These Cheese Pizza Rolls (aka cheese bread doodles) are essentially a cheesy version of a cinnamon roll. Crusty pizza dough loaded with mozzarella and brushed with a garlic butter. Hello, LOVE!

A pan of golden brown baked cheese pizza rolls. The cheese doodles are like cinnamon rolls filled with mozzarella cheese.

Why We Call These “Cheese Doodles”

Cheese doodles, who thought that name up?! I wanted to call it cheese pizza rolls, but the kids insisted that when they are rolled up like a cinnamon roll they already have a name, cheese doodles. Try to say that and sound like an adult.

Ummm, also, I just learned that a cheese doodle used to be a chip. Is that still a thing?

Alright, here’s the low down on these homemade pizza rolls, they are heaven sent. Whenever we order in or go out for pizza the first thing our kids want to know is, are we getting cheese bread?

I’m always a big yes.

I know you’re not going to believe this, but I actually love cheese bread even more than pizza. GASP!  Alright, no that’s not totally true. A margherita pizza is my favorite thing ever. But cheesy bread rolls, mmmmm I love it!

A pan of cheese pizza rolls that has been baked to a golden brown. One piece of cheesy bread is being pulled apart to expose the melted mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients Needed for Cheese Pizza Rolls

These homemade pizza rolls require few ingredients, most of which you probably have already!

  • All-purpose flour
  • Instant yeast
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Soy Lecithin
  • Water
  • Garlic seasoning
  • Shredded mozzarella
  • Pizza sauce

What’s the Difference Between Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast?

Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before added to the rest of the ingredients.

Instant yeast can be added directly into the dry ingredients. I prefer to always use instant yeast as it’s easier and usually I end up with a better rise.

Bread loaded with cheese, you’re welcome! Cheese doodles are a great side dish or a fun after school snack for the kiddos! Dip them in pizza sauce…kids love dipping things! Shoot, I love dipping things!

A cheese doodle being pulled apart so you can see the melty mozzarella cheese in side. The bread is golden brown and a pan full of cheese doodles are below it.

How to Make Pizza Rolls

It all starts with the easiest pizza dough ever, but you’re going to need a special ingredient, Soy Lecithin.

See below for a few things about where I get my soy lecithin and why you want it.

  1. Once you’ve made the pizza dough and it has risen, roll it out flat like you’re making cinnamon rolls.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a pizza stone in the oven.
  3. Spread shredded mozzarella cheese all over the dough and roll it up tightly, starting from the far side of the rectangle.
  4. Use floss or a serrated bread knife to cut 2-inch doodles.
  5. Pull the hot stone out and arrange the cheese bread on it. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
  6. Meanwhile, melt the butter and mix with garlic and seasoning.
  7. Brush the tops of the hot doodles and serve with our famous Homemade Pizza Sauce.

A piece of cheese doodle cheesy bread being dipped in a a small white bowl of marinara sauce. A tray of cheese doodles sits next to the sauce.

How Long to Cook Pizza Rolls?

These cheese pizza rolls need to bake for just 10 minutes at 450 degrees F.

What Type of Cheese Should I Use?

I’ve eaten ridiculous amounts of cheesy bread and all restaurants seem to use different mixtures, but the most common is mozzarella cheese. You’ll want to use a good quality of mozzarella, but unless it’s an artisan pizza I would avoid buying a fresh mozzarella because of the water content, which makes for soggy cheese pizza rolls.

If you want to experiment, try these cheeses:

  • Pre-Shredded Pizza Cheese Mixture
  • Colby Jack and Mozzarella
  • Mozzarella and Parmesan
  • Pepper jack Cheese

Can You Make Pizza Rolls Ahead of Time?

You can make cheese bread ahead of time by completely making them, covering with foil and reheating in the oven for serving.

Can I Freeze Pizza Rolls?

Yes, these cheese pizza rolls can be frozen before or after they are baked.

To freeze unbaked pizza rolls: Prepare them, set them out on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Take the pizza rolls off of the cookie sheet and place in a freezer bag for up to one month.

To freeze baked pizza rolls: To freeze the pizza rolls after baking, allow them to cool and place in freezer bags for up to 1 month.

A pan full of cheese doodle garlic cheesy bread. The rolls are made like cinnamon rolls and baked to a golden brown.

How to Reheat Homemade Pizza Rolls

Preheat the oven to 350F. Unwrap frozen rolls and heat in the oven until hot. To bake, just place directly on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.

Can You Freeze Pizza Dough?

If you want to, you can freeze pizza dough without doing anything to it. You just divide the dough into 2-4 circles and place in freezer bags for up to 2 weeks.

To defrost, set the dough out on the counter or in the fridge to defrost. Bring back to room temperature before using.

Tips for Making Homemade Pizza Rolls

  • Pizza dough: We LOVE the homemade pizza dough used in this recipe, but you’re welcome to buy refrigerated pizza dough at the grocery if that’s easier for you.
  • Pizza sauce: Most pizza roll recipes add pizza sauce inside the rolls, but we prefer serving it on the side instead. This way, we can load up the rolls with as much pizza sauce as we want! Plus, the rolls are easier to form if they’re just stuffed with cheese.
  • Cheese: We just used mozzarella in this recipe, but you’re welcome to use a blend of cheeses if desired.

A pan full of baked cheese pizza rolls. The rolls are swirled like cinnamon rolls and are baked to a golden brown.

More Pizza Recipes:

More Bread Recipes:

Cheese Bread Doodles

5 from 2 votes
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Dough

  • 4 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Drops Soy Lecithin, , nickel sized
  • 2 Cups Warm Water
  • 4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Garlic Butter

  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted, melted
  • 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons Johnny's Garlic Seasoning
  • Homemade Pizza Sauce

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar to combine.
  • Add the soy lecithin and mix again. 
  • With the mixer on low, slowly add warm water and mix 2 minutes, until dough is smooth and pulls entirely away from sides of mixing bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rest 30 minutes.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a large rectangle (about 1/4" thick). Sprinkle heavily with mozzarella cheese and roll up like you would cinnamon rolls. Cut into 1½- to 2-inch slices with unflavored dental floss or a serrated bread knife and place on prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and, while hot, brush with Garlic Butter.

Garlic Butter

  • Melt the butter, add the garlic seasoning and mix to combine.
  • Combine melted butter and garlic seasoning in small bowl and brush over tops of hot cheese doodles.
  • Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1doodleCalories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 633mgPotassium: 102mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 469IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 3mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: Yeast Bread Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes
Cuisine: American

Recommended Products

Previous
Next

A pan of golden brown baked cheese doodle cheesy garlic bread. The cheese doodles are like cinnamon rolls filled with mozzarella cheese.