Traeger Smoked Pull-Apart Bread

Prepare to elevate your outdoor cooking experience with our absolutely irresistible **cheesy pull-apart smoked bread**! This game-changing recipe demonstrates how effortlessly you can transform simple frozen dinner rolls into a spectacular side dish on your smoker, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will have everyone asking for more.

Golden-brown cheesy pull-apart smoked bread fresh off the smoker, glistening with melted cheese and herbs.

For those who cherish the art of cooking outdoors, especially with a smoker, you’re in for a treat! This cheesy pull-apart bread is a standout among our favorite electric smoker recipes here at The Typical Mom. We extend a special thank you to Rhodes for sponsoring this post, making it possible to share this incredible journey from frozen dough to smoked perfection.

Smoked Bread Recipe: Beyond the Grill

Our culinary adventure began with exploring a variety of electric and pellet smoker recipes, discovering new ways to utilize these versatile outdoor appliances. While you might typically associate smokers with meats, prepare to be amazed by this delightful bread. It’s an ideal addition to a hearty brunch spread or a fantastic side dish for any family dinner or social gathering.

Think of it as a smoked version of our beloved Refrigerated Biscuit Pull Apart Bread, but with the added depth of smoky flavor and the benefit of keeping your kitchen cool! Whether you prefer the convenience of frozen rolls or opt for a few tubes of refrigerated dough, this recipe is incredibly adaptable. To ensure your main course meats are always cooked to perfection alongside your bread, don’t forget to reference our printable meat smoking chart for consistently fork-tender results.

  • We recently upgraded our setup to this Traeger pellet smoker and grill, and we absolutely love its performance and versatility.
  • We started our smoking journey with a Charbroil electric smoker, which was an excellent way to learn the ropes and achieve delicious results.
  • For our recipes, we consistently use applewood pellets due to their mild, fruity smoke that beautifully complements almost everything we cook, including this bread.
Traeger pellet smoker in action, generating smoke for outdoor cooking.

While grilling burgers, steaks, and ribs on the grill is a classic summer pastime, sometimes you crave an easy yet impressive side dish to cook right alongside. This is it! When planning any gathering or simply aiming for an unforgettable family dinner, a warm, savory, and yummy bread is an absolute must-have.

And your kids will undoubtedly agree with me! That’s where **frozen dinner rolls** truly shine. Their convenience is unparalleled: you can always have a bag stashed in your freezer, ready for any impromptu occasion, eliminating those “uh oh, I forgot the bread” moments. This ensures you’re always prepared to serve something deliciously comforting.

Unlocking the Versatility of Frozen Dinner Rolls

You might be surprised at how many other wonderful creations you can make beyond simple **yeast rolls**! Frozen dough is incredibly versatile and a true secret weapon for home cooks. For instance, we’ve crafted delightful monkey bread in a smoker using their cinnamon rolls, and this dinner roll variety would work just as well for a savory twist.

Furthermore, once thawed, you can easily roll out these frozen dough balls to make fantastic pizza crusts. Just dress them with your favorite toppings and bake as usual – smoked pizza is an experience everyone should try!

Bag of Rhodes frozen dinner rolls, ready for thawing and use in a recipe.

For this cheesy **garlic bread** recipe, we utilized ingredients readily available in our pantry, focusing on flavors our family absolutely loves. While you could certainly omit the cheddar cheese, in our household, cheese is an essential component in ALL THE THINGS, adding an extra layer of richness and gooey goodness!

Smoked Cheesy Pull-Apart Rolls: Key Ingredients

Gathering the right ingredients is the first step to creating this exceptional smoked bread. Here’s what you’ll need to make this comfort food masterpiece:

  • Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls: Or your favorite homemade rolls. These are typically found in the freezer aisle near other frozen meals and dough products.
  • Onions: Finely diced to ensure they integrate seamlessly into the bread, adding a subtle sweet and savory flavor without overwhelming the texture.
  • Minced Garlic: Essential for that classic, aromatic cheesy garlic bread flavor that pairs perfectly with the smoky notes.
  • Shredded Cheese: Cheddar is our go-to, but a blend of Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or even a Mexican cheese blend would work wonderfully, offering varying levels of meltiness and flavor.
  • Diced Chiles: Optional, but highly recommended for an added layer of mild, earthy flavor.
    • If you’re feeling ambitious, you can prepare smoked chiles yourself for an even deeper flavor profile. Otherwise, canned diced chiles (mild) are a convenient and excellent choice, adding flavor without significant heat.
  • Olive Oil: Crucial for keeping the bread moist, tender, and incredibly easy to pull apart, ensuring every bite is soft and flavorful.
  • Seasonings: Tailor these to your preference, but our chosen blend creates a harmonious flavor profile:
    • Basil: Adds a fresh, slightly sweet, and peppery note.
    • Garlic Salt: Enhances the garlic flavor while providing a balanced saltiness.
    • Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs that imparts a classic, savory Italian bread character.
  • Equipment: You’ll also need a small bowl for mixing ingredients and a 9×13-inch cake pan. We highly recommend using a disposable aluminum pan for effortless cleanup after a satisfying meal.

