Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread

Introduction & Inspiration

I’m always on the hunt for fun, easy, and incredibly delicious appetizer or side dish recipes, especially ones that put a creative twist on classic favorites. This Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread, inspired by a popular TikTok video, immediately caught my eye! It takes the beloved sweet and soft Hawaiian rolls, stuffs them with melty mozzarella cheese, and then slathers them with a savory garlic and Italian seasoning butter before baking (or broiling, as we’ll explore!). It sounded like the perfect combination of sweet, savory, cheesy, and garlicky – an irresistible treat!

My inspiration came from wanting to recreate that viral, shareable food experience at home. Hawaiian rolls are already a crowd-pleaser, and transforming them into individual cheesy garlic bread “bombs” or “sliders” seemed like a fantastic idea for parties, game days, or a fun addition to a family dinner.

My goal is to guide you through making these delightful treats, even with the minimal instructions provided. We’ll fill in the gaps with common baking sense, suggest some quantities, and focus on achieving that golden, cheesy, garlicky perfection that made the original video so popular.

Let’s get ready to make some seriously addictive Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread!

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Food Connection

This Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread taps into several layers of comforting nostalgia. Hawaiian rolls themselves, with their distinct sweetness and fluffy texture, are a beloved comfort food for many, often associated with potlucks, holiday dinners, or simple sliders. Garlic bread, in all its forms, is another quintessential comfort food – warm, buttery, garlicky, and often cheesy, it’s a perfect accompaniment to countless meals.

This recipe cleverly marries these two comforting concepts. The familiar sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls provides a unique base for the savory garlic butter and melty mozzarella, creating a flavor profile that feels both excitingly new and comfortingly familiar.

The act of making a simple, shareable, cheesy bread also connects to casual gatherings, party food, and easy, satisfying snacks that bring people together.

Making and eating this feels like enjoying a fun, modern twist on classic comfort food flavors, perfect for sharing and guaranteed to be a hit.

Homemade Focus (Simple Assembly, Customizable Flavor)

While this Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread recipe might be inspired by a quick social media trend and uses convenient Hawaiian rolls, the process of preparing the seasoned butter, stuffing the rolls with cheese, and baking them to golden perfection is a satisfying homemade endeavor.

I love recipes that are incredibly easy to assemble yet deliver big on flavor. Here, you’re taking a beloved store-bought item and elevating it with simple homemade touches. Melting butter and stirring in your own blend of garlic powder and Italian seasoning allows you to control the flavor intensity.

The unique instruction to slice each roll “2 times” and stuff cheese into each slice (which I interpret as making two parallel cuts or pockets) is a key homemade assembly step that ensures maximum cheesiness in every bite. This hands-on preparation makes it feel more special than simply sprinkling cheese on top.

Even with its simplicity, the process of creating the seasoned butter, carefully stuffing the rolls, and watching them bake or broil to bubbly, golden perfection results in a delicious, shareable treat made right in your kitchen.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal of this Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread is a delightful and addictive combination of sweet, savory, cheesy, and garlicky notes with a soft, fluffy bread texture and melty cheese. It aims for an irresistible, easy-to-eat appetizer or side dish.

The Hawaiian rolls provide a distinctly sweet, soft, and slightly buttery bread base.

The mozzarella cheese, stuffed into the slices, melts into gooey, mild, creamy pockets throughout the rolls.

The seasoned butter, a simple mix of melted butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, provides a savory, aromatic, and herbaceous coating that crisps the top of the rolls slightly.

The overall effect is a sweet and savory, garlicky, cheesy, buttery pull-apart bread experience that is incredibly moreish and satisfying.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s explore the simple ingredients. Since quantities aren’t fully specified, I’ll offer common-sense suggestions:

• Hawaiian Rolls: The sweet, soft bread base. A standard 12-count package is likely what’s intended.
• Butter: For the seasoned topping. Salted or unsalted can be used; if unsalted, you might add a pinch of salt to the seasoning mix. Let’s assume about 1/2 cup (1 stick) for a 12-count package.
• Italian seasoning: A convenient blend of dried herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram. Suggest 1-2 teaspoons.  
• Garlic powder: Provides the essential garlic flavor without the fuss of fresh garlic. Suggest 1-1.5 teaspoons. Onion powder could also be a nice addition.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: Provides the melty, cheesy stuffing. Low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella works best for good melt and less greasiness. Suggest 1-2 cups, depending on how cheesy you want it!
• Non-stick spray/Foil: For the baking sheet.

