These “Perfect” $4 Dinner Rolls Taste Even Better Than the Famous Cheesecake Factory Ones

There’s bread — and then, there’s bread. You know, the kind that sops up sauces, and needs only a pat of butter to enhance its inherent bready, warming aroma. It fills your stomach and your soul with happiness unbound.

People wrongly assume that to get that euphoria from bread, it needs to be baked fresh (and come topped with an intricately designed garden). But really, they couldn’t be more wrong. Just ask my dad, who finds his sumptuous, carb-laden home in a bag of brown bread rolls from one of America’s most iconic chain restaurants: Cheesecake Factory “Our Famous” Brown Bread Dinner Rolls.

What’s So Great About Cheesecake Factory “Our Famous” Brown Bread Dinner Rolls?

It’s hard to put my finger on what exactly makes those elusive brown bread rolls so, so craveable. There’s an inherent sort of heady sweetness to it; not saccharine in the least, but more of a slow build. No doubt that’s credited to the inclusion of both brown sugar and dried molasses, one of which is used to bloom the yeast, allowing the flavor to only intensify during the baking process.

Another nice touch is the sprinkling of toasted oats on top; it gives the bread its signature “look” — you can spot it from across the restaurant.

I like to think the secret lies in a rather unassuming ingredient that’s probably often overlooked: malted barley flour. Not only does it “boost the sweetness and color of baked goods,” according to King Arthur himself, but it also adds rise, leading to a softer, fluffier roll that melts in your mouth without disintegrating.

Cheesecake Factory, Brown Bread, Dinner Rolls, 8 Count

Walmart

$3.98

Buy Now

You can find it at several retailers nationwide and, although the prices vary, I’ve recently spotted it for less than $4 at Walmart. (Cheesecake Factory also sells brown bread sandwich loaves; I highly recommend it for morning toast and anytime sandwiches.)

What’s the Best Way to Use Cheesecake Factory “Our Famous” Brown Bread Dinner Rolls?

Our favorite way to eat these rolls is to take a cue from the Cheesecake Factory, whose servers bring freshly warmed rolls to the table accompanied only by little packets of butter. My dad likes to pair his toasted roll with Land O’Lakes spreadable butter, which we swear by. (Pro tip: Do not warm these in the air fryer; I’ve burnt one-too-many a roll, even with the appropriate time and heat settings.)

It’s a natural complement to any number of soups and stews. As vegetarians, soup often plays a featured role at our dining table — especially as temperatures drop. We’ve loved ripping a chunk off of a roll and dipping it into a piping-hot bowl of classic minestrone soup; the brothy concoction moistens the bread ever-so-slightly to create a near-perfect bite.

Of course, as with any other dinner roll, you can pair it with whatever feels sensible to you — creamy casseroles, a mound of mashed potatoes, or even a plateful of pasta. But if you want to eat it Narayanan-style, just toast it in your toaster ever-so-slightly and slather on your favorite butter.

Buy: Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Rolls, $4 for 8 rolls at Walmart

Have you tried these “famous” rolls? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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