These cheddar cheese buns have cheese mixed through the dough and a little more melted over the tops. The milk, butter and egg give them a tender center, while the egg wash helps the crust turn golden. Serve them warm alongside dinner, or put a few on the table with a pot of soup.
Makes 12 buns. Allow about 2¾ hours, including both rises. A cool kitchen may need a little longer.
A few things to sort out before you start
Take the egg out of the refrigerator, melt the butter and let it cool, then grate the cheese. You’ll also need a large mixing bowl and a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. A stand mixer with a dough hook is handy, but you can knead this dough by hand.
Choose a cheddar you like eating. Sharp cheddar gives the buns a fuller cheese flavor; mild cheddar makes a gentler version. Grate it from a block so the pieces are easy to work into the dough. The 1½ cups in the recipe go inside the buns. The extra cheese for the tops is optional.
Warm the milk gently. Aim for about 110°F, then stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Give it 5–10 minutes to form a foamy layer. If it stays completely flat, check the yeast and milk temperature before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Keep the last ½ cup of flour aside. Start with 3 cups. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than packing it down. You may need some of the extra flour, but the dough should still feel slightly tacky.
Let the dough stay a little tacky
Once the yeast is foamy, mix in the cooled melted butter, remaining sugar, salt and egg. Work in the flour gradually. At first, the dough will look rough and uneven. Kneading brings it together into a smoother ball.
Add extra flour a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is too wet to knead. A little stickiness on your fingertips is fine. If you keep adding flour until every surface feels dry, the buns can turn out heavy.
Knead for 5–7 minutes with the dough hook, or about 8–10 minutes by hand, until the dough feels smooth and stretchy. Then work in the grated cheddar until it’s spread throughout. Move the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it.
Give the first rise enough room
Let the dough rise until it’s roughly twice its starting size, usually 60–90 minutes in a warm spot. Choose somewhere away from a draft. A bowl lid or lightly greased plastic wrap keeps the surface from drying out.
Look at the dough before moving on. If it has barely grown, it needs more time, even if the timer has gone off. Milk, butter and cheese make this a richer dough, so a cool room can slow the rise.
Shape twelve buns, then let them puff up
Gently press down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. A kitchen scale helps keep the sizes close. For each piece, draw the edges underneath, pinch the seam closed and gently round it against the counter.
Set the buns seam-side down on the prepared pan, leaving room between them. Cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise for another 30–45 minutes. They should look fuller and puffy before they go into the oven.
Start heating the oven during this second rise. When the buns are ready, brush their tops lightly with the egg-and-milk mixture. Sprinkle on the optional extra cheddar, keeping the layer thin so it can melt without forming a heavy crust.
Check the center as well as the crust
Bake on the middle rack at 375°F for about 15–18 minutes. Look for golden tops and lightly browned sides. If the tops are getting dark before the buns are done, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan for the remaining time.
For a clearer check, insert an instant-read thermometer through the side of a middle bun. The center should reach about 190°F. Give them a few more minutes if needed, then move the buns to a wire rack so the bottoms don’t sit on the hot pan.
A couple of common dough questions
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes. Stir the wet ingredients and flour together in a large bowl, then knead on a lightly floured counter. Use just enough flour to keep the dough manageable. Work the cheese in after the dough is smooth, folding and kneading until it’s evenly mixed.
Why did my buns turn out dense?
Too much flour or too little rising time are two things to check. Keep the dough slightly tacky, let it double in the bowl, and wait until the shaped buns are puffy. Dividing the dough evenly also helps the whole batch bake at the same pace.
Bring them to the table warm
Let the buns cool for about 10 minutes before serving. They’re good beside chicken rice soup or cabbage roll soup, where the cheddar adds a little extra flavor to a simple meal. A small dish of butter is all you need alongside them.
Printable recipe
Cheddar Cheese Buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 standard packet
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar divided
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour start with 3 cups; add the rest only as needed
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated; for mixing into the dough
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp milk or water
Optional topping
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated; for sprinkling over the tops
Instructions
- Warm the milk to about 110°F (43°C). In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Leave for 5–10 minutes, until a foamy layer forms. If the mixture stays flat, check the yeast and milk temperature before continuing.
- Stir in the melted, slightly cooled butter, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and room-temperature egg. Add 3 cups of the flour gradually, mixing with a dough hook on low speed or a sturdy spoon. If the dough is too wet to knead, add the remaining ½ cup flour a tablespoon at a time, only as needed. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Knead for 5–7 minutes with a dough hook, or about 8–10 minutes by hand, until smooth and stretchy. Work in the 1½ cups grated cheddar until evenly distributed. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or lightly greased plastic wrap. Leave in a warm, draft-free spot for 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled in size. Use the size of the dough as your guide; a cool room may need longer.
- Line a 13-by-18-inch half-sheet pan with parchment. Gently press down the risen dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Pull the edges of each piece underneath, pinch the seam closed and round into a ball. Arrange seam-side down on the pan with room between the buns.
- Cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy. During this rise, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle.
- Whisk the egg-wash egg with 1 tablespoon milk or water. Uncover the buns and brush the tops gently with a thin layer of egg wash. If using the optional ¼ cup cheddar, scatter it evenly over the twelve buns.
- Bake for about 15–18 minutes, until the tops are golden and the sides are lightly browned. The center of a middle bun should reach about 190°F (88°C); give it a few more minutes if needed. If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.
- Move the buns to a wire rack. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving warm.
