Cheesy Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

a hand pulling a cheesy pesto covered roll out from a bunch of rolls.

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5 from 11 votes

Cheese stuffed rolls baked with a savory pesto topping!

Course Appetizer, Bread

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2 20

Servings rolls

Calories 180kcal

Author Tracy

Equipment

Ingredients

Rolls

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 10 g
1 cup warm water
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour 415 g
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 tablespoons salted butter softened
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups mozzarella cheese 6.5 oz, freshly shredded

Pesto

2 cups fresh basil (without stems) 1.5 oz, about a 3 oz package
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese .5 oz
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup hazelnuts lightly toasted, 40 g or 1.4 oz
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer add warm water and sugar and mix. Sprinkle yeast on top and let activate for about 10 minutes, until bubbly.
Add butter and mix with the dough hook on low. Add flour, one cup at a time continuing to mix until all is combined and a soft sticky dough forms.
Lightly flour a clean surface and transfer dough to it. Dough will be slightly sticky. Knead a couple of times and shape into a ball.
Transfer the ball into an oiled large bowl (we love our misto to oil the bowl) and cover it with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled - approximately an hour.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by adding all pesto ingredients to a blender or a food processor. Blend until creamy. Add a tablespoon of water if you would like a looser consistency.
Grease a large baking pan or a 9X13 baking dish (if not making it into a tree or wreath shape). Set aside.
Use a kitchen scale and break off 21 equal sized pieces of dough that are about 1.2 - 1.4 oz each. This is to make a tree or wreath shape, if baking in a baking dish, see recipe notes.
Take each piece of dough and gently spread it open in your palm. Use your other hand and grab a pinch of cheese and add to the center of the dough. Gently fold up the sides of the dough around the cheese and pinch it shut. Add to pan or dish seam side down and spaced about 1/2 inch apart for room to rise. Repeat for all dough balls. (See pictures in post for reference)
Gently cover with a clean kitchen towel or linen and let rise again for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Once the dough balls have risen again, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese in the corners of the dough balls. Use a silicone brush to generously brush on pesto over the tops of rolls and in the corners. Use as much pesto as you would like, at least 1/2 cup and up to 1 cup.
Finish with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melty and browned.
Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

The nutritional value is approximately per roll.

Shred your own cheese for the best melty cheese!

Shaping

Christmas Tree: For this shape, 21 dough balls will make a good sized tree. You can also use 21 to create a double-layered circular wreath.

Baking Dish: If you want to make these without a festive shape, just bake them in your favorite 9X13 baking dish like you would regular rolls and increase the size to about 2 - 2.4 oz per ball to make about 15 rolls.

Substitutions

Flour: Bread flour will also work for this recipe.

Butter: You can use unsalted, too. Just add a pinch more salt to the dough.

Sugar: You can use 2 teaspoons of honey, too.

Pesto: If you have a premade pesto in your freezer or you have a store-bought favorite, you can use that, too. Use about 1/2 - 1 cup.

Hazelnuts: You can also use pine nuts or walnuts.

Mozzarella Cheese: This is our favorite in this recipe, but you can use cheddar, but mozzarella provides the best cheesy pull.

Nutrition