Everyone loves a good ham and cheese roll. Crispy on the outside and gooey and full of flavor with Ranch Dressing on the inside, these delicious homemade treats are guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family! Enjoy them warm from the oven, toasted, or even cold, and customize them with your favorite toppings and fillings.
Classic Ham and Cheese Rolls recipe with a Ranch twist, also called Ham and Cheese buns or Ham and Cheese Scrolls. This recipe isn't made with crescent rolls, no Bisquick, no puff pastry, but with a proper yeast dough. Now don't get me wrong, those are all convenient and quick, and would work well, but they lack the real bakery flavour of a freshly baked yeast dough in the oven.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made From Scratch - this is real baking with yeast dough, old school
- Easy Snack - perfect for an after school snack or with your morning coffee
- Adaptable - make this recipe your own with great flavor ideas
Ham and Cheese Roll Filling
- Ranch dressing - the flavor base spread thinly
- Cheese - mix of grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese (or add Swiss)
- Deli Ham - 8oz or 200 grams of your favorite shaved ham
- Milk - for brushing tops of Ham and Cheese Rolls
How to Make Ham and Cheese Rolls
- Make Dough - prepare dough using traditional kneading method or bread machine dough
- Heat Oven - preheat oven to 200°C/400°F
- Cut Dough - Cut dough in half, roll out dough into equal rectangles about ¼" thick.
- Build Rolls - thinly spread Ranch Dressing over the dough, leaving a ½" border around the dough. Evenly sprinkle cheese and adds bits of ham across the dough.
- Roll Up - start rolling on the long side of the rectangle, rolling firmly until you have a dough log.
- Cut - cut the ends of dough log, and cut into even pieces. Should have 10-12 small ham and cheese rolls.
- Let it Rise - Place in greased baking sheet or lined with parchment paper. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
- Brush - brush roll lightly with milk
- Bake - bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Traditional Yeast Dough
A tried and tested yeast dough recipe. Made from scratch, there's something satisfying about kneading homemade dough. Watch video instructions for yeast dough to help you.
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups lukewarm warm milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Instant Dry Yeast
- 4 cups flour
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Traditional Dough Instructions
- Proof Yeast - mix yeast with ½ lukewarm milk and sugar and salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour allow to activate for 15 minutes (you will see bubbles and foam).
- Mix - in a large bowl, add remaining flour, milk with egg and melted butter. Pour in the activated yeast mixture and stir until it forms a shaggy ball.
- Knead - on a floured surface knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic
- Rise - place in oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in warm spot. Takes about 1½ hours to rise. Punch down and gently knead before using.
Bread Machine Dough
A Cuisinart bread machine makes dough making quick and easy. Just throw in all the ingredients, and 90 minutes later, you have your yeast dough ready to use. And the best part, you don't need to knead any dough!
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- ⅓ cup milk lukewarm
- 3 tablespoons melted butter/oil
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast
Bread Machine Instructions
- Place ingredients, in the order listed, into your bread machine.
- Select the dough program. Should take about 90 minutes to complete the dough cycle.
Cheese Roll Flavor Ideas
Ranch Dressing is an easy way to elevate your Ham and Cheese Rolls with extra flavor. It's easy to personalize with your favorite sauces. Here are some great ranch substitutions.
- Pizza Sauce
- Sriracha Mayo
- Garlic Aioli
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Pesto Mayo
- Honey Mustard
- Nothing - yup, you can skip the sauce and just use cheese and ham
How Many Rolls Does This Recipe Make?
This Ham and Cheese Roll recipe makes enough for 2 baking trays. The thickness of the dough dictates how big your dough rectangle will be. Thicker dough means less rolls. This recipe should make 20-24 small rolls. Roll ½" thick dough to cut larger rolls, making 12 total (6 per baking tray).
Storage
- Fridge - Keep in an airtight container and enjoy within 1 week.
- Freezer - Double the recipe so you can freeze it for an easy snack. Place in Ziploc Bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- Microwave - set for 30 seconds, add more time if necessary
- Oven - heat oven to 350°F/180°C and warm for 5-8 minutes
- Air Fryer - heat air fryer 350°F/180°C and re-heat for 3-5 minutes
Snack Recipes You'll Love
- Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
- Oatmeal Monster Cookies
- Spinach and Feta Triangles
- Honey Joys - Cornflake Cupcakes
- Easy Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
The perfect snack for school lunch boxes, breakfast or if the grandkids come over to visit. So quick and easy to make, Ham and Cheese Buns have so many flavor combinations. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 1 ⅓ cup lukewarm milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Instant Dry Yeast
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons melted butter using 15ml measure
Filling ingredients
- Ranch dressing for base
- 2 cups grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese
- 8 oz (200g )shaved deli ham
- milk for brushing top of Ham and Cheese Rolls *
Instructions
Making Yeast Dough
- Mix yeast with ½ lukewarm milk and sugar and salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour allow to activate for 15 minutes (you will see bubbles and foam).
- In a large bowl, add remaining flour, milk with egg and melted butter. Pour in the activated yeast mixture and stir until it forms a shaggy ball.
- On a floured surface knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in warm spot. Takes about 1½ hours to rise. Punch down and gently knead before using.
Ham and Cheese Scrolls
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Cut the dough in half, and roll out each half of the yeast dough into 2 rectangles, about ¼" thick. This thickness will give you 24 pieces. ½" thick will make 12 rolls.
- Thinly spread Ranch Dressing over the dough, leaving a ½" border around the dough. Evenly sprinkle cheese and adds bits of ham across the dough (like making a pizza).
- Start rolling on the long side of the rectangle, rolling firmly until you have a dough log.
- Cut the uneven ends of dough log, and measure to cut into even pieces. Should have 10-12 small ham and cheese rolls.
- Place the round scrolls on a greased baking sheet or on parchment paper. Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm place for about 45 minutes, allowing the dough to rise.
- Brush the Ham and Cheese Rolls lightly with milk. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Allow to cool and enjoy.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted April 2016, updated April 2023
