Bacon Cheese Rolls With Garlic Butter: Soft Savory Pull Apart Rolls Recipe

Bacon & Cheese Rolls with Garlic Butter

Some recipes earn a permanent spot in the rotation the first time you bake them. These bacon and cheese rolls did that in my kitchen, and they have been on repeat ever since.

Picture a soft, enriched yeast dough wrapped around crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, stretchy mozzarella, and green onions, then baked until the cheese bubbles and the tops turn golden brown.

One batch makes twelve pull apart rolls, which sounds generous until you watch them leave the pan. They fit a game day spread, a holiday appetizer table, or a slow Sunday brunch where nobody wants to sit down.

The dough is forgiving, the filling is flexible, and the whole thing can be assembled ahead of time. Below you will find ingredient notes, the full step by step method, storage advice, and plenty of ways to make them your own.

What Makes These Bacon & Cheese Rolls with Garlic Butter Special?

The first thing people notice is the texture. The dough is enriched with warm milk, egg, and butter, so the crumb stays tender and just barely sweet against all that salty filling. If you want the fastest version, the original guide also offers a shortcut using store bought pizza dough, which skips the long rise and still bakes up soft.

Then comes the filling. Crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, low moisture mozzarella, and fresh green onions sit in every spiral. The garlic butter character comes from minced garlic tucked into the filling plus softened butter spread across the dough before the toppings go on.

These rolls are also genuinely flexible. The source guide tests both the oven and an air fryer, notes that the shaped rolls can be proofed and chilled ahead or frozen unbaked, and includes gluten free and low carb swap options for anyone baking around dietary needs.

Ingredient Notes

Here is what each piece of the recipe is doing, and what to look for at the store.

• Warm whole milk. One cup, warmed to about 110°F. Too hot and it can knock the yeast back, so a quick thermometer check is worth the ten seconds.
• Active dry yeast. Two and a quarter teaspoons, which is one packet. Let it foam in the warm milk and sugar before you add anything else.
• Granulated sugar. Two tablespoons, enough to feed the yeast without turning the dough sweet.
• Unsalted butter. Three tablespoons melted into the dough and three tablespoons softened for spreading over the rolled dough. This is where a lot of the flavor lives.
• All purpose flour. Three and a half cups, plus more for dusting. The dough should feel soft and only slightly tacky.
• Bacon. Eight ounces, cooked until crisp and chopped finely. Thick cut bacon holds up best against the cheese.
• Cheese. Two cups of shredded sharp cheddar for punch and one cup of shredded mozzarella for melt. Keeping one bold cheese and one melty cheese is the trick that stops the layers from turning greasy.
• Green onions and garlic. Three stalks, thinly sliced, and two cloves, minced. Both go straight into the filling.
• Egg wash. One egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk for a glossy, golden top.

A pinch of smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes can go into the filling if you like a little heat. It is a small addition, but it wakes everything up.

How To Make Bacon & Cheese Rolls with Garlic Butter

Prep takes about 25 minutes, the bake takes about 25 minutes, and the whole process runs around 1 hour 30 minutes once you count the dough rise and the short rest before baking. Here is the order that keeps things calm.

1. Cook the bacon. Fry it in a skillet until crisp, drain it on paper towels, and chop it finely. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment and lightly grease the sides.
2. Wake up the yeast. Whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let it stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, the egg, and the salt.
3. Make the dough. Stir in the flour until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface, or in a mixer with a dough hook, until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Shape it into a ball, cover it in a lightly oiled bowl, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, roughly 45 minutes.
4. Mix the filling. Combine the chopped bacon, cheddar, mozzarella, green onions, and minced garlic in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. Shape the rolls. Punch the dough down and roll it into a 12×18 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the surface, then scatter the bacon and cheese mixture evenly on top, leaving a half inch border bare along one long edge.
6. Roll and slice. Starting from the opposite long side, roll the dough into a tight log and pinch the seam to seal. Cut it into 12 equal slices with a sharp knife or a piece of dental floss.
7. Rest. Arrange the slices in the prepared pan with a little space between them. Cover and let them rest while the oven finishes heating, about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Bake. Beat the remaining egg with the tablespoon of milk and brush it over the tops. Bake until puffed, golden, and the cheese is melted, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

If you want to use an air fryer instead, the source guide suggests working in batches of 3 to 4 rolls in a parchment lined basket at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Treat that as an optional method and check early, since small appliances run hot.