The specific instruction of “slicing each roll 2 times and stuffing each slice” is key. This could mean:

• Making two parallel cuts almost all the way through the roll (like making “fins”) and stuffing cheese into each cut.
• Or, slicing horizontally twice to create three thin layers of bread per roll, and stuffing cheese between these layers.
• Given the “stuffing” description, creating pockets or deep cuts seems most likely for a “stuffed” effect.

Essential Equipment

This recipe requires very basic kitchen tools:

• A Baking sheet: To bake the rolls on.
• Aluminum foil or Parchment paper: For lining the baking sheet for easy cleanup.
• Non-stick cooking spray: As mentioned.
• A Serrated knife: Best for carefully slicing the soft Hawaiian rolls to create pockets or layers for stuffing without tearing them completely.
• A Small bowl: For melting the butter and mixing in the seasonings.
• A Pastry brush (optional but helpful): For applying the seasoned butter evenly over the rolls.
• Measuring cups and spoons (for our suggested quantities).

Super simple equipment for a super simple treat!

List of Ingredients with Suggested Measurements

Since the recipe lacks specific quantities for most items, here’s a plausible list based on a standard 12-count package of Hawaiian rolls. Adjust to your preference and what you see in the TikTok video if you have access to it!

• 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian rolls
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) butter, melted
• 1 – 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 – 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• (Optional: ¼ teaspoon salt, especially if using unsalted butter)
• 1 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (more cheese = more gooey!)
• Non-stick cooking spray

These are suggestions; feel free to adjust seasonings and cheese to your taste!

Step-by-Step Instructions (Expanded with Baking Steps)

Let’s walk through making these cheesy delights, including plausible baking instructions:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). (This is a common temperature for baking/reheating bread and melting cheese. Alternatively, for a quicker, crispier top, you might use the broiler, but watch EXTREMELY carefully).
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Prepare the Hawaiian Rolls for Stuffing:

• Carefully take each Hawaiian roll. Using a serrated knife, make two parallel cuts or slices into the top or side of each roll, cutting about 3/4 of the way through but not all the way. The goal is to create pockets or “slices” that can be opened slightly for stuffing. Be gentle to keep the rolls mostly intact.
• Carefully stuff shredded mozzarella cheese into each cut/slice you’ve made in the rolls. The recipe says, “The more cheese, the better!” so be generous but ensure the rolls can still hold their shape.

3. Arrange Rolls on Baking Sheet:

• Place the stuffed Hawaiian rolls close together (or slightly separated, depending on preference) on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Prepare Seasoned Butter:

• In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.
• Stir in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning (and optional salt if using unsalted butter) until well combined.

5. Slather Rolls with Butter:

• Using a pastry brush or a spoon, generously slather the seasoned garlic butter mixture over the top of each stuffed Hawaiian roll, ensuring they are well-coated.

6. Bake (or Broil with Caution):

• For Baking: Place the baking sheet in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the rolls are heated through, the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tops are lightly golden brown.
• For Broiling (Faster, Riskier): Place the oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element. Turn broiler to LOW if possible, or keep on HIGH but watch constantly. Broil for 1-3 minutes, just until cheese is melted and bubbly and tops are golden. Hawaiian rolls can burn VERY quickly under a broiler due to their sugar content!

7. Serve Warm:

• Carefully remove the Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread from the oven.
• Serve immediately while warm and the cheese is gooey. Enjoy!

Always watch carefully during the final heating/melting stage!

