Cheesy Garlic Butter Pull Apart Rolls

If there’s one thing that always disappears first at the dinner table, it’s these cheesy garlic butter rolls. They’re soft, fluffy, and stuffed with melty mozzarella, which is basically everything you want in a roll. Each one gets dunked in a garlic butter and parmesan mix before baking, so you know they’re loaded with flavor from the inside out.

This recipe is a spin on my famous dinner roll recipe which you can also use to make cinnamon rolls.

The dough is super simple to make, and you don’t need anything fancy. A stand mixer makes it easy, but not everyone has one, so I include instructions for making them by hand. These are the kind of rolls that feel impressive but are totally doable, even if you’re not a bread-making pro. Trust me, once you try these, you’ll be looking for excuses to bake them.

Ingredient Notes

• Warm Milk: Make sure the milk is between 100°F to 110°F. Heat it on the stove or in the microwave. Use a thermometer for accuracy or test with your finger. It should feel warm, like a hot tub. Use whole milk, 2% or 1% for best results. Skim and dairy milk alternatives can also work.
• Instant Dry Yeast: Instant yeast doesn’t need to sit and bloom. If you only have active dry yeast, just add 10 to 15 minutes to the rising time.
• Salt:  Table salt is what is called for here.
• Salted Butter: Make sure you use softened butter at room remperature so it easily mixes into the dough. If you only have unsalted butter, just add an extra pinch of salt.
• Eggs: Grade AA large eggs will do.
• All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can be used in the same amount for a slightly chewier texture.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better than pre-shredded cheese, which contains additives to prevent clumping which also makes it hard to melt.
• Minced Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is our go-to and gives the best flavor, but pre-minced garlic from a jar works too. It just has a slightly more bitter flavor.
• Grated Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is best, but pre-packaged grated parmesan can be used.

No stand mixer? No Problem!

You can knead your dough by hand! Start out by stirring with a spoon until it becomes too difficult to stir. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead it with your hands, gradually adding in more flour and folding, pressing, and working the dough (kneading) until you have a soft and smooth dough ball that is tacky, but not sticky enough to stick to your hands. 

Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Dry Yeast

Instant dry yeast can be added straight to dry ingredients and doesn’t require any waiting period or proofing. It also rises a bit quicker. Active dry yeast is a larger size of granule and generally needs to be dissolved in a liquid before adding to a recipe. It activates a bit slower so expect 10-15 minutes extra in rising time.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Need to make your dough ahead of time while you are busy doing other things? Make your dough as directed and let it rise for the initial 90 minutes. Shape the dough into rolls and place them on your baking sheet.

Instead of letting them rise for an additional 60 minutes, cover the shaped rolls with plastic wrap and place the pan directly into the refrigerator. While it doesn’t stop it completely, the cool temperature of the fridge will slow the growth of your yeast. Your rolls will only rise slightly while refrigerated and you can hold them this way for up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, remove them from the fridge and allow the rolls to rise at room temperature while your oven preheats, about 30 minutes. Continue to bake as directed.