Baked Sourdough Ham and Cheese Roll-ups
These hot ham and cheese roll-ups are a super easy and tasty way to use your sourdough discard. Filled with savory ham and Swiss cheese, then topped with buttery poppyseed glaze, they’re packed with flavor and sure to become a family favorite!
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Carmyn's Notes
You and your family will love this easy hot sourdough ham and cheese roll-ups recipe. They are soft, fluffy, buttery, and packed with tons of flavor! Just like our sourdough cinnamon rolls, this recipe is made from scratch using sourdough starter discard (or an active starter if you prefer).
The best part is that no commercial yeast is needed! Simply mix the dough by hand, let it ferment overnight on the counter, and fill it with layers of savory ham and melty cheese in the morning. Then, top it off with a rich, buttery poppy-seed sauce. Bake and enjoy warm, pillowy rolls that are perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- For the Dough: Sourdough discard, cold unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, milk, honey, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- For the Filling: Sliced deli ham and shredded Swiss cheese. Havarti or cheddar cheese are also great choices. Grate the cheese fresh from the block for the best flavor and melt. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can impact texture and taste.
- For the Sauce: Unsalted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Tips Before You Begin
Measuring Ingredients: Our recipes are developed using a kitchen scale for precise measurements. Measuring cups can lead to inconsistent results, so keep that in mind if you’re not using a scale.
Flour: All-purpose flour can be substituted with bread flour or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. If you make this switch, you may need to adjust the hydration level slightly, as bread flour and whole wheat flour absorb water differently than all-purpose flour. Add a little more or less water as needed to achieve the right dough consistency.
Adjusting salt: We use Redmonds fine sea salt weighing 4 grams per ¾ teaspoon. If using regular table salt, use ⅔ teaspoon. If using flaky sea salt, use 1 teaspoon.
Discard Recipes: This recipe uses sourdough discard for extra flavor and to reduce waste. If using an active starter, omit the baking soda and baking powder. Use only ¼ cup (50g) to prevent over-proofing, and let the rolls rise for a couple of hours after cutting them out before baking.
Adjusting Your Baking Schedule: We test our recipes in a kitchen that’s 68-70°F. When planning your sourdough schedule, use our sample baking schedule as a guide, but adjust as needed. A cooler kitchen will require more time, while a warmer kitchen will speed up fermentation.
Sample Baking Schedule
- 8:00 PM: Mix the dough, cover the bowl, and let it rest at room temperature overnight.
- 7:00 AM: Add the leavening agents to the dough, shape, and cut out the rolls.
- 7:15 AM: Pour the butter sauce over the rolls and bake.
How to Make Sourdough Ham and Cheese Rolls
Step 1
Use a cheese grater to grate the butter into a mixing bowl. Add the all-purpose flour and use a bench scraper or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour.
Step 2
Add the sourdough starter, milk, honey, and fine sea salt. Mix with a spatula until the ingredients are well incorporated.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest on the counter overnight for 10-12 hours.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9" x 13" baking dish. You can also use a 12" cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Mix the baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl with a fork until there are no visible lumps. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough and mix it into the dough with your hands. The dough will start to become sticky; this is normal.
Step 4
Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Flour the top of the dough. Roll the dough into a 14" x 14" square with a rolling pin.
Sprinkle the Swiss cheese over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Then, layer half a pound of ham slices over the cheese.
Step 5
Roll the dough into a log shape. If the dough is sticking to the work surface, use a bench scraper to help lift it so that the dough doesn't tear.
Step 6
Use the bench scraper to cut the dough log into 12 pieces.
Step 7
Arrange the rolls in the baking dish.
Step 8
Mix the melted unsalted butter, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl and pour it over the rolls. Use a pastry brush to ensure each roll is covered in the sauce.
Step 9
Bake the rolls for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
How to Store
- How to Store: Sourdough ham and cheese rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- How to Freeze Baked Rolls: Place the rolls into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the rolls and bake for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. The rolls can also be reheated for 30-60 seconds in a microwave or until heated through.
- How to Freeze and Bake Unbaked Rolls: Shape the rolls and place them in a round disposable tin lined with parchment paper without the sauce. Cover them with plastic wrap and then tightly with foil before freezing for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Uncover the rolls, add the sauce, and bake them for 40-45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are baked through. There is no need to thaw first.
