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Herby Everything Cheddar Swirl Buns. Is there anything better?! These rolls are easy, doughy, swirled with cheddar cheese, basil pesto, fresh herbs, and a little everything bagel spice too. Serve at your next family gathering as an easy brunch, appetizer, or even as a side dish. Everyone will love these fun (cheesy) and pretty swirl buns…perfect, springy and DELICIOUS!
There are three things I seem to be really into right now – fresh herbs, everything bagel spice, and recipes geared towards Easter entertaining. I’m sure you’ve all noticed my major obsession with herbs. Honestly, it’s been going on since about this time last year. I haven’t gotten even the least bit tired of creating new recipes with fresh herbs. They add so much flavor and color to even the simplest of recipes.
The everything bagel spice? Well, I seem to get hooked on this spice blend every time the spring and summer months roll around.
And Easter recipes? Well, that’s simply because Easter is fast approaching, and I’m really excited about it this year. Why? Because I love when Easter is late into April. When Easter falls in March I’m never that excited about it. March is a cold and dreary month meant for St. Patrick’s Day, not Easter, you know? Easter is all about longer, warmer days, with blooming flowers, asparagus quiche, and lots of sweet spring desserts. Probably making no sense at all, but in my head it does…
Anyway, these swirl buns have a funny story. I mean, kind of. Nothing that comes out of my mouth is ever very “funny”. I just don’t seem to have that funny bone in my body.
Moving on.
Here’s how these buns came to be. Every night I set aside a good chunk of time to go through ALL of my Instagram messages, look through the photos of recipes everyone’s made, and do my very best to respond to you all. It’s honestly one of my favorite things to do, I’m always so bummed if I have to miss a night.
One night a couple of weeks ago, someone had tagged me in their story, showing me a cheddar swirl roll they’d made, and informing me how much they loved my recipe. At first, I thought how good the rolls looked, and that I was so happy they had enjoyed the recipe! A few hours later though, my thoughts rolled back to that photo. I thought to myself, wait, what recipe was that? So I searched the site, and unfortunately confirmed my unease…I didn’t have a cheddar swirl bun recipe.
I have so many recipes here on HBH (2067 to be exact), sometimes I can forget that I’ve made something. However, I now know for sure that I have not made a cheddar swirl bun. My thought is that this very kind reader just got me confused with someone else. BUT, I am so thankful, because once I realized that I had zero cheddar swirls roll recipes, I knew I needed to make one.
And as soon as possible, because how perfect will these be as an Easter brunch bun or appetizer? Yum.
I like to use my favorite, super simple bread dough recipe as the base for the rolls. It’s literally just milk, flour, eggs, and butter. Simple, but it’s a great, extra soft and doughy base.
The filling is really what we need to talk about though, it’s so flavorful.
For one, there’s basil pesto. Yes, I might use basil pesto in one too many recipes but I find it really adds so much.
Two, there’s cheddar cheese. Now, I have not once met a person who does not love cheddar. It’s easily one of the more likable cheeses, and it pairs especially well with….
Everything bagel spice…oh how I love this flavor combo! It’s a mix of sesame seeds, onion, and herbs, and if you love the classic everything bagel, then you’ll love this spice.
Spread the pesto all over the base of the dough. Then add the cheese, everything spice, and a pinch of fresh thyme. Next step is to roll up the deliciousness, just as you would a cinnamon roll, then slice into buns, and let rise.
At this point, you can either keep the buns in the fridge overnight and bake them off in the morning. OR you can simply bake them right away. Either option is great.
As soon as the swirl buns come out of the oven, serve them! These are definitely a roll that’s best to eat warm. They’ll be soft cheesy, and smelling beyond good.
You must make these buns! Sorry, best line I can come up with at the moment. My brain is a little all over the place, but it’s still true! You need a cheesy, herby swirl bun in your life this spring. Maybe as a mid-week treat, or for Easter dinner, a Mother’s Day brunch – whatever.
Just make them and enjoy!
If you make these cheddar swirl buns, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Herby Everything Cheddar Swirl Buns.
