220 min
Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
A tangzhong-enriched dough bakes into tall, pillowy cinnamon spirals under a generous blanket of tangy vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Weekend
Adjarian Khachapuri with Feta, Mozzarella & Jammy Egg
High-heat Georgian-style bread boats cradle bubbling feta and mozzarella, then finish with a just-set egg and butter to stir into the molten center.
Directions
Mix the dough
Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, warm water and olive oil. Stir until no dry flour remains, then knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky. Add flour 1 teaspoon at a time only if the dough sticks heavily.
Let the dough rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60 to 75 minutes, until nearly doubled. A slow rise builds flavor; judge the dough by volume rather than the clock.
Preheat the baking surface
Set a heavy rimmed half-sheet pan upside down on the middle oven rack and heat the oven to 500°F for at least 30 minutes. Cut two 12-by-16-inch sheets of parchment. The inverted pan creates a flat, intensely hot surface while keeping this method accessible without a baking stone.
Mix the cheese filling
Combine the mozzarella, feta and ricotta in a medium bowl. The mixture should hold together loosely without pooling liquid. Divide it into two equal portions.
Shape two boats
Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into two equal pieces. On separate parchment sheets, stretch each piece into an 11-by-7-inch oval. Roll both long sides inward toward the center to make thick raised rims, then pinch and twist the ends firmly into points, leaving a 3-inch-wide open channel.
Fill without overloading
Spread one portion of cheese inside each channel, stopping 1/2 inch from the rolled rim. Press the filling gently into an even layer while preserving the pointed boat shape visible in the photograph. Let the shaped breads rest for 10 minutes.
Bake the cheese boats
Slide both breads, still on their parchment, onto the preheated inverted pan. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the parchment once, until the rims are deeply golden, the bottoms are crisp and the cheese bubbles. The bread rim should register about 200°F in its thickest section.
Add the eggs safely
Crack each egg into a small cup. Pull the pan rack out carefully, make a shallow well in each cheese center and slide in one egg. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the whites are opaque and set at the edges while pasteurized yolks remain jammy. For children, pregnant people, older adults or anyone immunocompromised, continue baking until both white and yolk reach 160°F.
Butter, stir and share
Transfer each hot khachapuri to a board and add 1 tablespoon butter beside the egg. Scatter with parsley if using. At the table, stir the egg and melting butter through the cheese, tear off pieces of the browned rim and dip them into the center. Serve immediately while the filling is fluid.
Why this works
Why it worksA warm milk-and-water dough bakes into a tender interior with enough structure to contain the heavy cheese filling.
Why it worksSalty feta, stretchy low-moisture mozzarella and creamy ricotta approximate the tang, pull and softness of traditional Georgian cheeses using widely available ingredients.
Why it worksBaking the filled boats before adding the eggs browns the crust and melts the cheese without overcooking the yolks; the hot filling finishes the egg as it is stirred.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on AmazonHeavy half-sheet panA sturdy inverted pan preheated to 500°F gives both cheese-filled bread boats a strongly browned, crisp underside.See current options →
Compare on AmazonDigital kitchen scaleGram weights keep the supple dough and two equal cheese fillings consistent without adding excess flour.See current options →
Compare on AmazonHeat-safe oven mittsSecure hand and forearm protection matters when working around a preheated metal pan at 500°F.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- If you can source imeruli and sulguni cheese, use 7 ounces of each, coarsely grated, in place of the feta, mozzarella and ricotta.
- For a sharper widely available blend, replace the ricotta with 2 ounces finely grated provolone and add 2 tablespoons milk to keep the filling supple.
- To make four individual boats, divide the dough, cheese and butter into four portions and use four pasteurized eggs. Start checking the smaller breads after 8 minutes, then add the eggs for the final 3 to 4 minutes.
Cook notes
- The 75 minutes of rising time is included in the total but not the active prep time. A cool kitchen may require another 15 to 30 minutes.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella and drain the feta and ricotta well. Wet fresh mozzarella releases enough whey to make the center soupy and the bottom pale.
- Parchment brands have different temperature limits. Verify yours is rated for 500°F; otherwise shape on a well-floured peel and transfer directly to the bare preheated pan.
Storage
Khachapuri is best immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a preheated sheet pan in a 375°F oven for 8 to 12 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F; cover loosely with foil if the rim darkens too quickly. Do not leave a jammy egg at room temperature, and do not freeze an egg-topped bread because the texture deteriorates.
Questions
Why did my khachapuri boat open while baking?
The pointed ends were not sealed firmly enough or too much cheese pushed against the sides. Twist and pinch each end, keep the filling below the rolled rim and leave a small margin around it.
Can I prepare the dough ahead?
Yes. Use cool rather than warm liquid, cover the mixed dough and refrigerate it for 8 to 24 hours. Let it stand at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before dividing and shaping.
Is a runny egg yolk safe in khachapuri?
A pasteurized egg lowers risk when you want a jammy yolk, but risk is not zero. People at higher risk of foodborne illness should use pasteurized eggs and cook both white and yolk to 160°F.
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Adjarian Khachapuri with Feta, Mozzarella & Jammy Egg
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1. Mix the doughWhisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm milk, warm water and olive oil. Stir until no dry flour remains, then knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky. Add flour 1 teaspoon at a time only if the dough sticks heavily.
2. Let the dough risePlace the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60 to 75 minutes, until nearly doubled. A slow rise builds flavor; judge the dough by volume rather than the clock.
3. Preheat the baking surfaceSet a heavy rimmed half-sheet pan upside down on the middle oven rack and heat the oven to 500°F for at least 30 minutes. Cut two 12-by-16-inch sheets of parchment. The inverted pan creates a flat, intensely hot surface while keeping this method accessible without a baking stone.
4. Mix the cheese fillingCombine the mozzarella, feta and ricotta in a medium bowl. The mixture should hold together loosely without pooling liquid. Divide it into two equal portions.
5. Shape two boatsGently deflate the risen dough and divide it into two equal pieces. On separate parchment sheets, stretch each piece into an 11-by-7-inch oval. Roll both long sides inward toward the center to make thick raised rims, then pinch and twist the ends firmly into points, leaving a 3-inch-wide open channel.
6. Fill without overloadingSpread one portion of cheese inside each channel, stopping 1/2 inch from the rolled rim. Press the filling gently into an even layer while preserving the pointed boat shape visible in the photograph. Let the shaped breads rest for 10 minutes.
7. Bake the cheese boatsSlide both breads, still on their parchment, onto the preheated inverted pan. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the parchment once, until the rims are deeply golden, the bottoms are crisp and the cheese bubbles. The bread rim should register about 200°F in its thickest section.
8. Add the eggs safelyCrack each egg into a small cup. Pull the pan rack out carefully, make a shallow well in each cheese center and slide in one egg. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the whites are opaque and set at the edges while pasteurized yolks remain jammy. For children, pregnant people, older adults or anyone immunocompromised, continue baking until both white and yolk reach 160°F.
9. Butter, stir and shareTransfer each hot khachapuri to a board and add 1 tablespoon butter beside the egg. Scatter with parsley if using. At the table, stir the egg and melting butter through the cheese, tear off pieces of the browned rim and dip them into the center. Serve immediately while the filling is fluid.