These keto dinner rolls are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Made with cheddar cheese fathead dough, they are the perfect low carb side dish for all of your favorite meals. They make great sandwiches too.
Okay, stop the presses! Did you know that fathead dough can be made with different cheeses other than mozzarella? I recently made these keto dinner rolls with cheddar-based fathead dough and they were amazing. I could hardly wait to share them with you.
I will admit that it’s not quite the same as traditional fathead dough and it took me a couple of tries to get it right. It’s the same process, however – melting the cheese and adding in the coconut flour and other ingredients. It’s in the spirit of the famous low carb cheese-based dough, most certainly and I never would have attempted it without knowing that melted cheese makes great keto pizza and bread.
It was an overabundance of delicious Cabot Creamery cheddar that encouraged me to give it a try. I figured that even if it didn’t work perfectly, I would have some sort of keto deliciousness on my hands. You really can’t go wrong with these ingredients.
Cheddar-Based Fathead Dough
I really followed the same process as I did for my Chewy Keto Bagels, with a few significant differences. I had once tried making loaf bread with fathead dough and although it was delicious, it never really rose. It stayed flat and much too dense. So I knew it needed something else.
When I decided to try it with cheddar, I added some protein powder to help the dough rise and to give it more volume. It definitely helped some but the first time I made them, the rolls rose and then deflated after they came out of the oven. They had amazing flavor but they were a little too dense to be a good dinner roll.
Still, toasted with a little butter, they were melt-in-your-mouth good!
On the second time around, I added twice as much baking powder for a little more rising power, as well as an additional egg white. The dough was definitely on the sticky side but it could still be kneaded to work the melted cheese in. I had to grease my hands a bit as I rolled the dough into balls.
But it worked! They rose and were fluffier than the first time around. Granted, they are still more dense than conventional rolls but that’s simply the nature of fathead dough anyway. But oh they are so cheesy and garlicky! There is honestly nothing better.
Tips for Keto Dinner Rolls
Use quality cheddar cheese. Most recipes for fathead dough say to use the pre-shredded kind because it contains starch, which helps the dough stay together. However, I used Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar in the block form and grated it by hand. It worked like a charm.
A little butter helps the cheese melt and liquify in the microwave. I did mine on high in 30 second increments and stirred in between. It only took about 1 minute and 30 seconds total.
Add in the remaining ingredients quickly. No need to sift the dry ingredients together, but you should have everything else ready to go. You want to add them all in at once and start stirring and kneading the dough together.
Use a rubber spatula. I find that the best way to make a cohesive fathead dough is to use a good flexible rubber spatula to knead it together in the bowl. Really press it up hard against the sides of the bowl to work the melted cheese into the other ingredients.
Grease your hands. This dough is a little stickier than traditional fathead dough so it helps to have your hands greased when you roll it into balls.
Use parchment paper. Lining your cake pan with parchment helps ensure that the keto dinner rolls won’t stick to the pan. But it still allows them to get nicely browned around the edges.
Brush with garlic butter. Brushing them with butter before and after baking makes them extra luscious and golden brown. And they taste just like keto garlic bread.
Adjust salt to taste. If you’re not a salt lover, you may want to leave out the additional salt. The cheddar and the baking powder both have salt as it is. I personally love salt and salty things so I like sprinkling the rolls with a little coarse sea salt at the end.
Ready to make these delicious Cheddar Garlic Dinner Rolls? They are a perfect side dish with all of your favorite keto dinners. Or make them to use as sandwiches!
More great Fathead Dough Recipes
These keto dinner rolls are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Made with cheddar cheese fathead dough, they are the perfect low carb side dish for all of your favorite meals. They make great sandwiches too.
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated (I used Cabot Vermont Cheddar)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup unflavored whey protein powder or egg white protein powder
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
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Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the grated cheese and the butter. Melt on high in 30 second increments until the cheese and butter can be stirred together and is almost liquid.
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Add the coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Stir in the eggs and egg white and use a rubber spatula to "knead" together in the bowl until uniform.
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Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. The dough will be quite sticky so lightly oil your hands and roll into 8 ball. Place in the prepared baking pan.
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Whisk together the ingredients for the garlic butter and brush about half of it over the rolls in the pan.
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Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool about15 minutes before removing from the pan and breaking apart. Brush with the remaining garlic butter. Serve warm.
Michelle Marcotte says
Carolyn, have you tried using any of your breads, this one or the corn bread for example, to make a breakfast strata? You know the bread, egg, cheese, sausage and often mushroom or spinach thing you make ahead and refrigerate overnight and then bake in the morning. I used to make something like that for Christmas morning and it was convenient and delicious. Now, with my low0carb kids coming for Christmas, I could use a low carb version.
