If my kids had it their way, they’d make a dinner out of these cheesy dinner rolls each night. Here, tender yeast rolls are seasoned and filled with melty cheese insides. We like to dip these rolls in spicy marinara or use the bread to soak up any last bits of sauce in your bowl, but they also taste terrific all on their own. As a shortcut, you can prepare these rolls in advance and reheat until the insides are warm and melted. You can also opt to swap out 1/4 of the cheese with some of your other favorite varieties for a change in flavor and texture. Whip up a batch of these cheesy dinner rolls to enjoy at some of your upcoming suppers, but don’t blame me when your kids fill up on the bread basket — you’ve been warned.

Use spicy marinara or your favorite dipping sauce. (Kate Wood/Wood and Spoon)

Cheesy Dinner Rolls

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 15

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120 gm) lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup (120 gm) lukewarm milk
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup (120 gm) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (50 gm) sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 cups (420 gm) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 2–3 ounces block mozzarella cheese cut into 3/4”-sized chunks
• Shredded cheese for sprinkling (I used cheddar and mozzarella)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup warmed tomato sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine the water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over top and allow it to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Be sure the water mixture is warm, but not hot.
2. Once the yeast has dissolved, stir the butter, olive oil, sugar, salt, garlic powder and onion powder into the mixture. Add three cups of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture on medium speed (I use 4) for 7 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead this by hand on a lightly floured surface. If the dough does not pull away from the sides of the bowl, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour. Once done kneading, lightly grease a bowl and place the dough inside. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place in your kitchen until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Once the dough rises, dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into about 14 to15 equal-sized balls and gently roll the dough in your hands to form a ball. Flatten each ball into a circle with your fingers and place a chunk of cheese in the middle. Fold the perimeter of the dough over the cheese and pinch the edges together to close the dough around the filling.
4. Place the balls in a lightly greased oven-safe skillet or baking dish about 1/2″ away from each other. Cover the pan and allow to rise a second time for about 25 to 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 375 degrees.
5. Once risen, lightly brush the dough balls with water and sprinkle on additional shredded cheese, the Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with warmed tomato sauce.

Kate Wood’s recipes can be found on her Wood and Spoon blog and on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.