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These Olive Chive Cream Cheese Rolls deserve a spot at the top of your baking list. Perfectly soft with an herbaceous cream cheese center and topped with green olives, these rolls are basically a mix between a dinner roll and a savory danish. They come together simply, and even an entry-level baker can whip up a batch effortlessly. We hope you love them as much as we do!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Approachable for everyone. If you can mix and knead dough, you can make these! They’re easy to make at any baking skill level.
- Perfectly savory. The herby cream cheese center really hits the spot.
- Impressive presentation. While these olive chive cream cheese rolls aren’t a hassle to make, they look like they’re fresh from a bakery or cafe.
- The options are endless. Use your favorite olives, add your favorite herbs, or switch up the flavor with roasted garlic or sun-dried tomatoes. The possibilities are endless!
- Feeds a crowd. One recipe makes eight large rolls, making them perfect for brunch or a dinner party.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the dough:
- Vegan butter – We like to use the country-crock plant butter sticks for this recipe rather than a dairy-free buttery spread from a tub.
- Non-dairy milk – Lukewarm milk helps activate the yeast and leaven the dough. We like to use soy milk or almond milk, but any unsweetened plant milk will do.
- Granulated sugar – This feeds and activates the yeast. Use organic sugar if you’d like to ensure it’s not processed through bone char.
- Active dry yeast – Helps the dough rise and stay nice and fluffy. Always use yeast that isn’t expired. Expired yeast will not activate, and your dough may not rise.
- All-purpose flour – For the most accurate results, we recommend measuring your flour in grams instead of cups, so if you have a food scale at home, now is the time to use it.
- Salt – Helps balance the flavor in the savory dough,
- Vegan parmesan – Folds into the dough to add a unique savory flavor to the rolls. We like to freshly grate the Violife Foods parmesan wedge rather than using a pre-grated vegan parm.
For the cream cheese filling:
- Vegan cream cheese – Make sure it softens up at room temperature before making the filling. This will help ensure it’s smooth and lump-free. We like to use the Violife Supreme Cream Cheese block or the dairy-free Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Cornstarch – Helps firm up the filling so the cream cheese doesn’t run and the rolls stay intact.
- Vegan parmesan – Adds a subtle, salty, nutty depth to the filling.
- Fresh chives – Brings a bright onion flavor to the filling. We recommend fresh chives over dried.
- Black pepper – Adds the perfect peppery hint to the filling. We recommend freshly cracked pepper for the best flavor.
For assembly:
- Non-dairy milk and olive oil – Whisk these two together and brush over the unbaked dough so it gets perfectly golden in the oven.
- Olives – Grab a 10 oz jar of your favorite variety. Castelvetrano are buttery and mild, Kalamata are punchy and briny, and an olive medley gives you a bit of both. Make sure the pits are removed.
- Chopped chives – For garnishing the finished rolls.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Piping bag (optional)
- Flat bottom cup
Tips for the Best Results
- Check the milk temperature. Use a thermometer to make sure your milk is between 105-110ºF; if it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise.
- Don’t skimp on the kneading. Knead the dough for 10 minutes to fully develop it. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s smooth and bounces back slightly when you poke it.
- Do not overfill the rolls. Fill each with about 2 tablespoons. Adding more than that may cause the filling to spill out while baking.
- Dry your olives. Remove excess brine to keep the filling from loosening too much.
- Allow them to cool fully. Straight out of the oven, the filling will be scorching hot. Let them rest for about 15 minutes to help the rolls set properly.
Serving Suggestions
These are great with brunch or dinner. They pair perfectly with a big bowl of soup or alongside our Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad. You can also serve them with our Tofu Scramble for a hearty brunch with friends. These Olive Chive Cream Cheese Rolls are also perfect on a holiday appetizer table. Of course, you can also eat them straight from the tray for any anytime snack.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Keep cooled rolls in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Because the filling contains cream cheese, we don’t recommend leaving these out at room temperature.
- Freezer: Freeze baked and fully cooled rolls in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 325ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through. From frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first. We do not recommend the microwave, since it can make the dough gummy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! Once the dough rises the first time, cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. Allow it to come back to room temperature for about an hour before dividing and shaping into balls.
More often than not, the problem is expired yeast or milk that was too hot. After 10 minutes of activating, your yeast should look foamy. If it doesn’t, repeat the process instead of continuing with the recipe.
You can! Use the dough hook on medium-low for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Swap them for halved cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper strips, or caramelized onions. The cream cheese base works with all of them.
We have not tested a gluten-free version, and enriched yeast doughs are tricky to convert. If you experiment with a one-to-one gluten-free bread flour blend, let us know how it goes.
More Bread Recipes We Think You’ll Love
Be sure to tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and use #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes. We love to see your photos!
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Olive Chive Cream Cheese Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 rolls 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Olive Chive Cream Cheese Rolls deserve a spot at the top of your baking list. Perfectly soft with an herbaceous cream cheese center and topped with green olives, these rolls are basically a mix between a dinner roll and a savory danish. They come together simply and even an entry-level baker can whip up a batch effortlessly. We hope you love them as much as we do!
Ingredients
For the dough
- 6 tablespoons melted vegan butter
- 1 cup non-dairy milk, lukewarm
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan
For the cream cheese filling
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- Black pepper, to taste
For assembly
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (10-ounce) jar olives of choice, pitted
- Chopped chives, for topping
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a large bowl, add the melted vegan butter, lukewarm non-dairy milk, and sugar. Stir until dissolved, then add the yeast. Set aside for 8-10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. It will appear foamy when it’s ready.
- Form the dough. In the same bowl, add the flour, salt, and vegan parmesan, and mix until uniform and a rough dough forms.
- Knead. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. The dough should be smooth and bounce back slightly when you poke it.
- First rise. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, toss to coat, and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled.
- Make the filling. Meanwhile, add all the filling ingredients to a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Chill until ready to use.
- Divide and shape. Once the dough has doubled, transfer it to a clean work surface. Divide into 8 equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball.
- Second rise. Place the dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread evenly apart. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and prove for 45 minutes.
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Fill the rolls. Use a glass or flat-bottomed measuring cup to press down the center of each dough ball, creating a well with a border about 1/2 inch wide. Use a spoon or piping bag to add about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture to each roll. Be careful not to overfill, or the cream cheese will overflow.
- Add the olives. Press 2-3 olives into the cream cheese center of each roll.
- Brush with the wash. Mix together the non-dairy milk and olive oil in a small bowl, then brush onto the exposed dough of each roll.
- Bake. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Top with additional fresh chives and black pepper, then enjoy.
Notes
- Milk temperature: Lukewarm means about 105 to 110ºF. If it feels hot to the touch, let it cool before adding the yeast.
- Olive prep: Pat olives dry before pressing them in. Excess brine will loosen the filling.
- Make ahead: After the first rise, refrigerate the dough overnight. Bring to room temperature for about an hour before shaping.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 325ºF for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Baked Goods
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
