These cheese bread rolls are soft, chewy and high in protein. They only require two ingredients and don’t need any yeast, eggs, butter or oil. They take only a few minutes to prepare and are easy to customize for more flavors.
The secret to this easy bread is cottage cheese. There are a lot of cottage cheese recipes trending right now. While I’m reluctant to try cottage cheese ice cream, I do think there are recipes that work great for cottage cheese, like bread. Cottage cheese makes these bread rolls soft, moist and cheesy.
Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese
- Self-Rising Flour
Cottage Cheese: I used small curd cottage cheese with 4% milkfat. This is usually the regular cottage cheese that is just called cottage cheese and is not labeled low fat. Make sure you choose cottage cheese with small curds because otherwise your cheese curds will be too big and you won’t be able to form a proper dough. Need a substitute for cottage cheese? I also have a version that uses Greek yogurt.
Self-Rising Flour: Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour already mixed with baking powder and salt. It saves a few extra steps during baking so I always have it in my pantry. However, if you don’t have self-rising flour on hand, you can just make your own with all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Bread
The cottage cheese and some of the flour is mixed together until a dough forms. Knead the dough a few times with your hand to try to break up the cottage cheese curds even more and blend it into the dough. Then add a little more flour to the dough, just until it’s no longer too sticky to work with. The dough is then divided into pieces and rolled into tight balls. The bread rolls are then ready to be baked.
Flavors
This bread has a light savory cheese flavor. You will find little bits of melted cheese spread throughout the bread. If you look closely at the photo below, you can also see some of that melted cheese inside. The cheese flavor is subtle, much like the flavor of cottage cheese. If you want more cheese flavor, you can mix in your favorite cheeses. I like adding cheddar, mozzarella or parmesan cheese.
More Easy Bread Rolls
2 Ingredient Cheese Bread Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (220 g) cottage cheese small curd 4% milkfat
- 1 1/4 cups (157 g) self-rising flour see note regarding amount needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cottage cheese to a large mixing bowl. Add in 1 cup of the flour. Stir with a spatula just until all the flour is fully incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Use your hands to knead the dough a few times while it is still in the bowl, trying your best to mash the small cheese curds into the dough. Stop kneading after 5-6 times. Gradually add in 1 tbsp of flour at a time, stirring in the flour after each addition, until your dough is no longer too sticky to work with. Do not knead this additional flour in. Just stir it in with a spatula until the dough is no longer too sticky. You should have some leftover flour.
- Divide dough evenly into 6 pieces. Wash hands clean and keep them slightly damp. Then roll one piece of dough between your palms a few times to form a compact ball. Place dough onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing dough balls 2 inches apart. If the dough starts to stick to your hands, dampen them again.
- Place rolls into oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until rolls are done (mine were done at 23 minutes). Rolls are best served soon after they are done baking. If you are not eating them right away, heat them up again when you are about to serve them.
Notes
- This recipe was originally tested with White Lily's self-rising flour which has a lower protein content than some other brands of self-rising flour. Please check the protein content of your flour before starting. If your self-rising flour has 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, then you can use the amount stated in the recipe.
- If your self-rising flour has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, then remove 2 tbsp + 1 tsp of the flour from the amount in the recipe and replace with 2 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch.
- If you aren't sure how much protein is in your flour, this is a very forgiving recipe. Add enough cheese curds until a dough forms.
- Make sure to use small curds cottage cheese. I used 4% milkfat cottage cheese.
- These rolls have a light cheese flavor. If you want more flavor, you can add other cheeses to the dough. Just stir in 1/4 cup shredded version of your favorite cheese after you are done kneading the dough.
- To properly measure flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off with a knife. Do not directly dip the measuring cup into the flour because this results in too much flour. Use this method of measuring whether you are measuring self-rising flour or measuring all purpose flour to make your own self-rising flour.
- Homemade self-rising flour:
- If using flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup: Whisk together 1 cup and 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 and 7/8 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- If using flour with 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup: Whisk together 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 and 7/8 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Make sure to roll dough balls tightly because they do spread during baking and if your balls start out loose then they will not keep their round shape.
- You can double the recipe to make more rolls. The photos in the post show double the recipe.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Made these but not favorite didn’t feel like they were done but have to admit they didn’t taste like cottage cheese either
Sorry, you didn’t enjoy the recipe – sounds like they were underbaked.
As you say, these buns are quick and easy and delicious. I added half a teaspoon of salt as my self-raising flour does not have it added and baked for the full 25 minutes.
Lovely warm with butter – thank you!
We’re glad you enjoyed them!
If any are left over should I refrigerate them if I want to have them the next day?
We think they’re best when they’re freshly made, but you can keep them in the fridge. We recommend warming them up when you’re ready to serve them.
I’m obsessed with these!! They’re SO EASY and they’re healthy AND they taste like the Brazilian cheese bread like from Fogo de Chao!
We’re so glad you loved them!
excellent rolls
Thanks!
I baked this last week. It is wonderful. I sprinkled sharp cheddar on top before baking and my grandchildren said they tasted like cheesits. They were really good straight from the oven. But I did reheat 1 and still loved it. This one’s a keeper.
I’m so glad you liked them!
I. Can’t wait to try these rolls! Love lemon