Looking for a way to turn Thanksgiving leftovers into something extraordinary? Or maybe you just crave those holiday flavors year-round? These stuffed pull apart dinner rolls are packed with turkey, stuffing, cranberry, and cheese, combining all the best flavors of the season into one warm, gooey, and irresistible bite.
This post was brought to you by Bridgford Foods.
To make these stuffed bread rolls a breeze, I’m using Bridgford Ready-Dough®. This frozen dough eliminates the hassle of making homemade yeast dough from scratch—no kneading or proofing required! Simply cut, fill, and bake, and you’ll have soft, golden rolls bursting with delicious savory fillings in no time.
Think of these pull apart rolls as a fusion between piroshki, meat buns, and classic dinner rolls—but with an extra festive twist! The best part? These pull apart dinner rolls are ready in under an hour, making them the perfect quick fix for leftover turkey and stuffing. They’ll bring the comforting flavors of the holidays to your table anytime you crave them!
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Why We Love this Pull Apart Rolls
- It’s a make-ahead recipe!
Just stuff the dough with your fillings, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Prep them in the morning, and they’re ready to bake for dinner. - It’s a fun way to use up leftovers
Do you find yourself wondering what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers? Me, too! While classics like turkey pot pies are great, sometimes you just crave something fresh and inventive that still captures the holiday flavors we love. - Quick & easy recipe using Ready-Dough®
There’s no need to worry about expired yeast here. Just prep and bake. It’s as simple as it sounds!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bridgford Frozen Ready-Dough®: We’ll use one loaf of frozen bread dough, which comes in a package of three loaves. See our frozen dough recipes for ways to use up the other two loaves.
- Cooked turkey: Pull that leftover turkey from the fridge (or freezer and thaw) or prep your own with turkey tenderloins!
- Prepared stuffing (also called dressing): Ideally, you’ll have leftover stuffing or dressing from Thanksgiving. If not, mix up a little boxed stovetop stuffing to use.
- Cheese: I recommend using a mild-flavored cheese like Fontina, Provolone, Havarti, or Mozzarella cheese to allow the taste of the turkey and cranberry to shine. For this recipe, I used Fontina shredded cheese.
- Egg: used to make an egg wash to brush on the tops of the turkey stuffed meat buns before baking.
Use any leftover turkey instead of chicken to make our easy buffalo chicken dip.
Recipe Variations:
- Top with cheese: sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (like parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese) on top of the pull apart dinner rolls before baking.
- Add gravy: warm leftover gravy to use as a dip for the rolls, or drizzle warmed gravy over the tops of the rolls before serving.
- Add mashed potatoes: substitute less stuffing with leftover mashed potatoes.
- Garlic chicken stuffed roll: Substitute cooked turkey for chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper, and brush the flattened rolls with tbsp garlic butter before stuffing. To make garlic butter, mix 3 tablespoons of melted butter (unsalted butter) with a tsp of garlic powder in a small bowl.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- 9″ round baking dish
- Small bowl
- Pastry brush
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
I recommend these methods for thawing frozen bread dough:
- Defrost quickly at room temperature in a few hours. Prepare the frozen dough as described above and then leave it on the countertop to thaw. When it’s thawed, the dough should be cold but soft.
- Defrost in the fridge overnight for 8-10 hours. Place the frozen loaf on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Spray the baking sheet and underside with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
How to Make Stuffed Bread Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. On a floured surface, divide the thawed loaf into 8 equal pieces.
- Form the stuffed meat buns: Flatten each bread roll piece into a 4-5 inch circle.
- Add fillings: Place one tablespoon turkey, one tablespoon stuffing, one teaspoon cranberry sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons cheese in the center of each circle.
- Seal the pull apart rolls: Bring the edges together to seal and place the seam side down in the prepared pan, allowing the rolls to touch. Brush the rolls with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water). Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush rolls with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water).
- Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with fresh parsley (optional) before serving.
Serving Suggestions
These pull apart dinner rolls pair beautifully with a variety of dishes, making them perfect for any Christmas or holiday feast. Serve them with a warm soup for a cozy meal, or enjoy them alongside a classic dinner roll recipe to add variety to your bread basket. For extra indulgence, brush the rolls with whole milk before baking for a beautifully golden finish. Want to get creative? Slice them into strips and dip them in gravy for an extra dose of comfort food goodness!
Get more recipe ideas for using frozen dough at Bridgford’s website.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. That would taste delicious!
Absolutely. Use similar fillings like a mix of solid and semi-solid foods and about 1 teaspoon of sauce to inside of each dinner roll.
Yes! If you prefer, you can make your own pull-apart rolls dough using flour, yeast, and warm water, but Bridgford Ready-Dough® saves time and effort without sacrificing taste.
Lightly coat your baking dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to keep the rolls from sticking and make cleanup easier.
Absolutely! While turkey and stuffing are classic, you can use any protein like ham, chicken, or even sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian option.
Get More Frozen Bread Dough Recipes…
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Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- 9" round baking dish
- small bowl
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Bridgford Frozen Ready-Dough® thawed
- ½ cup cooked turkey finely cubed; use leftovers or prep your own
- ½ cup prepared and cooked stuffing also called dressing
- 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup shredded cheese I recommend Fontina, Provolone, Havarti, mild cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheeses
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking oil by spraying it with cooking oil; set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, cut the thawed loaf into 8 equal pieces. Take one piece and flatten it into a thin circle about 4-5 inches in diameter.
- In the center of the round, place 1 tablespoon turkey, top it with 1 tablespoon stuffing, 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons shredded cheese.
- Bring the edges of the dough together to form a pocket and press them together to seal. Place the ball of filled dough, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. The stuffed rolls will be touching. In a small bowl, add the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Whip with a fork until the egg mixture is well-mixed throughout. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash on the bread rolls.
- Bake on the middle rack in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Defrost in the fridge overnight for 8-10 hours. Place the frozen loaf on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Spray the baking sheet and underside with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Defrost quickly at room temperature in a few hours. Prepare the frozen dough described above and leave it on the countertop to thaw. When it’s thawed, the dough should be cold but soft.
- Top with cheese: sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (like parmesan cheese) on top of the rolls before baking.
- Add gravy: warm leftover gravy to use as a dip for the rolls, or drizzle warmed gravy over the tops of the rolls before serving.
- Add mashed potatoes: use less stuffing and substitute it with leftover mashed potatoes.
- Garlic Chicken Stuffed Roll: Substitute cooked turkey for chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper, and brush the flattened rolls with garlic butter before stuffing. To make garlic butter, mix 3 tablespoons of melted butter (unsalted butter) with a teaspoon of garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave at 50% heat for 2-3 minutes, or cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350ºF for 10 minutes.
Nutrition
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