Garlic Butter Bacon Cheeseburger Rollups take everything you love about a juicy bacon cheeseburger and wrap it up in golden, buttery dough you can slice, share, and dunk. Instead of building individual burgers, you spread a rich beef-and-bacon filling over soft dough, roll it into a log, slice it like pinwheels, and bake until the edges are crisp and the centers are gooey with melted cheese.
A quick garlic butter brush over the top adds that steakhouse-garlic-bread vibe that makes these completely irresistible.
These rollups are made for game days, parties, and fun family dinners. They feel more special than basic sliders but are actually easier to prep for a crowd, because everything bakes on one sheet pan.
You can serve them as finger food with dipping sauces or plate them up with fries or a salad for a full meal. They’re also a great way to use pantry shortcuts like refrigerated pizza or crescent dough while still delivering big, homemade flavor.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat (optional, for easy cleanup)
- Small bowl (for garlic butter)
- Pastry brush or spoon
- Sharp knife or bench scraper
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup finely diced onion (optional but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
- 1 tube (about 13–16 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough or crescent sheet dough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Pickles, ketchup, and mustard for serving (optional)
Instructions
Start by making the bacon cheeseburger filling so it can cool slightly before you handle the dough. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it’s crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then pour off most of the grease, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan for flavor.
Add the ground beef and diced onion to the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are softened. If there’s excess grease in the pan, drain it off so the filling doesn’t make the dough soggy.
Season the cooked beef and onion with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then crumble the cooked bacon into the skillet and mix everything together so the bacon is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5–10 minutes; a slightly cooler filling is easier to spread and less likely to melt the cheese prematurely or make the dough difficult to roll.
Once the meat mixture has cooled a bit, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add the shredded cheese. Stir until the cheese is fully combined with the warm beef and bacon; some of it will start to melt and bind the filling together, which is exactly what you want.
Taste a small spoonful and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt, pepper, or garlic powder if needed. Set the filling aside while you prep the dough and garlic butter.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking. Open the tube of pizza or crescent sheet dough and unroll it onto a lightly floured surface or directly onto the parchment-lined sheet pan.
If you’re working on the counter, you’ll transfer the filled log to the pan in a minute; if you’re working right on the pan, just be sure there’s room to roll. Gently stretch or press the dough into a rectangle roughly 10×14–15 inches, keeping it as even in thickness as possible.
Spoon the cheeseburger filling onto the dough and spread it into an even layer, leaving about ½–1 inch border along one long edge to help seal the roll. Don’t overfill; you want a generous layer, but if it’s piled too high it can squeeze out as you roll.
Starting from the long edge opposite the clean border, carefully roll the dough into a tight log, similar to a cinnamon roll. Go slowly, lifting and rolling while gently tucking in any filling that tries to escape. When you reach the bare edge, pinch the seam closed along the length of the log and tuck in the ends to keep the cheese and meat contained.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to slice the log into 1–1½-inch rolls. Wiping the blade between cuts can help keep the slices neat.
As you cut, lay each roll cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart so they have room to puff and brown. If any filling falls out, just tuck it back on top of a roll. You should end up with about 10–14 rollups, depending on the length of your log and how thick you slice.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic (or garlic powder), and parsley. Stir until everything is well mixed. Use a pastry brush or a spoon to generously brush the tops and sides of each roll with the garlic butter mixture.
This step is what gives the rollups their rich, garlicky crust and beautiful golden color, so don’t skimp—any extra butter can be brushed on halfway through baking or drizzled on after they come out of the oven.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15–20 minutes, or until the rollups are puffed, the dough is cooked through and golden brown, and you can see cheese bubbling in some of the centers.
If your oven runs hot, start checking around the 12–14 minute mark to make sure the bottoms don’t get too dark. For extra color, you can switch to broil for the last minute or so, watching closely so the garlic butter doesn’t burn.
When the rollups are done, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool for several minutes before serving. The filling will be very hot right out of the oven, and a short rest helps the cheese set slightly so everything stays tucked inside when you bite into them.
If you held back a bit of the garlic butter, you can brush a final light coat over the tops while they’re still warm for even more flavor and shine.
Arrange the Garlic Butter Bacon Cheeseburger Rollups on a platter and garnish with extra parsley if you like. Serve them with small bowls of ketchup, mustard, burger sauce, or even ranch dressing for dipping. Each roll should have a soft, buttery exterior with crisp edges, and a gooey center packed with savory beef, smoky bacon, and melted cheese, all lightly perfumed with garlic.
Tips & Variations
These rollups are very flexible and easy to customize. For the dough, refrigerated pizza dough gives a chewier, more “pizzeria” feel, while crescent sheet dough stays a bit softer and more buttery.
Both work well; just avoid perforated crescent triangles if you can, or pinch the seams well to form a solid sheet before adding the filling. If your dough is very soft, chilling it for a few minutes after rolling but before slicing can help it firm up so you get cleaner cuts.
You can build more classic “cheeseburger” flavor into the filling by adding a spoonful of ketchup, mustard, or pickle relish to the beef mixture once it’s cooked and drained, then tasting and adjusting the seasoning.
Diced pickles stirred into the filling or sprinkled on top right after baking give a fun tangy crunch. If you love onions, you can cook extra with the beef or sprinkle a few finely chopped raw onions over the filling before rolling for more bite.
Cheese choice makes a big difference in the final flavor. Sharp cheddar gives a bold, classic cheeseburger vibe, while Colby Jack or mozzarella will be milder and extra gooey. A mix of cheddar and a processed meltier cheese like American or a cheese product will make the centers particularly creamy.
You can also add a bit of crumbled blue cheese or pepper Jack for a twist if your crowd likes stronger or spicier flavors.
For a little heat, stir a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce into the beef mixture. You can also sprinkle everything seasoning or sesame seeds over the top right after brushing with garlic butter to give them a burger-bun look and a bit of extra texture.
If you want to sneak in some veggies, finely minced bell peppers or mushrooms can be sautéed with the onions and beef; just cook off any extra moisture so they don’t make the filling wet.
These rollups are great for prepping ahead. You can cook the beef and bacon mixture and mix in the cheese a day in advance, then store it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble.
For short rests, you can also form the log, wrap it well in plastic, and chill it for an hour or two before slicing and baking. This can actually make slicing easier and help the rolls keep their shape.
Serving & Storage
Garlic Butter Bacon Cheeseburger Rollups can be served as an appetizer, game day snack, or even as the main event. As finger food, pile them on a platter and set out dips like ketchup, mustard, burger sauce, ranch, or even a simple garlic aioli.
For a more complete meal, serve two or three rollups per person alongside fries, potato wedges, tater tots, or a crisp green salad. They also pair well with coleslaw or a pickle-heavy pasta salad if you want to lean into the backyard-burger theme.
Leftovers, if you have any, reheat surprisingly well. Let the rollups cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer for a few minutes until hot and the edges re-crisp.
The microwave will heat them faster but will soften the dough, so the oven or air fryer is best if you want to keep that golden, slightly crisp exterior.
You can also freeze these for future quick snacks or appetizers. After baking and cooling, arrange the rollups on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, adding a quick brush of fresh garlic butter at the end if you want to revive that just-baked shine and flavor.
