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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
HOLY CHEESY BISCUIT! THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE SIMPLEST RECIPE ANDVTHE MOST AMAZING CHEESY BISCUIT. MY FAMILY IS IN LOVE! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE RECIPE. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
I am so glad these turned out so well for you and your family Donna! Thank you so much for trying them! I hope you are all doing well! xTieghan
I made these a week or so ago with some minor substitutions (given that we’re under Covid-19 quarantine and can’t access the supermarkets as often) e.g. substituted the basil pesto with pesto made from a local seasoning (Chadon Beni/Culantro) that we use in Trinidad a lot (with the usual garlic and olive oil etc.). It came out great…we gobbled it down that same night…no leftovers. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Leena! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
I don’t leave comments on blogs really ever, but these are AMAZING! Make them now. Do a double batch, share them. Your family and friends need these in their lives! So good!
Thank you so much Kelsey! xTieghan
We made this recipe for our Easter brunch this year! YUM! I didn’t have yeast so I had to use baking powder/baking soda option so they were definitely a little more dense/less fluffy that using yeast but still delicious! Husband approved!
Amazing! Thank you so much Samantha! xTieghan
Made these to go with some eggplant parmesan last week. SO yummy. I took the spice and cheese and pesto amounts as ~recommendations~ so mine turned out more pesto-y than cheesy. SO GOOD! Next time, I’ll go heavier on the cheese and lighter on the pesto just to try it that way but the beauty of it is that it’s really up to you. Saw another used mention using half the dough for a cinnamon roll and think thats a great idea. They were so fluffy and would be perfect as a breakfast roll with different roll-ins. Gonna be remaking this recipe a lot in the future.
Hi Tori! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! I hope you are staying well! xTieghan
Made these for Easter—so delicious!!!! Since it’s a social distance Easter we have leftovers—fridge or counter best to store extras??
Hi Bridgette! I am so glad you enjoyed these! I store in the fridge! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan……..I made these last night and they were a big hit with the family ….thank you for sharing the recipe! I’ll be making the prosciutto caprese puff pastry today as an appetizer before our Easter dinner!
Dana
Hi Dana! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it! Also,, I hope you love the prosciutto caprese puff pastry! Have an amazing Easter and stay safe! xTieghan
I’m making these tonight and the dough did not rise the first time(platinum red star instant yeast)….we will see how they turn out tomorrow??
Hi Sarah-Grace! I hope these turn out amazing for you! Please let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
I am planning to make these tomorrow but don’t have a standing mixer – can I kneed the dough and have it come out just as well?
Thanks!
Hi Emily! Yes, that should work! I hope you love this! xTieghan
These look amazing! Is it possible to use buttermilk instead of whole milk?
Thank you so much!
Hi Maggie,
I would recommend using 2% or almond milk in place of the whole milk. I hope you love the recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Four stars because I had to make it twice for it to turn out the way it should. The first time I made this, I added the 3.5 cups of flour and my dough was so dry that it wouldn’t hold together. When I remade it, I started with only 2.5 cups of flour and, in the end, probably only added just under 3 cups total and it turned out perfect. Other than the flour ratios, this recipe was great, easy to make and so so delicious!
Hi Kimberly! I am glad this recipe turned out well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Hi! I’m a total newbie when it comes to baking. I have a question- do you knead this dough at all or just punch it out and immediately roll it? I made this today and they did turned out awesome but my dough is totally different than pictured. I did knead the dough. Thanks in advance!
Hi Macarena,
Did you use a stand mixer, if so there is no need to knead the dough. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can I freeze uncooked rolls? And if I can, do I cook from frozen? And for how long? I have some in oven right now. Excited.
Hi Karen! Yes, you can freeze the uncooked roll and I would let them defrost before baking! I hope you love this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What is the everything spice?
Hi Linda! Everything spice is a combination of poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt. It can be made or purchased in the spice isle of the grocery store! xTieghan
What is the best way to reheat? Thanks!
Hi Phoebe,
I would recommend using the oven on low to reheat. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan