Guyanese Cheese Rolls
One of my fondest childhood memories is of visiting a bakery just down the road from my school. Some days my father would give me money to buy lunch at school and instead of buying a sensible and well balanced lunch I would go straight to the Arapaima and purchase these cheese rolls, pine tarts or cheese scones. 
It is best described as a savory cheese filling wrapped up a flaky pastry. To this day, I still have a weakness for cheese rolls. Arapaima is no longer just around the corner, so I have to make it for myself…luckily I know a thing or two about baking! Whenever we make these to serve at gatherings, they are the first to go..always. I kept it fairly simple for the filling but you can add garlic or finely grated onion. While cheese rolls can be served at room temperature, I like to eat it warm.
Get the Recipe Guyanese Cheese Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 2/3 cup salted butter
- 13 tbsp ice cold water
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 1 whole wiri wiri pepper, seeds removed or a dash of pepper sauce
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- To make pastry, mix butter and shortening into flour until well combined. Add water and combine until the flour forms a dough. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Mix cheese, wiri wiri or pepper sauce, garlic powder, salt and yellow mustard to make the filling. Set aside.
- Roll pastry until thin...about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Cut into rectangles. Divide the cheese filling evenly and spread on each square of pastry leaving a 1/2 inch border.
- Mix egg with 1 tbsp of water to make an egg wash. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Take one end of the pastry and roll overfilling until you reach the other end. Seal. Using a fork press both ends to seal.
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet seam side down and brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins until golden brown. Enjoy!!
Video
Oh you did it! Look yummy!
Yours looks far better than many they sell NOW in Guyana. I mean I love them, but some people’s taste more like shortening than cheese.
I wouldn’t be able to stop eating these. They look amazing! Do you think butter could be substituted for the margarine?
I usually make the pastry using a mixture of butter and shortening but had neither so I experimented with margarine and it turned out great. So yes you can use butter or any savory shortcrust pastry will also be fine.
Oh, these look good! I bet you could make these sweet, too!
Looks delicious! And the pictures are beautiful, well done!
Mmmm they look amazing, too bad I don’t eat cheese.
I made these for my little guys lunches and they loved them – I only had butter and do not like mustard so used a tsp of dry mustard and a tsp of cumin and 4-5 dashes of worcestershire sauce and they were a big hit. A definite keeper although next time I think I will make 16 smaller sized ones for little hands. Thanks for a great recipe and good idea….
Oh my, these are gorgeous. We need some appetizers for a group coming up on Friday and we are making these! thanks, s
wow, those look absolutely lovely! i love cheese and these pictures just made my tummy growl!
Dang, that looks so good. Anything with cheese and spices and dough will win.
Tasty recipe, but why not use chopped/minced fresh garlic? More flavorful and healthier than garlic powder, particularly California grown.
You can absolutely use fresh garlic. I have used both in the past when making this recipe.
looks good… far better than cheese stick 😛
We have something similar in the uk that we call cheese and onion pasties. Must say this recipe sounds even more delicious. A must try!
thank you so much for posting this recipe……I have a craving and instead of asking my mother (an hour away) to make them, I will try and make it myself, tonight.
I will let you know how it turns out.
I am going to try this recipe cause I love cheese roll.
Hi there, your cheese roll look amazing. I tried making them but everytime
the cheese comes out. Please help
Hi, Thank you so much for the compliment. The cheese coming out is a very common problem. It can easily be fixed by either making sure the ends are properly sealed and if that doesn’t work, decrease the amount of cheese that you put into the cheese roll.
Oh I couldn’t resist making these when I found your recipe . Got a batch in the oven as I am typing…fingers crossed, hope they turn out well. Will update when the are finished! Thanks for sharing!
Great!! You will love these!
When I was little my mom said i can only have 2 but i would sneak 4 most of the time i got caught
Jehan wonderful I was searching the internet for guyana pastry recipies and my dear i knew it had to be you, thanks for providing the exact one i wanted. Your cheese roll looks delicious hope everyone enjoyed it. I think you are ready for Business.
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oh my, this is good. So tonight I decided to look up cheese rolls so I can make for my best friend. She’s guyanese and she loves them. They don’t have them where she lives. Her family back in NY use to send her some and I tried it and I didn’t see what the big fuss was about. I just finish taking out the cheese rolls i just baked following your recipe, OH MY!!!! I’m a fan!!! I can’t wait to try your other recipes!!!!
Thanks Kat, I’m glad I can turn you into a believer lol.
i made this recipe, and the filling was tasty. but that dough! chi! it was too thick and dry and bready! i made it again with a pie crust dough, and it was much better!!
What kind of cheddar, mild or sharp?
I used Sharp cheddar.
I tried it today and my crust was too rich to buttery so i guess i have to try it back
Hi Keyshia, try the recipe for the crust for the Jamaican beef patty. I will email it to you.
brilliant recipe carnt get d pastry right however bought short crust pastry n came out excellent
I followed your directions exactly but substituted butter for the margarine but the pastry is breaking apart so easily…where did I go wrong? I can not even roll it out without it sticking to the rolling pin in small chunks, and when iI try to put the cheese in and turn it over it breaks…any suggestions?
Carolann sorry about that, I have to revise this recipe as I’ve been getting complaints about the crust. Try this recipe for the crust in the post for Callaloo patty
Yours look so wonderful.No matter what i do my cheese always ooze out and burn.Any advice would help
Milly it could be two reasons why it’s oozing out. The first being there is way too much filling so it burst as it cooks or the edges aren’t sealed.
Hi, i remember some cheese rolls with some pepper. Would it work in this recipe? Looks delicious btw- i’m impressed. Born and bred in guyana till i moved here so i knowwhat a good cheese roll looks like 😉
Hi, I do put pepper in cheese roll sometimes . It gives it a nice kick .
LOVE LOVE these cheese rolls it is my husbands favorite he cannot have one or two he could eat the whole batch, if I do not put some in a hiding place for myself I am out of luck
Good day! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established
blog. Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about
creating my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks
Hi Lyn, It’s not very difficult. I started with a a simple wordpress template and went from there. It is a learning process and you will be surprised how quickly you will learn the ins and outs of blogging. Google starting a blog, you will find a wealth of information on the internet to guide you along. If in doubt google. First know what it is that you want to blog about and go from there. I hope I’ve answered you questions.
Still my number one go to page for all foods Guyanese, memories included. Thank you so much. I’ve done an excellent job on Roti ( plain and potato), cheese rolls, pepper pot, garlic pork, cheese straws, and my fav, fruit cake, all using your recipes following them to the letter. I’ve got my eye on that white pudding, but hasn’t felt brave enough to attempt it as yet. After living 7 yrs in Clayton county GA, i finally feel closer to GT. Thanks again.
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I would like the receipt for how to make cheese straw please thank you
Hi Suezan, here’s a recipe for cheese straw
https://jehancancook.com/2009/12/cheese-straw-stars-and-snowflakes/
Love your recipes. Do you happen to have one for currant roll?
Tiffany not as yet, I have a few books that may have it. I will take a look.
Hi if im going to substitute butter for the margarine do I use the same amount or more or less?
Kayla use the same amount.
I read other recipes which required cold butter and cold shortening, is it necessary. HELP
diana
Latchminie, yes it has to be cold.