Pesto and Mozzarella Stuffed Dinner Rolls

Chewy, cheesy, dripping with basil pesto. Few things are better than these amazing rolls!

Think of these rolls as a variation on monkey bread - but they're single-serve, so there's no need to grab the bread while someone else is grabbing it! Each double-decker roll is a simple layering of thawed dinner rolls, pesto and mozzarella cheese. Once assembled, the oven does the rest, creating puffy, flavorful dinner rolls like nothing you've ever had before.

About the rolls and rising: I used Rhodes dinner rolls and thawed them on the counter for about 4 hours. They were nice and puffed up, just as they should be. And then I squished them. Here's why: When you assemble the stacked rolls, you need to press the rolls into a muffin pan, letting all the air escape. Don't fret! Once the rolls are layered, we'll let them rise again, and then they'll rise a lot more in the oven.

Pesto and Mozzarella Stuffed Dinner Rolls

Cooking spray
8 frozen dinner rolls, thawed according to the package directions
8 teaspoons prepared basil pesto
8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese

Coat 4 cups of a muffin pan with cooking spray.
Press one dinner roll into the bottom of each of the four cups. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the pesto over top and spread it out in an even layer. Top with 1 tablespoon of the cheese.
Repeat layers - dinner roll, pesto and cheese. Let rise for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed up.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown on top.

Serves 4