If you're a fan of savory breakfasts, you're going to love these savory breakfast rolls. They take inspiration from classic cinnamon rolls but swap out the sweet for layers of fluffy scrambled eggs, melty gruyere cheese, and salty Virginia ham—like eggs benedict in cinnamon roll form!
And to make it even more irresistible? A drizzle of creamy hollandaise sauce over the top. These rolls are perfect for a weekend brunch or cozy gathering.
Who says cinnamon sugar filling gets to have all the fun? We've taken a classic cinnamon roll concept and filled it with savory breakfast staples to create a hearty breakfast (like in this ham and swiss quiche).
Serve these savory cinnamon rolls alongside some sweet ones for the perfect pairing. These mini cinnamon rolls or banana cinnamon rolls would be a hit!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Savory twist on a classic - Think of these like a savory cinnamon roll—soft herb-studded dough swirled with eggs, cheese, and ham, making every bite loaded with flavor.
Perfect for brunch - These rolls are hearty enough to be the star of your brunch table, especially when topped with the tangy hollandaise sauce.
Make ahead - these rolls can be assembled, covered, and added to the fridge overnight. Give them a bit of extra time in the morning before baking!
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar. A little sugar feeds the yeast, helping the dough rise properly.
- Active dry yeast. This gives the dough its light, fluffy texture.
- Fresh Rosemary. Infuses the dough with an aromatic, savory flavor that pairs perfectly with the filling.
- Bread flour. Higher in protein, it gives the dough structure, making it soft yet sturdy enough to hold the filling.
- Eggs. Scrambled eggs provide a hearty base for the filling. Yolks are used in the hollandaise, which adds thickness and creaminess.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds creaminess to the scrambled eggs, keeping them soft and fluffy.
- Gruyere cheese. Melts beautifully and offers a nutty, savory flavor that complements the ham.
- Virginia ham. Ask for the ham shaved or chipped from the deli, which makes for very thin ribbons of meat. This prevents the rolls from getting bulky and makes it easy to cut into and eat.
- Lemon: Adds acidity, balancing out the richness of the eggs and butter in the hollandaise sauce.
- Dijon mustard: Gives the sauce a tangy depth, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Unsalted butter: The main fat in the hollandaise, giving it its smooth, velvety texture. It's also used in the bread dough to create an ultra soft dough.
- Minced chives: Fresh and bright, they add color and a mild onion flavor when sprinkled over the finished rolls.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Difference Between Instant Yeast and Active Dry Yeast
Instant yeast can be used interchangeably with active dry yeast in most recipes, however, there is one major step needed in order to make the swap.
Active dry yeast (as the name suggests), needs to be activated first with a sugar and warm liquid.
Instant yeast can be added directly to all ingredients and mixed in and the rising process will begin.
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat Variations: While Virginia ham adds a salty richness, you can substitute with other cured or cooked meats. Try bacon, prosciutto, or sausage for a different flavor profile.
- Cheese Options: Gruyere has a nice sharp and nutty flavor, but you can easily swap it out for sharp cheddar, fontina, or gouda for a flavor twist.
- Herbs: Don’t have rosemary on hand? Use thyme, sage, or even a small amount of tarragon to flavor the dough. I suggest using fresh herbs rather than dried herbs.
- Vegetarian Version: Skip the meat entirely and add sautéed spinach, mushrooms, and/or roasted peppers for a veggie-filled version.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Activate the yeast, then mix in all of the liquid ingredients.
Two: Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until combined and very sticky.
Three: Continue kneading until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, the grease the dough and bowl and cover to rise in a warm place.
Four: Make the scrambled eggs, leaving them very wet.
Hot tip! Add the bowl of dough to an oven (turned off) and turn the oven light on. This is a great, controlled environment for dough to rise!
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Five: Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down, then add it to a lightly floured surface.
Six: Roll the dough out into a 12x18" rectangle, keeping the sides and corners as straight as possible. Use a bench scraper to help with this!
