enriched bread dough filled with a spreadable, pork sausage filling and gruyere cheese. The pork sausage filling has flavors of garlic, onion, cumin, and paprika, and could be spicy, smoky, or sweet depending on the type of sausage meat you pick. These rolls are topped with melted butter and chives to give it a little herby flare.
Make the dough:
This dough is an enriched dough which means it contains fat (milk & butter). However, what’s really important here is mixing the yeast with warm water. Since active dry yeast needs to be activated with warmth to work, and the milk is cold, it needs to be mixed first with the warm water to allow for proofing. It also can’t be too hot or else you will kill the yeast which occurs at 120*F. Once the yeast is activated you can combine with the rest of the dough ingredients, and mix with your mixer until you pass the windowpane test (more on that below).
The science of kneading:
Flour is composed of starch and proteins and the proteins are called glutenin and gliadin which are long and tangled. Together, glutenin and gliadin form gluten. Kneading rubs these “subproteins” together to stretch them out, line them up, and cross-link themselves to create a net that helps retain gasses during the proofing stage. Kneading also incorporates oxygen in the dough which helps yeast breath and produce carbon dioxide. The windowpane test proves if you have developed enough gluten strands for proper structure to help retain those gasses for the final rise.
Test for the windowpane by taking a small portion of dough and roll into a ball. Stretch it out gently starting in the middle. Stretch it into a square and until the center is a thin film. If your dough easily stretches thinly without tearing, then the dough is strong enough and enough gas can be retained in the network of gluten strands. If it rips easily, then you need to develop more gluten strands by more kneading/mixing. You should also see the network of gluten strands. It’s called the windowpane test because light should be able to pass through like through a window.
Proof the dough:
After all that work of mixing and providing a GREAT net of gluten strands, the dough needs a break. During that break the yeast activates, eats the carbohydrates, and releases carbon dioxide which leads to proofing. That net you just weaved kneading is now doing its job. The amount of time it takes to proof will depend on your environment. The warmer and more humid it is, the faster it will proof. The colder and drier, the longer. See my tips for speeding up proofing times if you’re tight on time or if it’s cold in your dwelling. We want this to proof until it is 1.5x its original size.
Prepare the pork sausage and butter filling
I like to make this while my dough is rising. If you chose sausage links, make sure to remove the casings. Cook on medium heat in a medium sized pan making sure to break up the links into little pieces. Stir constantly until cooked through and starting to brown, then allow to cool on a paper towel to soak up some of that fat. Once your meat is cool, puree with softened butter and the spices until a spreadable paste. It won’t really be smooth as the meat gives it some texture, however, you should be able to easily spread it. Grate the cheese separately, and set both aside until ready!
Assemble the rolls and bake
Now it’s time to roll! First, spray your pan or muffin tin with pan spray, and set aside. Dust flour on your working surface, and then, using a rolling pin or similar instrument, roll a 15″ x 12″ rectangle. As you roll, it will become elastic and start to shrink, so run your arm under the dough frequently to allow it to contract, and keep rolling. Use flour if you notice the dough starting to stick. Spread the sausage filling evenly on top leaving a half-inch gap along one of the long sides then top with the grated gruyere cheese.
I like to slice the strips first then roll to make life a little easier and less messy. Using a pizza cutter or knife along the short side, slice into 1.25″ wide strips (they’ll be 12″ long). Starting on the edge without the gap, tightly roll each strip up and firmly pressing the half-inch gap into itself to seal the roll; I’ll pat with a bit of water to make sure the dough sticks. Place in your baking dish, cover, and allow to proof one more time until 1.25x its size.
Before baking, pour the heavy cream over the buns. This makes them so incredibly moist and gooey. You want to rotate halfway through baking to promote even coloring and baking. It will turn a nice golden brown (although lighter in the middle if using a 9″x 13″ pan), but if you want to make sure it is done, the center of the center bun should have a minimum internal temperature of 190*F.
Top the ham and cheese rolls and serve
Allow the ham and cheese rolls to cool for about 5 minutes then top with melted butter. I also like to add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt as well as chopped up chives for an herby kick. Serve warm same day, or warm in the oven beforehand if serving later or on a different day. Keep covered at room temperature for up to five days.
