This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure here.
Cheeseburgers just got invited to game night! But this time they’re ready for sharing and easier to grab and dip! They’re everything you love about a classic cheeseburger but presented like a cinnamon roll that’s soft, golden and savory.
They’re bite-sized and perfect for your next game night, movie night or those weekends where you want to bake something a little savory. Name your favorite cheeseburger topping, I’m sure we’ve got it rolled up into this dough – anything from burger sauce to pickles.
This recipe starts with a homemade yeast dough, that develops into a soft dough. Once the dough is rolled out, it’s layered with a creamy burger sauce, seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, diced pickles. The dough is rolled just like cinnamon rolls and sliced into individual rounds before being baked in muffin tins. As they bake, they form a crispy outer edge and the center is soft, filled with melted cheese and savory beef. You get all the classic cheeseburger flavors in this dish – ketchup, mustard, pickles, cheese and the beef and the creamy burger sauce brings everything together.
These rolls are easy to pick up, serve and share which makes them perfect appetizer for your next gathering with friends. It’s a fun appetizer that’s a bit unexpected with a familiar taste that everyone will lover. You’ll probably want to grab one for yourself before they disappear! They’ll go fast!
Why You’ll Love These Cheeseburger Rolls
- They’re packed with all the cheeseburger toppings you love. You’ll get all the iconic cheeseburger flavors in each bite. The meat is seasoned with onions, ketchup and mustard – it know it sounds weird but tastes great- and is rolled with burger sauce and cheese!
- Easy to serve. These rolls are baked in muffin tins, making them the perfect bite-sized appetizer for any casual get together.
- Fun and out of the box! We could have made sliders, but rolls are more fun! They’ll definitely be the talk of the table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
yeast dough
- Milk
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Yeast
- Warm water
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
cheeseburger filling
- Burger sauce
- Cheddar cheese
- Hamburger meat
- Onion
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Salt & pepper
- Pickles
How to Make Cheeseburger Rolls, Step by Step
Step 1. Make the yeast dough.
Start by heating milk, sugar, salt and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk mixture. Once the milk mixture has reached 105-115°F, remove from the heat and set to the side.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water and yeast. Give it a stir and let it activate for about 10 minutes. Once the yeast is bubbling, add the warm milk mixture and eggs to the bowl. Once smooth, stir in 2/3 of the flour and mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the speed mix in the rest of the flour, kneading for about 5 more minutes. Stop mixing when the dough clings to the hook and cleans the side of the bowl.
Step 2. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Turn the dough into a greased bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour. It should double in size.
Tip: Warm places could be the microwave or oven with the light on.
Step 3. Make the cheeseburger filling.
While the dough is rising for an hour, make the cheeseburger filling. This is where all the flavors start to come together. Your kitchen will be smelling like a cheeseburger in no time!
In a skillet over medium heat, cook down chopped onions until they are soft. Once they are soft and translucent, add ground meat to the pan and season the meat with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and onion powder.
Once the meat is browned and cooked through, stir in ketchup and mustard. This is going to give the burger filling that iconic burger flavor.
In a small bowl, stir together ingredients to make the homemade burger sauce and stir until evenly combined. (You can use store bought burger sauce as well!)
Step 4. Roll out the dough, spread filling. Roll and cut into individual rolls.
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap from the top and punch down the dough to release any excess mass.
Roll out the dough onto a floured surface until it is about 1/4 -inch thick. It should form a a 10×30-inch rectangle.
First spread a thin layer of burger sauce over the top of the dough. Next, spread out the seasoned burger meat before finishing with a blanket of cheese.
Roll the dough like a cinnamon roll. Start from the longer side of the dough, rolling into a log. Slice the dough into about 14-16 spirals.
Step 5. Place rolls in muffin tin, let them rise and bake.
Grease the wells of a muffin tin with butter or cooking spray and fill each muffin tin with a roll. Cover the rolls with a clean dish towel and let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.
While they are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for about 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is nice and melty.
Let the rolls set for about 10 minutes before serving!
Tips for Making Cheeseburger Rolls
- Make sure your milk mixture and warm water are not too hot. Warm water is used to activate the yeast. You want to make sure that it is between 100-110ºF or else it will kill the yeast. You want to also make sure that the milk mixture is not too hot because you will add the yeast to the dough.
- On the other hand, you don’t want ingredients to be too cold. Make sure eggs and butter are room temperature. This will help to maintain a warm temperature to keep the yeast active.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place. We recommend putting the bowl in the microwave or in a turned-off oven with the light on.
- Roll the dough into an even rectangle. When you roll the dough out into a rectangle, make sure the dough thickness is even all the way across. This will help the rolls bake at the same rate.
Recipe FAQ
How to Store Cheeseburger Rolls
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the rolls in the microwave for about 20 seconds until warm all the way through.
More Party Food Ideas:
Cheeseburger Rolls
Description
These cheeseburger rolls are filled with seasoned ground beef, melty cheddar cheese, pickles, and burger sauce for a fun, shareable appetizer that’s perfect for game day, game night, casual parties, and nights with friends.
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 pkg quick-rise yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 egg
- 3 1/4 cups flour
Cheeseburger Filling
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup burger sauce (see recipe below)
- 1 lb hamburger meat
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp mustard
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup pickles, finely chopped
Burger Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to season to taste
Instructions
- Make yeast dough. Heat the butter, milk, and sugar in a small saucepan until the ingredients are fully dissolved. Set aside and let it cool down for a few minutes.
- While the butter mixture is cooling, add warm water and quick-rise yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the yeast bloom for 5-10 minutes. Then add the milk mixture, salt, egg, and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the ingredients on speed 2 for 3 minutes.
- Then, add the rest of the flour (3/4 cups) to the mixture and knead the dough on speed 2 for 5 more minutes. The dough at this point should be well combined, dense, but still a bit bouncy.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and let it rise in a warm place (microwave, on top of the stove, or windowsill) for 1 hour.
- While the dough is rising, make cheeseburger filling. In a skillet over medium heat, add chopped onions and cook them down until soft. Push the onions to the sides and add in ground meat, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and onion powder. Once the meat is browned, stir in ketchup and mustard. Remove from heat and make burger sauce.
- Make burger sauce. In a medium bowl, add ingredients for burger sauce and stir until evenly combined.
- After the dough has nearly doubled in size, punch the dough to let out the air. Then, place the dough on a floured surface (either a clean counter or cutting board) and roll out the dough until it’s 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread a thin layer of burger sauce evenly on the surface of the rolled-out dough. Sprinkled with cheese, meat and chopped pickles.
- Roll the dough just like you’re making cinnamon rolls. Start by rolling the long edge in. Roll as tightly as you can and then pinch in the ends of the roll. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the roll in 1 inch pieces.
- Place each one in an individual muffin tin. Cover the rolls and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minute rise, bake the rolls on 350°F for 20-25 minutes. The tops should be golden brown.
- Allow the rolls to cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!