Seven: Evenly layer the ham, shredded cheese, and scrambled eggs
Eight: Cut the dough into 8 strips (on the long side), then roll each of them into a spiral.
Nine: Place the rolls into a greased casserole dish and cover and rise for 30 more minutes. Top with more cheese, then bake.
Ten: While the savory rolls bake, make the hollandaise sauce by streaming melted butter into egg yolks and added flavors.
Eleven: Bake until lightly golden on the top of the swirls and the center is cooked through.
Twelve: Top with the warm hollandaise and minced chives before serving.
Expert Tips
- Undercook the scrambled eggs, removing them from the heat and pan while they're still very wet. They will finish cooking in the rolls.
- Layer the filings the whole way to all of the edges of the dough.
- Some of the filling will fall out when you transfer the rolls into the pan. It's ok!
- Spoon on the hollandaise right before serving. Once the sauce sits on the rolls for too long, it forms a skin.
- Prep ahead by assembling the rolls and store them in the fridge overnight for a stress-free morning. Just allow a little extra rise time before baking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can assemble the rolls and store them covered in the fridge overnight. Just let them come to room temperature and rise a bit more before baking.
They may need more time to rise, especially if it isn't in a warm environment! It's also possible that the yeast was expired or dead.
The hollandaise was blended for too long, or it began to get too cold. Thin it out with a bit more warm melted butter and whisk to incorporate it.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, including the hollandaise. It's best to store the breakfast rolls without the hollandaise topping.
To reheat the leftover hollandaise, add it to a double boiler and whisk until loosened and very warm.
Reheat them in the oven at 300°F until warmed through or microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
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What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
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📖Recipe
Savory Breakfast Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup water warmed to 110℉
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced
- 3 - 3½ cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Olive oil for coating
Filling
- 10 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz gruyere cheese shredded (1 cup)
- 1 lb virginia ham shaved or thinly sliced
Hollandaise Sauce
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and hot
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup minced chives
Instructions
Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the water, sugar, and yeast to the bowl and give it a quick mix with a fork to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes until the top becomes foamy and the yeast is activated.1 cup water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add the butter and rosemary and mix until combined.¼ cup unsalted butter, 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- Add 2 cups of flour and the salt. Mix on low until fully moistened, then increase the speed to medium and knead for 3 minutes.3 - 3½ cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Add another 1 ¼ cup of flour and mix on low until incorporated, then knead on medium speed for 3 more minutes.
- If the dough is still sticky and adhering to the sides of the bowl, add the final ¼ cup of flour. If not, don’t add more flour. In either instance, knead the dough on medium high speed for a final 5 minutes.
- Drizzle the sides of the bowl and the dough with olive oil, and roll it around to coat completely.Olive oil
- Cover and let rise in a warm space until doubled in size (1-2 hours).
Fillings
- While the dough is rising, whisk the eggs and cream and scramble them to relatively small, wet curds. Transfer to a plate so they stop cooking.10 large eggs, ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- Shred the cheese.8 oz gruyere cheese
Assembly
- Punch the dough down then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Use a rolling pin and a gently pulling motion on the sides to roll it into a 12x18” rectangle.
- Add the ham in an even layer all over the dough. Top the ham with the shredded cheese, then add the scrambled eggs in an even layer on top of the cheese.1 lb virginia ham
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 8 even strips.
- Roll the pieces up and place them into a greased 9 x 13” casserole dish.
- Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes in a warm area until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and bake in the center rack for 40-50 minutes until very lightly golden.
Hollandaise
- While the rolls are baking, melt the butter in the microwave until hot.¾ cup unsalted butter
- Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, dijon, salt and cayenne into a 2 cup measuring cup.4 large egg yolks, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture while drizzling in the hot melted butter until it’s gone, and the mixture is emulsified and thick.
- Taste for seasoning. Stir in additional lemon, cayenne or salt as needed. Add more melted butter to thin it out, if necessary.
- Serve the rolls hot, topping each roll with a generous spoonful of hollandaise and minced chives.¼ cup minced chives
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