Troubleshooting

Even simple recipes can have minor issues:

• Problem: Rolls burned on top before cheese fully melted (especially under broiler).
  • Solution: Broilers are intense! Use a lower rack position or the lowest broiler setting if available. Watch non-stop. Baking at a moderate temperature (like 375°F) is safer for even heating and melting without burning the sweet rolls.
• Problem: Cheese didn’t melt enough.
  • Solution: Needs more time in the oven/under the broiler. If tops are browning too fast, loosely tent with foil while the cheese continues to melt.
• Problem: Rolls are too greasy.
  • Solution: Ensure you used an appropriate amount of butter for slathering. Excess butter might pool. Don’t oversaturate.
• Problem: Rolls fell apart during stuffing.
  • Solution: Be gentle when making cuts and stuffing. Don’t cut all the way through. Using slightly stale (day-old) Hawaiian rolls might make them a tad sturdier, though fresh is fine with care.

Baking is often more forgiving than broiling for this.

Tips and Variations

Let’s customize these cheesy bites:

• Tip: Use freshly shredded mozzarella from a block for the best melting results, as pre-shredded often contains anti-caking agents.
• Variation: Add other cheeses along with or instead of mozzarella, like Provolone, Monterey Jack, or even a sprinkle of Parmesan for extra savory flavor.
• Tip: For extra garlic punch, use a tiny bit of fresh minced garlic in the melted butter along with the garlic powder, but be very careful as fresh garlic burns easily.
• Variation: Add other seasonings to the butter mixture, like a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, or some dried parsley.
• Tip: Arrange the rolls snugly together on the baking sheet if you want them to bake into more of a pull-apart loaf.
• Variation: Stuff the rolls with other fillings along with the cheese, like mini pepperoni slices, cooked crumbled bacon, or finely chopped jalapeños.
• Variation: Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping.

So many ways to make these your own signature treat!

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread is a fantastic appetizer, snack, or side dish.

Serving: Best served warm, fresh from the oven, when the cheese is melted and gooey.

Pairing:

• Appetizer: Perfect for parties, game days, or casual get-togethers.
• Side Dish: Delicious alongside pasta dishes (like spaghetti with marinara), soups (like tomato soup), or salads.
• With Main Courses: Serve with grilled chicken, pork, or even as a fun alternative to regular garlic bread with a steak dinner.

Their sweet and savory nature makes them surprisingly versatile.

Nutritional Information

This is an indulgent treat, high in carbohydrates from the rolls and fat from the butter and cheese. Nutritional information is highly approximate due to unspecified quantities and variation in cheese amount:

• Calories: 150-250+ per roll (depends heavily on amount of cheese/butter)
• Fat: 8-15+ grams
• Saturated Fat: 4-8+ grams
• Cholesterol: 15-30+ mg
• Sodium: 200-350+ mg (Hawaiian rolls and cheese can be high)
• Total Carbs.: 15-25+ grams
• Dietary Fiber: <1 gram
• Sugars: 5-10+ grams (from Hawaiian rolls)
• Protein: 5-8+ grams

Definitely a treat to be enjoyed in moderation!

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Let’s conclude with a summary and common questions:

Recipe Summary:

Cheesy Hawaiian Garlic Bread features sweet Hawaiian rolls sliced to create pockets, stuffed with shredded mozzarella cheese, then brushed generously with a melted butter mixture seasoned with garlic powder and Italian seasoning. They are then baked or broiled until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the tops are golden brown.  

Q&A:

Q: Can I make these ahead of time? A: They are best served fresh and warm from the oven for the gooiest cheese. You could assemble them (stuff and butter) a few hours ahead, cover, refrigerate, and then bake/broil just before serving (may need an extra minute or two).

Q: How do I store leftovers? A: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Q: How do I reheat leftovers? A: Reheat in a toaster oven or regular oven at around 300-325°F (150-160°C) for 5-10 minutes until warmed through and cheese is remelted. Microwaving will make the bread soft rather than crispy.

Q: The instructions mention a TikTok video. Do I need it? A: Since I don’t have access to the video, these instructions are based on the text provided and common culinary practices for similar dishes. The video would likely provide helpful visuals for the slicing/stuffing technique.

Q: Can I use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder? A: Yes, you could use 1-2 cloves of finely minced fresh garlic mixed into the melted butter. Sauté it very briefly in the butter (30 seconds) before brushing to avoid raw garlic taste, but be extremely careful it doesn’t burn, especially if broiling. Garlic powder is easier and safer for this quick application.