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Baked Sourdough Ham and Cheese Roll Ups
INGREDIENTS
Dough Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) butter (cold)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard
- ¾ cup (180 g) milk
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey (or granulated sugar)
- ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder (hold back in initial mix)
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda (hold back in initial mix)
Ham and Cheese Filling
- 8 oz (226 g) ham slices
- 6 oz (170 g) shredded Swiss cheese
Poppyseed Butter Sauce
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon (9 g) poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) onion powder
INSTRUCTIONS
The night before
- Mix the dough: Use a cheese grater to grate 8 tablespoons (113 g) butter into a mixing bowl. Add 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour and use a bench scraper or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. Add ⅓ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard, ¾ cup (180 g) milk, 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey, and ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt. Mix with a spatula until the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl and let rest on the counter for 10-12 hours. (DO NOT add the baking soda or baking powder. This will be added right before rolling out the dough)
The next morning
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9" x 13" baking dish. You can also use a 12" cast iron skillet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Add the leavening agents: Mix 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder and ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda in a small bowl with a fork until there are no visible lumps. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough and mix it in with your hands. The dough will become sticky as you mix the ingredients; this is normal.
- Roll out the dough: Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Flour the top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 14" x 14" square.
- Add the fillings: Sprinkle 6 oz (170 g) shredded Swiss cheese over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Layer 8 oz (226 g) ham slices over the cheese.
- Cut out rolls: Roll the dough into a log shape. Use the bench scraper to cut the dough log into 12 pieces. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish.
- Make the poppyseed butter sauce: In a bowl, mix ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons (12 g) Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon (9 g) poppy seeds , ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon (1 g) onion powder. Pour the poppyseed butter sauce over the rolls and use a pastry brush to make sure they are evenly coated.
- Bake: Bake the rolls for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
NOTES
- Discard Recipes: This recipe uses sourdough discard for extra flavor and to reduce waste. If using an active starter, omit the baking soda and baking powder. Use only ¼ cup (50g) to prevent over-proofing, and let the rolls rise for a couple of hours after cutting them out before baking.
- Adjusting Your Baking Schedule: We test our recipes in a kitchen that’s 68-70°F. When planning your sourdough schedule, use our sample baking schedule as a guide, but adjust as needed. A cooler kitchen will require more time, while a warmer kitchen will speed up fermentation.
- Measuring Ingredients: Our recipes use a kitchen scale for precise measurements when developing our recipes. Measuring cups can lead to inconsistent results, so keep that in mind if you’re not using a scale.
- Flour: All-purpose flour can be substituted with bread flour or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. If you make this switch, you may need to adjust the hydration level slightly, as bread flour and whole wheat flour absorb water differently than all-purpose flour. Add a little more or less water as needed to achieve the right dough consistency.
- Adjusting salt: We use Redmonds fine sea salt weighing 5 grams per 1 teaspoon. If using regular table salt, use ¾ teaspoon. If using flaky sea salt, use a heaping 1 ¼ teaspoons.
- Rolling out the dough: Generously flour your work surface. Don't be afraid to use a little flour when you turn out the dough to roll it out. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface or your hands.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Grate cheese fresh from the block for the best flavor and melt. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can impact texture and taste.
- How to Store: Sourdough ham and cheese rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- How to Freeze Baked Rolls: Place the rolls into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the rolls and bake for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. The rolls can also be reheated for 30-60 seconds in a microwave or until heated through.
- How to Freeze and Bake Unbaked Rolls: Shape the rolls and place them in a round disposable tin lined with parchment paper without the sauce. Cover them with plastic wrap and then tightly with foil before freezing for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Uncover the rolls, add the sauce, and bake them for 40-45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are baked through. There is no need to thaw first.
Oh my goodness!! These are beautiful and delicious!! I will definitely be making these a lot. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Another winner! Made these for lunch and everyone loved them. The poppy seed butter really set them off. Had a few comments that they tasted a little like a croque monsieur (all the butter perhaps!) Thanks for a great recipe, will definitely make these again.
Great recipe, swapped the poppy seeds for Dill seeds, very savory and top shelf, doubled the recipe from the git-go... will definitely make again
I didn't add the poppyseed butter sauce but it still tasted wonderful!
Everyone loved these ham n cheese rollups! Guests even asked to take some home. I used plant milk butter instead of real butter and it worked wonderfully. Definitely a keeper!
It was very easy to make and delicious. I will make it ag
Decadently delicious! The roll-ups are light and airy, rich with flavor, hearty enough to satisfy a crowd. We think they're perfect for brunch, served with eggs and a side of fruit or salad. Thank you for this recipe.
These are sooooo good!!!! Easy and tasty, my favorite type of recipe! Thank you so much for sharing! I really liked how the dough baked up flaky yet sturdy. Toddler and Mama approved!
Thank you, Lindsey!