Getting hung up or lost on all the baking terminology? Study up here.
Help Making Ham and Cheese Rolls:
How to Speed up Proofing Time:
- Place next to or in front of your heating vent or a warm, sunny spot.
- Turn your oven on. When it reaches 110*F turn off your oven and place your dough (covered) inside. Shut the door.
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Place inside your oven (while it’s off) with your dough, covered, inside with the door shut. Make sure the dough is not directly above the hot water.
Enhancing This Homemade Ham and Cheese Roll Recipe:
- Make it spicy by swapping out the pork sausage for chorizo!
- Make it smoky by using some smoked gouda cheese instead of gruyere!
How to Store and Freeze Ham and Cheese Rolls
- Store covered at room temperature for up to five days or in the fridge for up to weeks or in the freezer for up the three months.
Troubleshooting Hame and Cheese Rolls from Scratch:
- My dough isn’t rising! Your yeast is either expired, it’s too cold, or you did not knead enough. For now, try creating a makeshift proofbox in your oven by filling a pan with boiling water and placing in the oven with your dough. If that isn’t working then it has something to do with either the kneading or the yeast. If you passed the windowpane test then your yeast is dead. You need to start over with new yeast or start over making sure you activate the yeast in lukewarm water. However, if you did not pass the window pain test then try to knead some more until you do.
Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!
Ham and Cheese Rolls
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer Dough hook attachment
- 9"x13" Baking dish Or 12 ea medium muffin tin
- Food processor
Ingredients
Dough
- 1½ tsp Active dry yeast
- 2 Tbs Warm water no hotter than 120℉
- 382 g All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 Tbs Granulated sugar
- 192 g Whole milk
- 5 Tbs Butter, unsalted soft
Ham and Cheese Filling
- 10 ounces Pork sausage meat approximate
- 1 Stick Butter, unsalted Soft
- 1 ea Garlic clove
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- ½ tsp Ground cumin
- ½ tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Ground pepper
- 2 Cups Shredded gruyere cheese
Optional garnish
- ½ cup Heavy cream approximate
- 2 Tbs Butter, unsalted melted
- 2 Tbs Chives chopped
- 1 Tbs Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the yeast with the warm water then combine with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl fitted for your stand mixer or a regular bowl for your hand mixer.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer with dough hook attachment(s), mix on low speed until incorporated, then on medium speed until you achieve the windowpane test. About 7-10 minutes.
- Test for the windowpane by taking a small portion of dough and roll into a ball. Stretch it out gently starting in the middle into a square shape, and until the center is a thin film. If your dough easily stretches thinly without tearing and you can see the gluten strands, then the dough is ready. If it rips easily, then you need to mix more.
- Cover the dough and allow to proof until double its size.
- While waiting for the dough to rise prepare the ham filling. Remove the casings from the pork sausage. Cook on medium heat breaking up the sausage meat into little bits. Cook until browned then allow to cool on paper towels to soak up the excess fat.
- Once the meat has cooled combine in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients except the gruyere cheese. Blend until a smooth-ish paste forms. There will be some texture and small chunks from the meat. Set aside.
- Spray your 9" x 13" baking dish with pan spray. Set aside.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12" x 15" rectangle. Spread the filling evenly around the dough leaving a ½" gap along one long side then evenly sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife parallel to the short side, slice into 12 strips about 1¼" wide (they'll be 12" long). Starting on the side opposite the gap, tightly roll up each bun individually firmly pressing half-inch gap into itself to seal the roll, and place in the baking dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof until 1.25x it's size. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Drizzle the heavy cream over the rolls, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes then brush with melted butter and top with chopped chives and flaky sea salt.
- Store covered at room temperature for about 4 days.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Why put heavy cream on my ham and cheese rolls before baking? Heavy cream makes the buns moist instead of dry. You only roughly need a quarter cup.
- Why did the butter melt out of my ham and cheese rolls? The warmer the butter is before baking, the more likely it will melt out. If you’re concerned about this, you can refigerate your buns before baking. Also, if your buns are not tightly rolled, it’ll be easier for it to melt out.
Have another question? Reach out and I’ll try to answer it for you!
