Homestyle Pepperoni Rolls
Makes: 8 big rolls Prep time: 4 hours total Bake time: 30 to 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 packet, Red Star Platinum Yeast
3 and 1/2 cups bread flour
1 egg
One, 6 ounce stick of pepperoni, cut into 8 pieces by cutting it in half, then each piece into 4 lengthwise pieces
1/8 cup olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups grated monterrey jack cheese, plus more for stuffing if needed
2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the rolls before baking and after they come out of the oven
Directions
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
In a microwave bowl or on the stovetop, heat up the milk and butter until the butter is melted. The milk mixture should be very warm, but not bubbling and the butter should be completely melted.
Whisk in the sugar, salt and yeast.
Allow the mixture to sit until the yeast gets foamy. This should take about 8 minutes total.
In your stand mixer, or by hand, add the bread flour to your bowl and create a well in the center. Crack your egg in the middle and then pour the yeast mixture over the top. Mix just until all of the ingredients come together. The dough will be sticky and rough looking at this point and that is fine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours.
After two hours, gently need the dough right in the bowl. Form it into a ball and cover it again with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour.
After this rise, turn the dough out into a well floured surface.
Knead the dough into a smooth ball forms.
Now, cut the dough into approximately 8 equal sized pieces and roll them into a ball.
With a rolling pin or your hands, roll each piece to about a 5 inch circle.
Place a piece of the pepperoni on top of the dough.
Lightly brush the pepperoni with the olive oil.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the cheese on top.
Fold the dough over the mixture and roll up like a burrito.
Make sure to tuck and seal the ends under and pinch closed the seam side.
Place seam side down on your lined baking sheet.
I placed 4 per pan so they have enough room to rise and spread out a bit.
Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the rolls are rising.
Brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter before baking.
Bake for 15 minutes and then rotate the pans.
Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.
Brush the rolls again with the melted butter when they come out of the oven.
Cut the rolls in half and add more cheese to the hole if you need to. You can then place it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt it.
Enjoy them just like this, or you can even dunk them in your favorite marinara sauce.
Either way, you just can’t go wrong with these fabulous rolls.
I hope you love them as much as I did!!
Happy baking everyone!! xo