Expert Tips for Crafting the Perfect Smoked Bread

Achieving bakery-quality smoked bread is easier than you think with these helpful tips:

  • Onion Quantity: Feel free to adjust the amount of diced onions according to your taste. We’ve found that about half an onion (finely diced) provides just the right balance of flavor and texture for our family, but you can certainly load up on more if you’re an onion enthusiast.
  • Cheese Choices: While we often use a pre-shredded Mexican cheese blend for convenience, any good quality shredded cheese will work. Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend of the two would be fantastic choices, each adding its unique character to the bread.
  • Pan Preference: While a “normal” reusable baking pan can certainly be used, disposable aluminum pans are a true lifesaver. They eliminate the need for scrubbing after a long day of cooking and entertaining, making cleanup an absolute breeze.
  • Dough Consistency: Pay close attention to the thawing time for your frozen rolls. You want them to be cold but pliable, not fully proofed or overly sticky, which can make them harder to cut and coat evenly.
  • Smoke Flavor Intensity: The initial covering with foil helps prevent the bread from absorbing too much smoke, resulting in a subtle, pleasant smoky essence rather than an overpowering flavor. This makes it a perfect complement to a wide range of smoked meats.
Close-up of unbaked cheesy pull-apart bread mixture in a disposable aluminum pan, ready for the smoker.

Step-by-Step: How to Bake Cheesy Bread on a Smoker

Follow these detailed instructions to create your own mouth-watering smoked bread:

  • Prepare the Rolls: Begin by removing 18 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls from their bag and placing them evenly spaced in a 9×13-inch disposable aluminum pan. These disposable pans are fantastic for easy smoker recipes as they make cleanup incredibly simple. Let them sit at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes to defrost slightly. They should be softer and pliable but still quite cold. Any longer and they might become too sticky to work with, so setting a timer is a good idea!
  • Cut and Combine: Once the rolls have softened, cut each one into four equal pieces. Place all the cut dough pieces into a large mixing bowl.
Diced Rhodes dinner rolls in a mixing bowl, ready to be coated with ingredients for pull-apart garlic bread.

Pour your olive oil over the dough pieces, followed by the shredded cheese, diced chiles, minced onions, and your chosen seasonings. Gently fold everything together using a spatula or your hands, ensuring each piece of dough is thoroughly coated with the savory mixture.

  • Assemble in Pan: To prevent sticking and make serving easier, lightly spray the inside of your aluminum pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the coated pull-apart bread mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly, aiming for a consistent thickness across the entire pan.
  • Allow to Rise: Cover the top of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the covered pan in a slightly warmer area of your kitchen to allow the dough to rise until it has approximately doubled in size. This crucial step, especially with frozen dough, will take about 1 to 1.5 hours. Skipping it will result in dense, less fluffy bread.
  • Preheat Smoker: While the bread is rising, add your preferred wood pellets or chips to your pellet grill or electric smoker. Preheat the smoker to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). It’s important not to place the bread on the grates until the smoker reaches the target temperature.
  • First Smoke Cycle: Once the smoker is preheated, carefully place the foil-covered pan of bread onto the grates. Allow it to cook for 40 minutes, still covered.

After this initial cooking time, your **smoked bread** will look wonderfully puffy and aromatic, but it’s not quite ready yet! To achieve that beautiful golden-brown crust and perfectly melted, slightly crispy cheese on top, there’s one more step:

Partially baked smoked bread in a foil pan, covered in cheese, before browning.

Carefully remove the aluminum foil cover from the pan. Return the uncovered bread to the smoker and continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes. The image below shows the bread after 10 minutes, beautifully browned. If you desire an extra-cheesy topping, you can sprinkle another 3/4 cup of shredded cheese over the bread after removing the foil. This will melt and brown simultaneously with the bread, creating an even richer crust. The choice is entirely yours!

Because the bread is covered for most of the cooking time, it develops a subtle, delightful smoked flavor rather than an overpowering one. This balance makes it incredibly versatile and allows it to complement a variety of dishes. Plus, the convenience of cooking this alongside your protein is a major win for any outdoor chef!

How Long to Smoke Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

The total cooking time for this cheesy pull-apart smoked bread, especially when filling a 9×13-inch pan with thawed frozen or refrigerated rolls, is roughly 45 minutes for the initial rise and covered cooking, followed by 10-15 minutes to achieve that perfect golden-brown top. The process involves a 45-minute thaw time, 1-1.5 hours for rising, and then approximately 50-55 minutes of actual smoke time. Once it’s beautifully browned and fragrant, simply pull apart the delicious pieces and enjoy alongside the succulent meat you’ve also cooked on your smoker grates!

