Pass the Cook Book Club: Smitten Kitchen’s Cheddar Swirl Breakfast Buns

Have too many cookbooks that you never cook from? Time to join Pass the Cook Book Club! Every month a cookbook is chosen and three recipes are picked out for us to choose from to make. This month’s cookbook was the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook! Deb’s blog was one of the first food blogs I started reading, so I was really excited to get into these recipes. I chose the Cheddar Swirl Breakfast Buns because I have made many cinnamon swirl buns, but never a savory breakfast bun!

When I started to make these for breakfast Sunday morning this past weekend, I was a little upset to see rise times of 2 hours, twice. However, it ended up only taking about an hour each time in my warmer than usual apartment. I’m telling you, the only benefit to hot days are shorter rise times with yeast. Evidently I should always make yeast doughs when it’s hot out. But I digress…

Regardless of the rise time, these rolls are worth the wait. I ate them with some fruit since I ended up eating some cereal while I waited, but I think they would be great with eggs and bacon. In fact, I went ahead and made an egg breakfast sandwich with a leftover bun to prove it (shared on Twitter).

One year ago: Zucchini Ribbon Pasta with Creamy Lemon-Basil Sauce

CHEDDAR SWIRL BREAKFAST BUNS

Makes 12 buns

Ingredients:

DOUGH

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Few grinds black pepper

1 Tbsp sugar

2-1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast

1 cup milk

FILLING

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, cooled to lukewarm, divided

1/2 cup grated white onion

1-1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 tsp fresh minced dill

1/2 tsp salt

Few grinds black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and sugar in the bottom of a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the milk until it dissolves, then pour the yeast-milk mixture into the flour, mix them together with the paddle of an electric mixer or wooden spoon until a shaggy ball forms.
2. If you are using a mixer, switch to the dough hook, and knead on low about 6 minutes, or until smooth and slightly sticky ball has formed. If you are making these be hand, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for another 8 minutes until smooth.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Alternatively, you could chill the dough at this point over night, up to 3 days, then bring it back to room temp and pick up where you left off.
4. Scoop the dough out of the bowl onto well-floured counter, and roll into a 12×16 rectangle. Brush 4 tablespoons melted butter over the dough. Mix remaining filling ingredients and spread over the rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the short ends. Roll tightly and from one short end to another, making a 12” log. With a sharp serrated knife, carefully cut into 12 one-inch rounds.
5. Using parchment paper, line the bottom of two small pans, 9” rounds or 8” square, or one 9×13 baking pan, and arrange 6 rolls in each of the smaller pans or all 12 in the larger, with an even amount of space in between. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter, cover pans with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temp until doubled again, about 2 hours. When almost doubled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Once buns have fully doubled, baked for 20 – 25 minutes, until tops are golden and cheese is bubbling from the center. Serve immediately.

Source: Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, page 49.