Ham and Cheese Rolls From Scratch, stuffed with melty Swiss Cheese and Ham, then glazed with a sweet and savory Dijon Mustard and Brown Sugar sauce, topped with poppy seeds and dried onion. Every bite is perfection!
Ever since I made these Easy Lemon Sticky Buns with Pistachios, I’ve had a savory version on my mind. With Easter coming up, I thought a Ham and Cheese twist would be perfect. I was not wrong!
These Ham and Cheese Rolls From Scratch are the perfect combination of soft, fluffy cinnamon roll and savory bagel. They’re guaranteed to make your mouth very happy.
I started with a basic sweet roll dough recipe, which means these Ham and Cheese Rolls are so soft and fluffy. Then I stuffed them with Swiss Cheese and Ham so every bite is melty and delicious. Then I glazed them with a sweet and savory sauce with Dijon Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, and Brown Sugar because everyone knows that sweet + savory = happy tastebuds every time. The sprinkle of poppy seeds and dried onion is the finishing touch for an added burst of flavor.
You guys! These are so tasty!
Like the Easy Lemon Sticky Buns, I used my trusty and beloved bread machine to make the dough. This not only simplifies the process, but the dough turns out perfect every time.
Some version of these buns are quickly becoming a Sunday tradition. Before we leave for church in the morning, I throw all the ingredients in the bread machine. When we come home from church, I can apply the fixings and pop them in the oven. For weeks now, we’ve had really delicious warm, fluffy buns (sweet and/or savory) for Sunday dinner. No one has complained.
With the bread machine, I don’t feel like it’s very much work and the payoff is huge! These Ham and Cheese Rolls From Scratch really aren’t hard to make . . . they’re also not hard to eat.
These Ham and Cheese Rolls From Scratch will be a delicious (and impressive looking) addition to your Easter brunch. They are also a tasty way to use up leftover ham after Easter.
Of course, you can always make and eat these whenever you want for whatever you want. You don’t need my permission, but you certainly have it!
Try them, then come back and tell me what you think!
Note: For visual instructions on how to roll out the dough and make the twist, see the pictures here (just skip the slicing step in this recipe).
Ham and Cheese Rolls From Scratch
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup whole milk, slightly warmed (about 30 seconds in the microwave)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 egg, beaten
For the Filling
- 1/2 pound ham, cut into small cubes*
- 10 ounces grated Swiss cheese*
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried onion pieces
Instructions
- If you are making this in the bread machine: Place the yeast in the bottom of the bread machine, then add the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk together the melted butter, slightly warmed milk, water, and egg then pour over the dry ingredients in the bread machine. Use the dough setting.
- If you are making this by hand or with a standing mixer: sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes until foamy. Stir in the butter, egg, sugar, and 1 cup of flour. Then add the salt and remaining flour, mixing as you add until completely incorporated. Knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and soft. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough over so all sides are greased. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To assemble the buns divide the dough into 8 equal portions for large buns or approximately 12 equal portions for smaller buns (as pictured here). To make them equal, I weigh the dough (it should be about 2 pounds) and then weigh each portion (about 4 oz for large buns or 2.5 oz for the smaller buns pictured here) so they will be the same size - this is of course not strictly necessary.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a flat, oblong shape. Spread a sprinkle of ham and swiss cheese along the middle, then lightly brush the edges with the softened butter. Roll this up, pressing the ends tightly so the filling doesn't all melt out. Then take each end of the roll and twist in opposite directions, gently stretching.
- Take the twist and tie it into a simple knot. Place on the prepared baking sheet. You will have to bake these in two batches, but I have had great success even with the different rise times.
- Cover the assembled buns with a towel and leave them to rise for about an hour, or until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the buns are rising, combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Whisking often, bring to a simmer then remove from heat.
- When the buns are ready for the oven, brush them evenly with the glaze. You will have glaze left over - save it and glaze them again when they come out of the oven.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack. These are best served warm just after baking.
Notes
* Give or take. You can add a little more or a little less of the ham and cheese as desired.
Abby says
Yum!! These look so delicious! I love your blog! So glad I stumbled upon it! I will be making these soon!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy them!
Pamela Thomas Smith says
Why must these be baked in two batches? I was hoping that using convection and rotating the pans halfway through would do the trick, or would you advise against this?
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Hi Pamela, thanks for stopping by! I cook it in two separate batches because I don’t have a convection oven. Because I haven’t tested this particular recipe in a convection oven, I can’t say for sure, but I do think you can cook them at the same time and just rotate the pans halfway through. I’d love to hear how they turn out for you. I hope you enjoy them like we do!
Syndisue says
can you make these a day ahead and warm them up before serving? have you tried freezing them?