These soft, tender buns are filled with a swirl of cheese, minced onions, and herbs. They're perfect with soup, or as a snack. And preparation is easy, when you use dried onions — no tears!
To make the filling: Soak the minced onions in 1/3 cup hot water while making the dough. Stir in the Pizza Seasoning, cheese powder, and butter just before you're ready to shape the dough.
To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the egg and warm water.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Add the yeast, butter, salt, flour, and dry milk to the bowl with the water and egg mixture. Stir to combine, then knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or dough doubler, turning to coat all sides; cover it with lightly greased plastic wrap or a lid, and let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
To assemble the buns: Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface or silicone rolling mat.
Pat, then roll the dough into an 18" x 10" rectangle.
Spread with the onion mixture, leaving 1" free of filling along the long edge farthest from you.
Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam closed.
Cut the log into 12 slices.
Place the buns on a greased pizza pan or baking sheet, leaving about 1" between them. Or, for softer sides, place them close together in a lightly greased 9" x 9" pan. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until puffy. Sprinkle with additional cheese. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
To bake the buns: Bake the buns for 22 to 26 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
Storage information: Store leftover buns, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Want to make these buns with fresh onion instead of dried? Combine 1 tablespoon butter with 3/4 cup (111g) finely diced onions in a pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer the onions to a bowl and cool completely. Once cool, mix with the remaining filling ingredients plus 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, or enough to make the filling spreadable. Assemble and bake the swirl buns as directed.
Want to make these buns a day or so ahead of time? Try the tangzhong technique, an Asian method for increasing the softness and shelf life of yeast rolls. Begin by measuring out the flour and water you’ll be using in the recipe. Now take 3 tablespoons of the measured flour and 1/2 cup of the water; put them in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it forms a thick slurry; this will take about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, then combine it with the remaining flour and the other dough ingredients, including the remaining 1/4 cup water plus an additional 2 tablespoons water. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Well-wrapped and stored at room temperature, your finished buns should stay soft and fresh for several days.
