These Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls are a copycat version of the soft, slightly sweet dark rolls served warm at the restaurant. They have the signature deep color, tender texture, and oat topping that make them easy to recognize.
This recipe shapes the dough into small dinner rolls for a bread basket. Serve them warm with butter alongside dinner.
Why This Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls Recipe Works
These rolls are designed to match the flavor and look of the restaurant bread basket in dinner roll form. Molasses, honey, cocoa, and coffee give them their signature color and mild sweetness, while the blend of rye and bread flour keeps the texture soft for serving warm with butter.
- Restaurant-style flavor: Molasses, honey, cocoa, and coffee create the familiar brown bread flavor without making the rolls heavy.
- Soft dinner roll texture: These bake up tender and easy to pull apart, making them ideal for a bread basket.
- Made for serving warm: This recipe is designed as dinner rolls, not a loaf, so they fit the restaurant-style use perfectly.
If you prefer a loaf instead of rolls, you can use this bread machine Cheesecake Factory brown bread recipe for the same flavor in a different shape.
Ingredients Overview
These rolls use a blend of rye flour and bread flour for the signature brown bread flavor and color. Molasses and honey add mild sweetness, while a little cold coffee and cocoa powder deepen the color without making the rolls taste like chocolate. Rolled oats on top finish the classic look.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls
Activate the yeast, then mix and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. After the first rise, shape it into small oblong rolls, press the tops into oats, and let them rise again before baking.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
Step 2: Add the yeast mixture to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Stir in the cold coffee, vegetable oil, molasses, and honey.
Step 3: Add the cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.
Step 4: Add the salt, rye flours, and bread flour.
Step 5: Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 6: Knead the dough. It will be sticky at first but will become smoother as it develops. Scrape down the sides as needed, adding extra flour only 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary.
Step 7: Continue kneading with a stand mixer for 10 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Step 8: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Rolled Oats Topping
To help the oats stick, lightly dampen the tops of the shaped rolls before pressing them into a plate of rolled oats. Be generous, since the rolls expand as they rise and bake.
Step 9: Gently punch down the dough and divide into thirds. Cut each third into six pieces (about 75 grams each), then shape into oblong rolls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 10: Lightly moisten the tops with water and press into oats. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, until nearly doubled.
Step 11: While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or slightly cooled.
What These Rolls Are Best Used For
These Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls are best served warm as part of a dinner bread basket. They pair especially well with steakhouse-style meals, salmon, mashed potatoes, soups, or simply with butter while dinner finishes cooking.
For a full restaurant-style spread at home, serve them alongside copycat Longhorn salmon recipe and Bob Evan's mashed potatoes recipe.
If you want to build out a bread-and-butter spread, add Texas Roadhouse cinnamon honey butter. You can also include Texas Roadhouse rolls for another restaurant-style option at the table.
Because these are shaped as individual rolls, they are better suited for dinner service than sandwiches. If you want the same flavor in a sliceable loaf, that version is better handled as a separate bread machine recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways to adjust this recipe while keeping the flavor and texture close to the original.
- Adjust the flour balance: Increase the bread flour slightly for a lighter roll, or increase the rye flours for a more pronounced whole grain flavor.
- Swap the sweetener: Dark corn syrup or dark brown sugar can replace part of the molasses, though the flavor will change slightly.
- Skip the oats: The oat topping gives the classic look, but the rolls will still bake well without it.
Tips for Success
These tips will help keep the rolls soft and close to the restaurant style.
- Do not over-flour the dough: Rye dough is naturally stickier than white bread dough. Add only enough extra flour to make it manageable.
- Let the dough rise fully: Underproofed rolls will bake up heavier and tighter than they should.
- Keep the key ingredients: Cocoa, coffee, and molasses create the signature color and flavor of this brown bread.
- Serve warm: These rolls are best slightly warm with butter, just like the restaurant version.
Storage Options
These rolls keep well for a few days and can also be frozen for later.
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Not recommended, as it can dry the rolls out more quickly. If needed, store up to 1 week and rewarm before serving.
- Freezer: Let the rolls cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and warm before serving.
Related Recipes
These recipes pair well with Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls and help build a full dinner at home.
- Copycat Longhorn Salmon Recipe
- Copycat Longhorn Brussels Sprouts
- Copycat Longhorn Steakhouse Rice Pilaf
- Cracker Barrel style Broccoli Cheddar Chicken
- Del Frisco's Butter Cake Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
They are soft, slightly sweet brown dinner rolls made with a blend of rye flour and bread flour. The dark color comes from molasses, cocoa powder, and coffee, which add color without making the rolls taste like chocolate.
They should be baked through, lightly firm on the surface, and sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom. An internal temperature around 190°F to 200°F is also a good indicator.
Yes. You can make the dough ahead, shape the rolls, and refrigerate them before the second rise. Let them come closer to room temperature and finish rising before baking.
The dark color comes from molasses, cocoa powder, coffee, and rye flour. The cocoa helps deepen the color, but it does not make the rolls taste like chocolate.
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Get The Recipe!
Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls (Copycat Dinner Rolls)
Equipment
- Large Rimmed Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water at 105-110℉
- 2¼ teaspoons active yeast (one envelope)
- 1¼ cup coffee cooled
- ¼ cup molasses
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup rye flour Light rye flour
- ¾ cup rye flour coarse ground or dark rye flour
- 3½ cups bread flour
- 6 tablespoons rolled oats for top of loaf
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.½ cup warm water, 2¼ teaspoons active yeast
- Add the yeast mixture to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Stir in the cold coffee, vegetable oil, molasses, and honey.1¼ cup coffee, ¼ cup molasses, 5 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons oil
- Add the cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add the salt, rye flours, and bread flour.2 teaspoons salt, ¾ cup rye flour, ¾ cup rye flour, 3½ cups bread flour
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough. It will be sticky at first but will become smoother as it develops. Scrape down the sides as needed, adding extra flour only 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary.
- Continue kneading with a stand mixer for 10 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Gently punch down the dough and divide into thirds. Cut each third into six pieces (about 75 grams each), then shape into oblong rolls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Lightly moisten the tops with water and press into oats. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, until nearly doubled.6 tablespoons rolled oats
- While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or slightly cooled.
Notes
- Proof Your Yeast Properly: Ensure your yeast is active by dissolving it in the warm liquid (usually water or milk) with a pinch of sugar. If it doesn't foam up within 5-10 minutes, your yeast might be old, and it's best to start with a fresh packet.
- Don't Over-Flour: Pumpernickel dough can be sticky due to the rye flour. Resist the urge to add too much extra flour during kneading. A slightly sticky dough will yield a more tender roll. Use just enough flour to make it manageable.
- Develop Flavor with Resting Time: Allow the dough sufficient time to rise in a warm, draft-free place. This not only develops the yeast but also deepens the characteristic pumpernickel flavor.
- Achieve Dark Color and Flavor: Don't skip the molasses, coffee, and cocoa powder; they're key to both the color and the slightly sweet, rich flavor of pumpernickel.
- Bake to Deep Brown: Pumpernickel rolls benefit from being baked until they have a deep, rich brown crust. This contributes to both the flavor and the characteristic appearance. Keep an eye on them towards the end of baking to prevent burning.
Nutrition
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Kelly Bloom says
Great dupe for Cheesecake Factory's brown dinner rolls. Easy to make, and super hearty tasting.