I am with #BreadBakers today and Pavani from Cook’s Hideout is our host today with a great theme of Family Feast Breads. When we are together for the holiday someone always brings buns. We love them from everything from the soup course to dinner. For this theme today though I wanted something extra special. Ken is the bread guy in this household so I gave him the idea of Smoked Cheddar Caramelized Onion Dinner Rolls and he ran with it.
Not only do these rolls have smoked cheese right in the dough but an extra ooey-gooey center with the caramelized onion. He added a little cube of mozzarella in with the onion for a delicious surprise inside the bun.
The buns are the perfect golden brown and studded with delicious smoked cheddar cheese. So amazing for any holiday table.
The recipe makes lots (18) and they freeze well as do most bread.
Here is one cracked wide open so you can see all that ooey-gooey goodness. Wouldn’t your company, family, and friends be impressed with these for the holidays!!

Smoked Cheddar Caramelized Onion Dinner Rolls #BreadBakers
We moved dinner rolls up to a whole new level with adding smoked cheddar to the dough and then stuffing them with mozzarella and caramelized onion.
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 to 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 envelope (7 gm.) active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup smoked cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp. salt
- 18- 1/2" cubes of mozzarella cheese
- I egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp. water
Caramelized Onions
- 2 medium onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place 1 cup water in a large bowl of a standup mixer and sprinkle in the yeast, wait 5 min. until the yeast is dissolved and bubbles start to appear. Add in the two flours and mix well. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed. Add the egg and the smoked cheddar cheese. Knead the dough on low speed until the dough cleans itself from the side of the bowl. Add more water by the teaspoon if needed.
- Once the dough wraps around the dough hook continue to knead for 3 min. Remove dough and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm spot until double in size.
- While the dough is rising, melt the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet and saute onions for about 20 min. on medium low, until caramelized. Season with salt and set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, separate dough into 18 pieces. Create a small hole in the center of the ball and add 1 tsp. of the caramelized onion and the cube of mozzarella. Close up the hole and roll into a ball. Place seam side down on parchment on a cookie sheet. When all the rolls are done, cover again with a tea towel and let rest for 30 min.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Brush rolls with the egg yolk mixed with water. Bake for 30 min. and serve warm. Freeze well, thaw reheat and serve.

Now onto see what everyone else is sharing for their bread this month!!
Let’s take a look at what my fellow bakers have baked for this month’s Family Feast Breads event:
- Butterflake Rolls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Challah Bread from la cocina de Aisha
- Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Buns from Food Lust People Love
- Chicken in a Blanket from Sneha’s Recipe
- Classic Dinner Rolls from A Baker’s House
- Cloverleaf Rolls from En La Cocina de Caro
- Eggless Coconut Pineapple Quick Bread from Seduce Your Tastebuds
- Edible Bread Basket from Passion Kneaded
- Mallorcan Ensaimadas from Ruchik Randhap
- Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Einkorn Bread from The Schizo Chef
- Poppy Seed Coiled Challah from Bakingyummies
- Poppyseed Roll from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Povitica from Spiceroots
- Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Hostess At Heart
- Rose-shaped Buns from Sara’s Tasty Buds
- Savory Cheddar Honey Butter Rolls from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Simple High Fibre Baguettes from What Smells So Good?
- Smoked Cheddar Caramelized Onion Dinner Rolls from Noshing With The Nolands
- Sweet Dumpling Squash Drop Biscuits from Magnolia Days
- Thanksgiving Wreath Braided Bread Centerpiece from Pastry Chef Online
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].
Comments & Reviews
Carola says
I loved your recipe, 🙂
Tara Noland says
Thank you Carola!
Ansh says
Oh that smoked cheese oozing from the center. It’s feast inside a feast, Love the recipe.
Tara Noland says
Thanks Ansh, actually that is mozzarella the smoked cheese is in the bun itself. Just some added goodness.
Holly says
The title was enough to sell me on these rolls and then your photos with the cheese melting just put me over the edge. WANT THESE NOW! I will try to get on with the rest of my day but it is going to be hard not to think of anything but baking these rolls!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Tell Ken that he knocked it out of the park. That combination of flavors is amazing! I’m with Holly. I want one right now!
Jean |DelightfulRepast.com says
Ken did good! I’m “the bread guy” in my household and am not going to be happy until I make a batch of these beauties!
peter @feedyoursoultoo says
Absolutely, loving these!
Stacy says
I adore smoked cheese, Tara! And the additional of caramelized onions would have me over the moon. You are brilliant for thinking of it and Ken is a master at the execution. The rolls are beautiful but that surprise center is the BEST!
Aisha says
Delicious!!!
Elizabeth says
Oh gosh these sound absolutely fantastic! Yum!
Liz says
I love the smoked cheddar, oozing from the middle. I shall certainly be trying these rolls for my soup.
Shireen says
Super gorgeous rolls! This would be every cheese lover’s delight – especially me, if I made them. I am bookmarking these!
Bakingyummies says
Oh just look at that cheese oozing out…so appetizing! Wonderful job Tara 🙂
Jenni says
Bravo, Ken! These rolls would take the place of the turkey if I had anything to say about it!
Sneha datar says
These are so tempting and delicious.
Pavani says
I can’t take my eyes off those gooey cheesy buns. Amazing clicks and I am very tempted to make these ASAP 🙂
Kavey says
I adore smoked cheese, really like this idea to use it as a gooey centre for bread rolls. I know I’d love these!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
YES! I would not be able to stop eating these rolls!
Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas says
What a delicious little surprise in those rolls, they look great!
Mayuri Patel says
love the cheese filled rolls. What a treat for cheese lovers.