A rectangular foil tray filled with pull-apart smoked bread, topped with herbs and melted cheese, with text overlay 'Smoker pull apart bread!'

Expand Your Smoker Horizons: Other Delicious Smoker Recipes

The possibilities for what you can cook in your smoker are truly endless! Beyond this amazing bread, here are a few of our absolute favorite recipes that pair exceptionally well with the cheesy pull-apart smoked bread:

What Savory Sides and Mains Can You Smoke?

  1. Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops: These are utterly delicious and an absolute showstopper.
  2. How to Smoke Salmon: Everyone raves about our perfectly smoked salmon, especially with a homemade dry rub.
  3. The Best Way to Smoke Ribs: When you think of outdoor cooking, perfectly smoked ribs often come to mind first, and for good reason!
  4. Smoked Beer Can Chicken: This method produces an incredibly moist and flavorful chicken that is simply WOW!

Whether you’re preparing for a potluck, a casual family dinner, or simply looking for a killer easy side dish, we guarantee this cheesy pull-apart smoked bread will receive enthusiastic thumbs up from everyone at the table. It’s a versatile dish that complements any meal. Find even more fantastic frozen dough recipes here! Now, get ready to dive into the detailed, printable step-by-step instructions for our easy… smoked bread recipe!

Smoked bread with a golden-brown crust, garnished with herbs, on a wooden board.
A close-up of a baked dish in a foil tray, showcasing golden-brown smoked bread covered with melted cheese and sprinkled with herbs. The bread appears fluffy and slightly crispy on top, with unevenly distributed cheese and herbs.

Smoked Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread

By
Justine
This cheesy pull-apart smoked bread recipe is truly out of this world! Learn how to use frozen dinner rolls on your smoker to create an amazing side dish that will complement any meal.
Prep:

2 hours

Cook:

50 minutes

Servings:
12

Equipment

  • 1 smoker (pellet or electric)
  • 1 9×13 inch aluminum pan (disposable recommended)
  • 1 Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  • 18
    Rhodes dinner rolls,
    defrosted for 45 minutes, then cut into fourths
  • 1.5
    c
    cheddar cheese,
    shredded
  • 1/2
    onion,
    diced very fine
  • 1
    tbsp
    minced garlic
  • 4
    oz
    diced green chiles,
    canned, drained (optional)
  • 1/4
    c
    olive oil
  • 1
    tsp
    garlic salt
  • 1
    tsp
    dried basil
  • 1
    tsp
    Italian seasoning

Instructions

  1. Place 18 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls in a 9×13-inch aluminum pan (this will be your cooking pan) with some space between them. Allow them to sit for 45 minutes to soften. They should still be cold but pliable.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, drained diced chiles (if using), shredded cheese, finely diced onions, minced garlic, and all your chosen seasonings (garlic salt, basil, Italian seasoning). Mix well.
  3. Cut each softened dinner roll into 4 equal pieces and add them to the bowl with the cheese and seasoning mixture. Gently toss everything together until each piece of dough is nicely coated.
  4. Lightly spray the inside of your aluminum pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the pull-apart mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly to create a consistent layer.
  5. Cover the tray securely with aluminum foil and place it in a slightly warm area of your kitchen. Let the dough rest and rise until it has approximately doubled in size (this crucial step will take about 1 to 1.5 hours).
  6. Preheat your smoker to 350 degrees F (175°C). Once the smoker reaches the correct temperature, place your covered pan on the grates and smoke for 40 minutes.
  7. After 40 minutes, carefully remove the aluminum foil cover from the pan. Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly crispy. If desired, you can sprinkle an additional 3/4 cup of cheese over the top during this uncovered cooking phase.
  8. Serve warm and enjoy your incredibly delicious cheesy pull-apart smoked bread!

Video

A video tutorial for this recipe would typically be embedded here.

Nutrition


Serving:
2
oz

,

Calories:
103
kcal

,

Carbohydrates:
2
g

,

Protein:
4
g

,

Fat:
9
g

,

Saturated Fat:
4
g

,

Cholesterol:
15
mg

,

Sodium:
283
mg

,

Potassium:
51
mg

,

Fiber:
1
g

,

Sugar:
1
g

,

Vitamin A:
240
IU

,

Vitamin C:
14
mg

,

Calcium:
107
mg

,

Iron:
1
mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
American
Smoked cheesy pull-apart bread baking inside a smoker, showing a golden crust.
A close-up of a baked dish in a foil tray, showcasing golden-brown smoked bread covered with melted cheese and sprinkled with herbs. The bread appears fluffy and slightly crispy on top, with unevenly distributed cheese and herbs.