Baked Ham and Cheese Rolls with Fluffy Bread Dough
Ham and cheese rolls are an easy, budget-friendly way to turn simple bread dough and deli ham or leftover holiday ham into something warm, cheesy, and extra special. With fluffy bread, plenty of cheddar, and a sweet and tangy mustard filling, these savory rolls make an easy meal the whole family will enjoy.
One of my favorite ways to use my bread machine is to prep a homemade bread dough in minutes and then use it for a quick-assembly baked treat in the oven.
I started with sweet breakfast cinnamon rolls in a wide variety of flavors (the pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are my favorite.)
But then I thought: why does breakfast get all the fun? It would be so easy to make a savory roll to enjoy for lunch or dinner, too!
I’ve been having so much fun testing savory bread rolls like my buffalo chicken rolls, a ham and cheese roll was the perfect variation!
You’ll want to save this recipe for using up all your leftover ham after Christmas or Easter. It’s the perfect easy dinner or hearty snack while the family is home to enjoy them.
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Great for Leftover Ham: Have some leftover ham after a holiday feast? This is a perfect way to use it.
- Easy Prep: You can make this recipe with homemade bread machine dough or you can use store-bought freezer bread dough or prepared pizza dough.
- Party Perfect: The individual ham and cheese rolls are easy to grab from a buffet table and are fun to serve at a party.
NOTE: I love these hearty ham rolls but if you’re looking for a smaller party sandwich to serve, you might be interested in my ham and cheese sliders made on Hawaiian buns.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients for these homemade ham and cheese pinwheels are really easy, but there are a few things you should know:
- Prepared Bread Dough: I used homemade bread machine bread dough for this recipe, but you can find prepared frozen bread dough at the grocery store. You’ll just need to thaw it before assembling. I don’t recommend using crescent roll dough. It is not strong enough for the hearty fillings in this recipe. If you prefer a chewy texture over the fluffy texture, you could substitute a homemade or store-bought pizza dough.
- Ham: This is an excellent use of leftover ham. I like to dice and portion out my leftover spiral ham after Christmas and Easter and stash small bags of it in the freezer for assembling easy recipes like this all throughout the year. If you don’t have leftover ham, you can have the deli slice some deli ham extra thick and dice it yourself.
- Shredded Cheddar: While slicing a brick of cheddar makes for cheese that melts more smoothly, I like to keep things easy and just use the pre-shredded cheddar from the store.
Prep the Bread Dough
You have several options for the bread dough part of this recipe:
- Homemade Bread Machine Dough: I tested this recipe with my bread machine bread dough, and it worked perfectly. This makes a fluffy, soft roll.
- Store Bought Frozen Bread Dough: My homemade bread dough is meant to mimic the frozen Bridgford bread dough. You’ll need to thaw it before rolling.
- Homemade Pizza Dough: You could make my homemade bread machine pizza dough, this tangy sourdough pizza dough, or the slightly nutty whole wheat pizza dough, all using a bread maker. This would give the recipe a more chewy texture.
- Store Bought Pizza Dough: You could pick up prepared pizza dough from your favorite store.
NOTE: Do NOT use crescent roll dough for this recipe. The flaky texture is not strong enough to stand up to the fillings in this recipe.
Choose your favorite dough and if you’re making it from scratch with one of my bread machine recipes, plan for an extra 90 minutes for the dough to finish in the bread maker.
Prep the Fillings
Dice the ham in quarter-inch-sized pieces.
Chop the green onions and add the shredded cheddar to a mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, garlic salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
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Assemble the Rolls
Spray a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray and set it aside.
Roll your prepared dough of choice out on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the prepared Dijon sauce evenly over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border clear along one long edge. This is where you’ll seal the roll at the end.
Sprinkle the cheese and ham evenly over the top, leaving that 1-inch border clear, and then sprinkle the green onions over the top.
Roll the dough into a log, starting at with one long edge and roll it towards that clear 1-inch space that you left on the other long edge.
Once it’s in a log form, slice it into thirds. Then slice each third in half. Finally, slice each portion in half again. This will make 12 equal slices.
Place each slice, cut side up, into your prepared muffin tin.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise while the oven preheats.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and brush the rolls with melted butter.
Bake the ham and cheese rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the tops are golden brown.
If you’re using my homemade bread dough, they will take closer to the 20-minute mark. I leave that broader span to accommodate another dough you might have chosen.
Make Ahead Tips
You can assemble the rolls ahead of time, place them in the prepared muffin tin, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake up to 12 hours in advance.
Because refrigerated dough may need additional time to rise, let the rolls sit at room temperature before baking, or until the dough just looks slightly puffy.
Leftover baked rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave until warmed through for an easy lunch or snack.
You can freeze baked rolls in an airtight container for up to 6 months. There’s no need to thaw them before reheating. Just cover them so they don’t brown too quickly in the oven or toaster oven.
Serving Suggestions
To turn these easy ham and cheese rolls into a full family dinner, you could serve them alongside a simple garden salad with some fresh fruit or raw veggies and dill dip, or add them to a soup and sandwich meal with a cozy bowl of soup. My homemade tomato bisque soup would be a perfect choice.
If you want to serve them at a party, it could be fun to add a bowl of homemade dip for dunking. These would pair well with buttermilk ranch dip or even an additional honey mustard dip.
More Bread Machine Dough Recipes
Looking for more recipes that use your bread machine dough program? Here are some of my favorites:
Ham and Cheese Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared bread dough homemade or thawed frozen prepared dough, see notes
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) deli ham cubed
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar
- 3 green onions (about 1/4 cup) chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter melted, for brushing on top
Instructions Start Cooking
- Spray a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out until 1/4-inch thick.1 pound prepared bread dough
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mustard, mayo, honey, garlic salt, and black pepper. Spread it evenly over the dough leaving a 1-inch edge clear along one long edge.2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped ham, cheddar, and green onions. Toss together gently to just combine.3/4 cup (6 oz) deli ham, 1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar, 3 green onions (about 1/4 cup)
- Spread the ham mixture evenly over the rolled dough leaving the 1-inch border still clear.
- Roll the dough into a log towards the clear 1-inch border. Press along the edge to seal.
- Use a pastry cutter or pizza wheel to cut 12 equal slices. Place each slice cut side up in a well of the prepared muffin tin. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 – 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap. Brush the melted butter over the top of the rolls.1 tablespoon butter
- Bake the rolls for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Recipe Notes
A Note on Bread Dough:
The texture of the bread for this recipe is similar to a dinner roll–soft, tender, and buttery with a fluffy chew. If you prefer to use store bought dough, look for a frozen bread dough similar to Bridgford white bread. My homemade bread dough can be made in a bread machine quickly if you want something similar made from scratch. Alternatively, you could substitute homemade or store bought pizza dough if you prefer a chewier texture. Crescent roll dough would also be delicious but may not hold its shape with the very thick fillings of this recipe.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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About Tiffany
Tiffany is a home-cooking enthusiast, three-time cookbook author, and creator of the sites Peanut Blossom, Peanut Blossom Book Club, and Don’t Just Fly. She believes that family dinner can be manageable, fun, and — most importantly — tasty. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and can often be found baking a loaf of bread with her beloved bread machine, reading a good book, or planning her family’s next adventure.