Porto’s Cheese Roll Recipe (Copycat)

Satisfy your cravings for a yummy treat you’d find in a bakery with our Porto’s Cheese Roll Recipe.

You don’t need to leave the comfort of your own home, but can make this favorite puff pastry dessert or snack in your own kitchen.

Porto’s Bakery and Cafe is hugely popular in the US. The business is run by the Porto family and was set up by Rosa Porto, who took inspiration for her recipes from her Spanish-born mother.

The recipe for this delicious pastry treat is quick, really easy to follow, and suitable for even very beginners. The prep time is short and all you need are a few simple ingredients.

The dough is cut into bite-sized pieces so that you have individual pastries ideal for either a snack during the day or to be served after dinner.

The balance of the creamy filling and pastry is just right. The cheese rolls are tasty but not too heavy, meaning that you can enjoy them with your tea or coffee whenever you want a sweet treat.

All About The Porto’s Cheese Roll Ingredients

Puff pastry

Puff pastry is a laminated dough, made of very thin sheets of pastry. These are puffy and soft but will also crackle when you cut into them.

The Classic Puff Pastry brand uses real butter rather than a different oil source. This is how a traditional French puff pastry is made and gives the pastry a lovely buttery taste and texture.

This is a good choice for your Porto cheese roll recipe. But if you don’t want to tackle making your own puff pastry, store bought puff pastry is a great option.

Cream Cheese Filling

Cream cheese is made from heavy cream and whole cow’s milk. It’s a type of creamy soft cheese and has a fat content of about 55%.

You can easily spread cream cheese due to its gooey and smooth texture.

To make your cream cheese mixture, all you need to do is whisk an egg, some vanilla essence, and a little powdered sugar together with the cream cheese.

Egg wash

Egg wash gives pie crusts and pastry items a shine and helps them to reach a warm, golden brown color. Egg wash can also help to bind parts of pastry items together.

To make it, all you need to do is add a little bit of liquid to a beaten egg. This wash can then be applied, or in baking terms “washed”, with a pastry brush onto the surface of any dough.

You’ll need a teaspoon of either water or milk per 1 egg used when making your egg wash.

Sugar

For a final flourish and to give your cheese rolls a professional look, put some sugar on top.

One option is to use sugar crystals, which will last in your cupboard for about 2 years. These look great on top of a cheese roll and they’ll also come in handy when you’re baking other goodies such as cookies and cupcakes.

Raw sugar or normal granulated sugar also work well if you don’t want to invest in another type of sugar.

Finally, for a softer finish, try dusting some confectioner’s or powdered sugar over your cheese rolls. If using this sugar type, only apply the sugar just before serving, because pastry tends to absorb powdery sugar very quickly.

Easy Tips for the Best Porto’s Cheese Roll Recipe

• Make sure that your cream cheese isn’t too cold. The cream cheese mixture might get lumpy when you’re whisking it if it’s not at a warm enough temperature beforehand.


• If you do struggle with a lumpy mixture, a stand mixer or blender is a great tool to use (if you have one). This will give the cream cheese filling a really creamy texture.


• Check that your dough is stuck together properly before you put your cheese rolls in the oven to bake. You don’t want the rolls to open and the mixture to spill out while you’re baking your dessert. Brush the egg wash along the pastry’s edges and then use your fingers to press the ends together. Do this gently, but also be firm enough so that the edges are sealed. Then, you can cut your dough into individual pieces.

Method

1. Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
   

   Before you begin, remember to preheat your oven to 400oF.

   Take your mixing bowl and add your cream cheese, powdered sugar, one egg, and vanilla extract. You can also add the melted butter at this stage, if using.

   Use a whisk or blender to mix the ingredients thoroughly until the texture is smooth and creamy.
   

2. Roll Out the Pastry
   

   Sprinkle a little of the all purpose flour onto your kitchen counter so that the pastry doesn’t stick to the surface.

   Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry sheet. Make sure it’s rolled out until it measures about 12 by 12 inches in size.

   Then, cut the puff pastry into 3 sections.
   

3. Create the Cream Cheese Rolls
   

   Spoon the cream cheese filling into a piping bag. Carefully pipe a long thick line of the mixture down the middle of each of the three sections.

   Next, roll one side of your puff pastry over the cream cheese. Lightly press this down with your fingers and use either water or a little egg wash to seal the other side before rolling it over to the center.

   Cut each piece of filled dough with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. You should be able to cut each piece into 4, giving you 12 cheese rolls in total.
   

4. Bake your Dessert
   

   Place some parchment paper over your baking tray. Lay out the cheese rolls, making sure that there is enough space between them so that they can expand a little as they bake.

   Make your egg wash with the other egg and a teaspoon of water. Brush this over the top of your cheese rolls.

   Sprinkle your rolls with some sugar crystals or granulated sugar. You then need to bake them for around 15 to 25 minutes.

   Remember to keep checking on your rolls. And when they’re golden brown in color, you’ll know that they’re ready to come out of the oven.

   Serve hot, sprinkling on a little powdered sugar beforehand if you like. Finally, enjoy!
   

How to Store and Freeze Porto’s Cheese Rolls

You can keep baked goods that contain eggs, whipped cream, custard, or cream cheese in your fridge for up to 3 days.

Once baked and cooled, keep your cheese rolls refrigerated in an airtight container or a plastic wrap and they’ll last a few days.

You can also keep them in your freezer in a plastic bag so they’ll last longer. But, note that cream cheese mixtures won’t taste as good after being frozen and thawed.