Ham and Cheese Filled Rolls
Super soft and fluffy rolls filled with a yummy mix of ham, cheese and herbs! These homemade rolls make the perfect afterschool snack or lunch on the go!
These ham and cheese filled rolls have so many yummy things going for them!
Why you’ll love these rolls
Ingredients for the dough
- Bread Flour – This flour has a higher protein content, meaning a stronger gluten development. It’s exactly what we need to develop the structure of this bread!
- Milk – Using both fresh milk and nonfat powdered milk creates a slight sweetness to this bread, as well as a beautiful golden color when baked!
- Yeast – This recipe can be made with either Instant Yeast or Sourdough Starter. If you’re using Instant Yeast, you can put it directly into the recipe when mixing. If you’re using Sourdough Starter, replace the instant yeast with 1 cup active starter (240g). You’ll see this substitution in the recipe notes. But you’ll need to adjust the flour and liquid content in the recipe to account for what you’re adding with your starter. Also keep in mind that your rise time will be about double when using a sourdough starter.
- Eggs create structure and flavor
- Butter adds a richness to the dough.
- Sugar adds a slight sweetness.
- Salt enhances the flavor.
Steps to make the dough
This dough is so easy to put together!
- Mix: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all the ingredients with the dough hook attachment until combined.
- Rest: Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes – the flour will absorb the liquids, making the dough less sticky…which in turn means you will avoid adding too much flour later. (It’s always best to not add too much flour to your bread dough. Too much flour will yield a drier, more dense bread.)
- Knead: After the dough has rested, knead on low speed for 6-10 minutes or until the dough can pass the window pane test – you should be able to stretch the dough a few inches without it tearing. A successful window pane test will reveal a dough that is nearly translucent when stretched.
- First Rise: Grease a large bowl with non stick cooking spray and place the dough in it, turning it so that all surfaces of the dough are coated. Cover the dough with a plastic bowl cover or clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
Rolling the dough
Lightly flour your work surface. I like to use silicone rolling mats to keep the dough from sticking to the counter. Gently roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, divide the dough in to 12, 4-inch squares.
Filling the Rolls
While you are waiting for the first rise, you can get all of the items prepared to fill your rolls. Even though this recipe calls for ham, you could use whatever protein you prefer or have on hand. These rolls are great for using up leftover ingredients. I’ve even put rotisserie chicken in here that needed to get used up. Use what you love!
Shaping the Rolls
There are two ways I like to shape these rolls and each are equally delicious!
Option #1: The open-faced boat rolls. Although they may not look it, these rolls are easy to make, but look like they’re from your favorite bake shop! You’ll cut two slits in each piece of dough, fill the center and pull each side over. The slits will reveal that yummy center filling while keeping it in tact for baking. See the pictures below for a step-by-step guide.
Option #2: A quicker way to make them is to not cut the slits, but simply fill and pull the corners together in the center. This will make a kind of envelope. Don’t worry about pinching the dough to cover all of the filling – it’s okay for some of the filling to be exposed. And in fact, it looks quite lovely to see some of that yummy ham and cheese peaking through when it’s all baked and golden!
Make ahead options
These rolls are incredible served right out of the oven. Timing your bake just right will give you the best results, but in case you need to make them ahead of time, here are a couple of options:
- Mix the dough and place it in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic bowl cover or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Chilling the dough will slow down the rising process, keeping it from over proofing. About one hour before you want to serve the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Divide, fill and bake rolls as directed in the recipe.
- Once rolls are filled, shaped and on the baking sheet, place it in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours before removing to bake. Rolls will slightly rise in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while preheating the oven to 350°F. Continue to bake as directed in the recipe.
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Ham and Cheese Filled Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon instant yeast *see notes for sourdough starter option
- ¾ cup warm whole milk about 95°F
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to about 90°F
Filling:
- ½ cup pesto
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 ½ cups chopped ham 7.5 ounces
- 1 cup shredded or sliced cheese of your choice (parmesan, provolone or swiss cheeses work great) 5 ounces
Topping:
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 2 Tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- Mix: In medium bowl, combine the flour, nonfat dry milk, sugar, salt and yeast. Combine with a whisk and set aside. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, 1 egg, melted butter and half of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook attachment until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the flour mixture, allowing it to fully incorporate for about 2 minutes.
- Rest: Cover and let dough rest for 20 minutes – this gives the flour time to absorb the liquids, making the dough less sticky.
- Knead: After the dough has rested, knead on low speed for 6-10 minutes or until the dough can pass the windowpane test – you should be able to stretch the dough at least 3-4 inches without it tearing. A successful windowpane test will reveal a dough that is nearly translucent when stretched. If the dough cannot stretch at least 3 inches without tearing, knead it for another 1-2 minutes and test it again. Repeat if necessary until it passes the windowpane. If dough is very sticky, add 1-2 Tablespoons of flour and incorporate before testing for the windowpane.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a large bowl greased with nonstick spray, turning it so that all surfaces of the dough are coated. Cover the dough with a plastic bowl cover or clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
- Scale: Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll the dough: Roll dough to a 12-inch by 16-inch rectangle.
- Dividing the rolls: Using a pizza cutter, cut 12, 4-inch squares. You should have 3 squares by 4 squares.
- Roll option #1: For an open face roll, cut a 2-inch slit one inch from the left side, centered, and one inch from the right side, centered – leaving the square with two slits. Spread a spoonful of pesto in the center of the square (in between the two slits). Add a spoonful of chopped ham and a pinch of chopped spinach. Top with a couple sprinkles of shredded cheese or a small slice of cheese. Once filled, pull the right side of the dough towards the left side, over the filling. The right slit will reveal the filling in the center. Then pull the left side of the dough towards the right side, revealing the filling again. Pinch the two ends together into a point and pinch any side seams that need to be closed up. The final shape of the roll should be a boat-shaped roll, with the filling revealed on the top, in the center.
- Roll option #2: For a closed roll, place the pesto, ham, spinach and cheese in the center of each square. Take opposite corners in towards the center and pinch together. Repeat with the other two opposite corners. Roll should be folded up with the filling enclosed, but may reveal a bit of the filling in each corner (which is totally fine).
- Final Rise: Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a plastic pan cover. Let rolls rise while the oven preheats to 350°F, about 30 minutes. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together one egg with 1 Tablespoon water.
- Bake: Before baking, brush the rolls with the egg wash. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 18-22 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Serve warm.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Option Number One: Mix the dough and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic bowl cover or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Chilling the dough will slow down the rising process, keeping it from over proofing. About one hour before you want to serve the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Divide, fill and bake rolls as directed in the recipe.
- Make Ahead Option Number Two: Once rolls are filled, shaped and on the baking sheet, place it in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours before removing to bake. Rolls will slightly rise in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake as directed in recipe.
- *Sourdough Option: Replace the instant yeast with 1 cup (240g) active sourdough starter. If your starter is 100% hydration, reduce the flour in the recipe to 240g and reduce the fresh milk to 1/3 cup (80g). Rise time may take longer, up to double the suggested times in the recipe.