Pro Tips

Small moves, big payoff.

• Warm the baking pan for about 2 minutes before the rolls go in. It helps the bottoms crisp instead of steaming.
• Keep that bare border on the long edge and pinch the seam closed firmly. Cheese that escapes during baking is cheese you do not get to eat.
• If your kitchen runs cold, proof the dough in an off oven with the light on. It is the easiest warm spot in the house.
• Dust the filling with a little garlic powder and smoked paprika for a deeper savory note.
• Use unflavored dental floss to slice the log. It cuts clean spirals without squashing the dough.
• A 12 inch cast iron skillet gives you crisp, golden edges all the way around the pan.

Storage & Reheating

These rolls are at their best the day they are baked, but they hold up well if you plan ahead.

• Room temperature. Cover them and keep them up to 1 day. Warm them briefly before serving.
• Refrigerator. Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 325°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the edges back.
• Freezer, unbaked. Freeze the cut rolls on a sheet tray first, then bag them for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, let them proof, and bake as usual.
• Freezer, baked. Wrap them individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Fast fix. Microwave a roll for 20 to 30 seconds with a damp towel over it, then crisp the edges in a toaster oven for about 2 minutes.

Variations & Substitutions

Once you have the base method down, the filling is yours to play with. These are the directions the original guide explores, and they all work with the same dough and the same bake.

• Jalapeño popper rolls. Add diced pickled jalapeños and a thin smear of cream cheese under the cheddar. Creamy, spicy, and a little dangerous in a good way.
• BBQ bacon cheddar. Brush a light coat of barbecue sauce over the dough before the cheese goes on. Sweet, smoky, and sticky in the best sense.
• Ranch twist. Sprinkle ranch seasoning over the filling and serve the rolls with ranch for dipping.
• Onion lovers. Fold in caramelized onions. They turn jammy in the oven and add a deep, slow sweetness.
• Spinach and artichoke. Spread a thin layer of spinach dip under the bacon and cheese, then roll as usual.
• Gluten free. Use gluten free pizza dough, keep the fillings light, and proof gently so the structure holds together.
• Low carb or keto. Swap in a fathead style dough, go easy on the onion, and use full fat cheeses.
• Puff pastry shortcut. Roll, fill, slice, and bake at 400°F for a flakier result with far less waiting.
• Breakfast rolls. Add soft scrambled eggs and drizzle hot honey over the baked rolls.
• Herb upgrade. Trade parsley for rosemary and thyme if you want a more savory, almost roast chicken style aroma.

They also play well with other food. A bowl of tomato soup, a crisp green salad, or a simple pasta on the side turns a tray of rolls into a full dinner. On a party table, I usually park them next to a dip and let people pull them apart with their hands while they are still warm.

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Bacon & Cheese Rolls with Garlic Butter

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Bacon & Cheese Rolls with Garlic Butter Some recipes earn a permanent spot in the rotation the first time you bake them. These bacon and cheese rolls did that in my kitchen, and they have been on repeat ever since.

• Total Time: 90 min
• Yield: 12 rolls 1x

Ingredients

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Ingredients
1 cup warm whole milk, about 110°F
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, one packet
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
8 oz bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened for spreading on dough
1 large egg, for egg wash
1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

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Instructions

Instructions
1-Cook the bacon in a skillet until: Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels and chop finely; set aside. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment and lightly grease the sides.
2-Make the dough: Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg, and salt.
3-Stir in the flour until a shaggy: Stir in the flour until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface (or in a mixer with a dough hook) until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4-Prepare the filling: Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine the chopped bacon, cheddar, mozzarella, green onions, and minced garlic. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5-Shape: Shape: Punch down the dough and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the bacon-cheese mixture evenly on top, leaving a ½-inch border on one long edge.
6-Starting from the opposite long side, roll: Starting from the opposite long side, roll up the dough tightly into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut into 12 equal slices.
7-Arrange the slices in the prepared pan,: Arrange the slices in the prepared pan, spacing them slightly. Cover and let rest while the oven finishes heating, about 15 to 20 minutes.
8-Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon: Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon milk and lightly brush the tops. Bake until puffed, golden, and the cheese is melted, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 roll