Than you.
Carolyn says
I think the best one for a strata would be my cheesy skillet bread.
Nancy says
Would almond flour be an ok sub for coconut flour, and if so, would 1.5 cups be the amount of almond flour to use? Coconut makes me sneeze… Really looking forward to making these…❤️
Rebekkah Davies says
I had the same question – every time I use coconut flour in savory anything it’s a fail, regardless of brand.:/ But these look and sound SO GOOD!!!
Sarah Jenson says
I am also curious on this… I hope that almond can be subbed.
Carolyn says
You can try it but I make no promises. I have not made this dough with almond flour.
Rhadonda says
Any suggestions for a sub for the whey protein powder? I’m currently out!
Carolyn says
Sorry, no. you need a protein powder to make these rise properly.
Mary Ann Heimark says
I make your above mentioned skillet cheesy skillet bread tonight as a start for stuffing. OMG, it is SO good. Could hardly stand to pop it in the low oven to dry it out. Thank you SO much!. Now with regard to these dinner rolls, is there an option for those of us without a microwave? I have a Thermador stove that it truly to die for, and it holds a very low simmer easily. Can I heat this is a pan?
Have decided to weed out my Wheat Belly 3 ring binders so I only have the recipes from you! The other authors often aren’t trustworthy. Have decided you are the “Ina Garten” of Keto! (Hope you consider this to be a compliment, as it is meant to be!)
Carolyn says
You can melt the cheese and butter in a pan, I’ve done that before. Be careful when you add in the eggs that the pan isn’t hot to the touch! And the Ina Garten of Keto, wow! I am flattered.
Charlene Coffman says
You have saved me this holiday season! I’ve made the stuffing, creamy pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and will make these as well!! Thank you for providing us all these delicious recipes!!
Carolyn says
I am excited to hear what you think!
Erica B says
Made a batch of these this morning at my husband’s request. He really likes them. I’m not crazy about the mouthfeel created by the proportionately large amount of protein powder, but I think the flavor is really fantastic. I do think I’ll make them again, though I’ll confess in advance to tinkering with the dry ingredients. We think they’d make great slider buns; no need to add cheese when the bread is so delightfully cheesy! Thank you Carolyn.
Jess says
I made these for our Thanksgiving dinner and they were amazingly good. Thank you for such a yummy recipe!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Nonnie says
What would be the best way to reheat these?
Gail says
Amazing best low carb rolls ever, the addition of the whey isolate is a wonderful addition mine actually turned out looking like yours. Thank you so much for the recipe, hubby liked them too.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Nissa says
Carolyn, would vanilla whey throw off the flavor? I only have vanilla protein powder on hand.
Carolyn says
Yes, it would throw it off tremendously. I wouldn’t advise it.
Amy says
Thank you, Carolyn, for another winning recipe! Absolutely perfect texture and taste.
I have not had one failure with any of your recipes; it is obvious that you put a lot of effort and testing into your creations.
Kudos!
Gail Schimpf says
These were so yummy!! Thank you!! What is the best way to store leftovers? Refrigerator? On the counter? Ziplock bag?
Carolyn says
The fridge is probably best, and the re-warm them gently.
Robin Abernethy says
I’m making these today to go with some spagetti (Miracle Noodle) and meatballs for our weekly “game night” with my neighbors, who also eat low carb. I only have whey protein “isolate” and I’m hoping that will work as well as just plain whey protein, because the only whey protein I could find at the grocery store and Walmart were all flavored. Excited to make them for this evening! Thank you for all the love you put into every recipe!
Debbie Fisher says
Can I assemble these a day ahead,refrigerate, then bake before
a gathering?
Carolyn says
Yes, but be sure to let them come to room temp before baking.
Sarah says
Do you think hydrolyzed collagen peptides would work in place of the whey protein powder? I’d love to try these! My last attempt at fathead dough (not your recipe) was a disaster, but your rolls look amazing and we have cheddar so I’m hoping to try again…
Carolyn says
No, it won’t. I find that collagen proteins tend to make the baked goods gummy and very hard to cook through.
Fran says
Oh I am so disappointed. The Cheesy Fathead rolls are way too salty, can’t taste the cheese! Followed your instructions with additional baking powder- was that the culprit?
Carolyn says
Um yes, it would be, since baking powder is mostly sodium chloride…
Fran says
I was too focused on lightening up the dough to realize that. Didn’t yours come out super salty tho?
Carolyn says
No mine did not. It may also be your cheese? The combo probably.