Ube Cheese Pandesal Bakery-Style
Recipe Guy
Filipino | Merienda and Bakery | Baking
Soft purple pandesal rolls flavored with ube and filled with melty cheese.
Why make it: This version turns a useful flavor idea into a complete home recipe with clear shopping notes and a practical cooking process.
About This Recipe
Soft purple pandesal rolls flavored with ube and filled with melty cheese.
Why You Will Love It
- Practical for U.S. kitchens: the shopping list uses ingredients that are realistic to find in Filipino, Asian, and mainstream grocery stores.
- Clear method: the process separates prep, cooking, finishing, and serving so each stage is easy to follow.
- Flexible but focused: variation posts keep one core method and show exactly where the flavors change.
- Complete recipe: the article uses the same recipe card, quick facts, table of contents, tips, and FAQ structure as the rest of the site.
Ingredient Notes
Ube
Use halaya for real body and extract for aroma and color.
Cheese
Quick-melt or mild cheddar gives the familiar sweet-salty center.
Ube Cheese Pandesal Bakery-Style Recipe
Soft purple pandesal rolls flavored with ube and filled with melty cheese.
Shopping List
- bread flour
- instant yeast
- sugar
- salt
- milk
- butter
- egg
- ube halaya
- ube extract
- quick-melt cheese
- breadcrumbs
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup ube halaya
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
Filling and Coating
- 16 cubes quick-melt cheese
- 1 cup fine breadcrumbs
Finish
- Melted butter for brushing, optional
- Extra ube halaya for serving, optional
Instructions
- Mix milk, yeast, sugar, egg, butter, ube halaya, and ube extract.
- Add flour and salt and mix into a soft purple dough.
- Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Let rise until doubled.
- Divide into 16 pieces, flatten each piece, and add one cheese cube.
- Seal tightly, shape into balls, and coat with breadcrumbs.
- Proof until puffy.
- Bake at 350 F until set and lightly browned.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per roll based on the listed ingredients and yield. Actual nutrition will vary by brand, exact portion size, and cooking changes.
Tips For The Best Ube Cheese Pandesal Bakery-Style
- Seal tightly: Pinch the dough closed so cheese does not leak.
- Avoid dry dough: Ube dough should stay soft.
- Proof well: The rolls need a second rise to stay fluffy.
- Serve warm: The cheese center is best warm.
How To Serve And Store
Serve warm for merienda. Store at room temperature 1 day or refrigerate up to 4 days.
Common Questions
Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes, but bread flour gives more chew.
Can I skip extract?
Yes, but the color will be muted.
Can I freeze them?
Freeze baked rolls and reheat.
Can I make them without filling?
Yes, but reduce the sweetness slightly if desired.
Cook's note: Taste as you go and adjust sweetness, salt, texture, and finishing time for your ingredients.
Recipe developed as an original Filipino-American Cooking recipe for home kitchens.
