Cheddar Chive Rolls – Enjoying Fresh Garden Herbs
These cheddar chive rolls are a delicious way to enjoy fresh garden herbs.
If you grow herbs, chances are you have experienced a pang of guilt for not using them to their full potential. If that’s true, I have three recommendations:
- Make these cheddar chive rolls. They’re super tasty and a great way to use fresh herbs. Later on in the season, I’ll try them with thyme, rosemary, sage, basil or some combination of these.
- Join Herb Chat so you can get timely recipes and info direct from the herb garden as to what’s in season, how to prune and maintain your herbs, how to harvest them and how to preserve them for use throughout the year. Because Herb School is on Facebook, you’ll get to join the conversation so you can share your photos, questions and stories about herbs.
- Relax! Most herb growers grow way more herbs than they can ever use. If you have extra, share them with friends, family or a local soup kitchen. If you’re having the opposite problem and none of your herbs seem to do well, go back to point #2 so you can post questions and photos and get timely advice on growing your herbs.
Back to the cheddar chive rolls. I used chives, garlic chives, oregano and tarragon because that’s what was growing in my garden in mid May. If you don’t have easy access to these herbs, no problem. I made one batch without tarragon and another using more garlic chives. Do what works for you. I would just recommend having at least 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chopped fresh herbs so that you have a nice amount of filling.
If you love savory buns, these are the buns for you.
Recipe for Cheddar Chive Rolls
Cheddar Chive Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup lukewarm milk 100°F to 115°F/37°C to 46°C
Filling
- 3 Tbsp butter softened
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp chopped garlic chives
- 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
- 2 Tbsp chopped oregano leaves
- 3 Tbsp chopped chives
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tbsp coarse salt
Instructions
- In large bowl, combine 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, ground flax, instant yeast, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mix and add canola oil, egg and milk. Mix ingredients incorporating only as much of the remaining flour as needed to form a soft dough.
- As dough forms a ball, use hands to knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Dough should be soft and stretchy without being sticky.
- Cover dough and let rest for 10-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine butter, Dijon mustard, cayenne and black pepper. Set aside.
- Punch down dough and roll out on a lightly floured counter. For twelve, full size rolls, roll the dough into a 10x12 rectangle. For eighteen, smaller rolls, roll the dough into an 11x20 rectangle.
- Spread butter mixture over top of dough.
- Sprinkle herbs and cheese evenly across the buttered dough.
- Roll the wide side of the dough up tightly. Pinch edge of dough to seal the roll.
- Using a serrated knife, cut dough roll crosswise into 12 or 18 equal pieces. Place on large cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt. If needed, brush rolls with water or milk to make salt stick better.
- Let rise in a warm place for 40-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Bake rolls at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Fresh or Dried Herbs
I highly recommend using fresh herbs for these rolls. The idea here is not to be subtle, you want people to experience the herbs to their fullest. If you use dried herbs, you’ll have to use much less quantity and the dried herbs would not be as visible and impressive as the fresh herbs.
Enjoying Day Old Cheddar Chive Rolls
Like most preservative free, homebaked breads, these rolls are best enjoyed fresh. But as good as these are, you might not finish all twelve in one day. Of course you can freeze any extras once they’ve cooled. But you can also try using the rolls for open faced grilled cheese.
To make these cheesy treats, slice rolls in half and top with your favorite cheese. Place in 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or under a broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
These were great with a bowl of stinging netttle soup. 
Which would you reach for a sweet cinnamon roll or a savory cheddar chive roll?
Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.