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 877 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant dry yeast (see notes for no yeast option)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 2 tablespoons everything bagel spice
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, honey, eggs, butter, 3 ½ cups flour, yeast and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour.2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 3. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the cheddar, thyme, everything bagel spice, and crushed red pepper flakes. 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment. 5. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Turn out the dough, punch it down, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches. Spread the pesto evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the cheddar mix evenly over the pesto, lightly pushing it into the pesto. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 20-30 minutes. Alternately, you can let the rolls sit in the fridge overnight.6. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
No Yeast Option: If you do not have access to yeast or simply cannot use, you can omit the yeast and instead use 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda, added with the flour. You can skip the rising and instead just let the dough rest 30 minutes, then roll, rest again another 15-20 minutes, then bake. The rolls will be a little less fluffy, but will be great!
This post was originally published on April 3, 2019
Ohh these looks so delicious, I’m pinning them for sure. But when I click on the link of the everything spice recipe, it leads me to the grilled cheese recipe. And if I click on the everything spice link there, it leads me back again to the grilled cheese! Is it possible to fix that please? Thank you!
Best regards, Tessa
Hi Tessa! Yes, I will fix that. Thank you for letting me know! xTieghan
I love bread and I love cheese so this is perfect!! It looks so good! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Thank you so much Jenny! I hope you try this! xTieghan
I love this idea and I’m also wondering if I could double the basic dough for a pan of cinnamon rolls for breakfast….!
HI! Yes, you can double the dough and use for cinnamon rolls. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
These look amazing! Can I ask about the yeast though, what size packets are the ones you use? The ones we’ve got here are 7 grams…
These look amazing! But what size yeast packet do you use? I have 7 gram packets – is that enough, not enough?? Thanks!
HI! 7 grams of yeast is perfect. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I don’t own a Stand mixer… Can this be done by hand or by a handmixer? And thank you
HI! This is much easier with a stand mixer, but you can mix with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until the dough comes together and is smooth. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I will be *testing* these for Easter that’s for sure! I have one question first though- I’ve made your cinnamon brioche rolls from the cookbook about 4 times now. The first time I did not rise overnight in the fridge and they turned out beautifully. The next 3 times, out of sheer stubbornness, I tried to rise overnight in the fridge but all 3 times they turned out icky…they did not rise, they were thin, they didn’t brown in the oven, just sort of stayed the colour of the dough, and tasted very doughy. I follow the recipe exactly and cover with cellophane and put them in the fridge (at 4 degrees) and let them rest for a half hour at room temp before baking. What am I doing wrong? Should I just give up on the fridge? Thanks!
Hey Jess! Is your fridge 4 degrees or 40 degrees? If 4 degrees, that is way too cold for the rolls, but my guess is that your fridge is more like 40! I am super confused as to why your rolls are not rising. What brand yeast and what variety of yeast are you suing? Hoping you can help! So sorry for the trouble!
These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them as a side with soup or …maybe just for a snack! How long will these keep and what is the best way to store them to keep them fresh?
HI! These keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Love the looks of this recipe. I’ll give it a try using frozen bread dough. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you so much Colleen! xTieghan
Oh my Lord, these sound perfect! You could mix it up with different cheese, maybe add a sprinkling of crumbled, cooked bacon …. What a great idea! Thanks once again for the inspiration! Your ideas have literally never failed me yet in all these years!
Thank you so much Jane! xTieghan
Great combo. Love cheddar and with you would use it more frequently.
Will make soon.
Thank you Joyce! I hope you love this one! xTieghan
ABSOLUTELY perfect! These savory rolls are a must for any Brunch or get-together coming up, especially Easter. What a fantastic idea to use the pesto as a base for everything. I’ve gotta try these. Love your unique recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing.
I agree! I am so glad you like these, Linger and I hope you try them! Thank you! xTieghan
Oh don’t these look inviting! Perfect for Easter and beyond!
YES! Thank you Holly! xTieghan
These look incredible, and are definitely going to the top of my list of things to make ASAP!
Thank you Alexandra! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I’ve literally just died here!
Haha I hope you try this Ruth!! Thank you! xTieghan