Hurry-Up Cheese Buns

These cheese buns take a shortcut most yeast rolls don’t. A jar of sharp cheddar cheese spread gets warmed with water, sugar, and shortening, then poured straight into the yeast and flour. The cheese seasons the dough from the inside so the crumb tastes like cheddar, not just like bread with cheese stuck to it.

Beating the dough hard at high speed for three minutes does the early gluten work that kneading would otherwise. After that, just a minute or two of kneading by hand is plenty before portioning into twelve muffin cups.

The one and only rise is the slow step here, so plan around that hour and a half. Dough is ready when a finger press leaves a dent that fills back in slowly. Use the oldest, sharpest cheddar spread you can find since the flavor mellows in the oven.

Pro Tips

• Check the cheese mixture with a thermometer before adding to the yeast. Above 115°F (46°C) and you’ll kill the yeast.
• Grease muffin cups generously, the cheese sugars tend to stick.
• Brush tops with melted butter the second they come out for a shiny, bakery-style crust.

Variations

• Fold in cooked crumbled bacon or snipped chives for savory dinner rolls.
• Sprinkle flaky salt and cracked pepper on top before baking for a pull-apart bread board look.
• Swap half the flour for white whole wheat for a nuttier, heartier bun.