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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 rolls
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.
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 9x13 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!
@Tiegan halfbakedharvest.com Thanks so much for this delicious easy to follow recipe! The rolls came out great. They were super moist and had that doughy pull and a little bit of crispness on the top. They could have used maybe one more minute in the oven but they were so good. I followed directions exactly but subbed dried herbs bc I didn’t have any fresh on hand. The only thing that I might do next time (if I’m feeling really naughty) is brush them with a melted butter/garlic sauce. These do have a lot of calories so I only tried it on half and boy did that just push it over the top! I froze half of them in a ziplock for my sister to give them a try. So I’m interested to see how they freeze. I’m thinking just put them in fridge or on the counter in the morning to have at night and maybe toast them up in the air fryer with a spray of butter pam or avocado spray? Anyway, thanks for a really great recipe! I’m eager to try some of your others on the site!
Hey Eileen,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a hit! Sure, you can totally freeze this! xx
I’ve got tons of leftover ham! Can I add some in when I put in the pesto & cheese?
Hey there,
Totally, sounds like a great idea! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xx
Do you have a spice recommendation in place of the everything spice for those who can’t have sesame? Thanks 🤍
Hi Jocelyn,
I would just skip it and use any other seasonings that you enjoy:) I hope this recipe turns out well for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Wow! This recipe is a real winner. These rolls are literal perfection.
Hey Jordan,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I made a double batch of these yesterday (one with red pepper flakes, and one without because of the kiddos). They were a hit at the potluck. So delicious! But since I made so many, I had a lot leftover. What to do with all these buns (my family is just 3 people)? This morning I used a few to make a luscious strata for brunch! It was so easy, since the buns were so flavourful, I didn’t need to add anything but the eggs, milk, a little extra cheese and some scallions. I highly recommend. Thanks for this recipe that is scrumptious and can be enjoyed in so many ways.
Hey Rachel,
Happy Easter!! 🐰🐣🌈 Thank you very much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your comment, I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Is the butter really only 2 tbs? And the video it didn’t look melted??
Hi Alyssa,
Yes, 2 tablespoons is correct, melted or softened butter is great to use! I hope this recipe turns out well for you! xT
Hey Tieghan! I want to make these and was wondering about riding time. If I make the dough the night before, should I let the dough rise first at room temp then place in fridge overnight? Or can I let this dough rise for ~4hr at room temp while I’m away day off? Thanks!
Hey Katie,
You can go ahead and let them rise for 4+ hours while you are away for the day, just cover with a dish towel! I hope you love this recipe! Happy Easter! xx
I’m currently making these for the first time, and it looks like there’s an error when using the metric measurements – the flour measurement calls for 937g, which is almost double what 4 cups should come out to! Glad I caught it before going on autopilot and adding it all in, wanted to let you know so you could fix it for other scale-users 🙂 So excited to see how these turn out!
I am making these for Our Easter Sunday Brunch! I can’t wait to make them today I’ll put them in the fridge overnight and bake them tomorrow. How long should I let them rise on Sunday morning before baking for the second rise. Happy Easter Tieghan🐣
Hi Annie,
I would give them a couple hours to rise:) I hope you love this recipe! Happy Easter! xx
If you make the rolls ahead and put them in the fridge overnight, do they need to come to room temp again before baking?
Hi Erin,
You bet! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
My rolls always seem to be too doughy in the centers, and brown around the outside. Is there a trick to get them to cook evenly through?
Hi Kathy,
Sorry to hear you are having issues with the baking. Are you by chance using a glass baking dish? Try using a metal pan. I hope this helps! xx
I’d like to freeze half this recipe.
Would you allow first rise and then freeze?
Thanks
Hi Susan,
Totally, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx