Cheese Zombies
Updated
Updated
Cheese Zombies are pillowy soft, buttery bread rolls filled with gooey, cheesy goodness. Fresh and warm out of the oven, let me tell you, they are completely irresistible!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThis post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Easy Cheese Zombie Rolls
Once I got over my fear of making yeasted bread, these Cheese Zombies became a regular fixture in our house. Thank goodness for both of those things.
Cheese Zombies were a thing—a huge thing—in Concord, CA, and throughout the Mt. Diablo school district when I was in high school a million years ago. They were 50 cents at the time, and I used to buy one every single day at first break. Now, they’re probably $3!
Cheese Zombies are not on a national level—although they should be! So, search results for a proper recipe are very lean. But if you’re a fellow alum, I’ve got you. And if not, I’m about to introduce you to the best cheesy stuffed rolls you didn’t know you needed until now.
Helpful Tips
- The temperature of the water matters. Water needs to be around 105-110°F to properly activate the yeast. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast, and if it’s not warm enough, the yeast won’t proof. It should be warm to the touch, but not hot. To be precise, use a thermometer.
- Use fresh yeast. If the yeast doesn’t foam after 5 minutes, it’s not good and you’ll need to toss it and start over.
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon and level the flour, instead of scooping. Too much flour in the dough can lead to dense, dry rolls.
- Use Velveeta cheese. This type of cheese is processed to be softer, smoother, evenly textured, and clump-free once melted. Real cheddar cheese doesn’t melt properly, ends up a little greasy, and doesn’t work for this recipe. Real Cheese Zombies are made with Velveeta, and they’re awesome. It’s ok. The cheese police aren’t going to arrest you, and your arteries won’t clog up by eating a couple.
Cheese Zombies
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water, (105-110°F)
- 1½ tablespoons active dry yeast, instant also works
- 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup lukewarm whole milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened, salted also works
- 1 teaspoon salt, if using salted butter, omit
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 4½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 8 ounces Velveeta processed cheese, cut into 16 cubes
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to dissolve and set aside until foamy, 5-10 minutes.
- Add milk, softened butter, salt, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix until well combined, and then add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough just starts to clear the sides of the bowl (you may not need it all).
- Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until a soft, elastic dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
- Turn the dough out into a rectangle and divide into 16 equal pieces. Shape pieces into rounds, then flatten slightly. Tuck a cube of cheese into the center of each round and pinch the dough around the cheese, tightly together at the bottom, working to shape each one into a round, tight ball.
- Place rolls, pinched-side down on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through baking time. Brush the tops with remaining butter and bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving, but still hot enough that you get that awesome gooey cheese when you break them open!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Cheese Zombies Step by Step
Gather your ingredients.
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine ½ cup water (105-110°F), 1½ tbsp active dry yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir to dissolve and set aside until foamy, 5-10 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add 1 cup lukewarm whole milk, ¼ cup softened butter, 1 tsp salt, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 large beaten egg, and 2 cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour. Mix until well combined, and then add 2½ cups more flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough just starts to clear the sides of the bowl (you may not need it all).
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until a soft, elastic dough forms.
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
Turn the dough out into a rectangle and divide into 16 equal pieces. Shape pieces into rounds, then flatten slightly. Tuck a cube of Velveeta cheese into the center of each round and pinch the dough around the cheese, tightly together at the bottom, working to shape each one into a round, tight ball.
Place rolls, pinched-side down on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through baking time. Brush the tops with remaining butter and bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving, but still hot enough that you get that awesome gooey cheese when you break them open!
How to Store
- Fresh is best. Like most freshly baked bread, these stuffed cheesy bread rolls are best enjoyed straight from the oven. And since they are filled with melted cheese, fresh is best.
- Counter. If you have any left over, allow them to cool to room temperature before storing; the residual heat from covering them can make the rolls soggy. I don’t recommend refrigerating them, or they will dry out. Instead, store them in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within a few days.
- Reheat. Wrap each leftover roll in a single sheet of aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
What to Serve With Cheese Zombies
Every time I make these, it’s meant as a side with dinner, but they always seem to become dinner, because we each eat 3 or 4! They’re so good. I’ll often prepare these to go with Salisbury steak or baked chicken breast, but also when we are eating a lighter meal, like an air fryer egg frittata.
More Bread Recipes To Love
- My shortcut Cloverleaf Rolls are easy enough for weeknights but pretty enough to fit right in at any holiday meal.
- These Garlic Knots pack in fresh and dried herbs for even more flavor than your average side bread!
- Our Parker House Rolls are soft and buttery with a classic folded shape JUST like the original, just homemade!
- I don’t mean to brag, but my Cheddar Bay Biscuits come together in under 25 minutes, which makes them extra hard to resist!!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Amy,
I too went to Mt Diablo and remember the cheese zombies very well. Always had to get to the snack shack early because, yes, first come first served and they didn’t last long.
Thank you sooo much for this recipe! I went to Northgate High School and they also sold cheese zombies at morning break. Like you, I bought one every day – so delish! Your recipe did not disappoint. Super easy instructions and great results with minimal effort. Thanks again!
Thanks SO MUCH for this recipe!!!…My sister & I absolutely loved these as a child, we went to grade school in Concord California, and these were one of the best memories, they were so good!!!
I shared the recipe with my sister and I will be trying them, hope they turn out as good as yours look, I’ll update!
What do you mean when you say switch the baking sheet halfway through? Am I placing the halfway cooked rolls on a new baking sheet? Why is that? Sorry I don’t bake much.
Since you’re working with more than 1 baking sheet, it just means swap their positions halfway.
I graduated from Clayton Valley High School in 1967. I fondly remember being able to enjoy zombies during the morning break. It was my favorite time of day. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Can I make them the day before and cook right before a party?
I’ve never tried prepping these in advance, but it should be fine. Make sure they’re covered tightly so they don’t dry out.
As a former MDUSD student, I can attest this recipe is the one – absolutely delicious and so reminiscent of childhood – I made a batch of these and it tasted just like when I was a kid (I always had zombies coming up, in all my elementary, middle, and high schools)!
I am a CVHS alum and I can’t tell you HAPPY I am to have found
this magical. recipe !!!!
I’ve looked for a cheese zombie recipe before and always figured it must have just been something unique to our school. I fricken loved this!!! I pulled up the recipe and I started to read…then I got a big ol smile and said I knew it!!! I went to Clayton Valley too! I bought one everyday too…and they were .50!
This recipe is spot on!! U nailed it. Everyone should have had these!!!!
Thank you
YVHS alum here. This is from heaven.
OMG AMY! Yes!
Everyday at Loma Vista and the Concord High first break. Cheese zombie. I was describing them to my husband who grew up in Texas. Apparently you are correct they are not a national staple food offering.
Now have the recipe and hopefully can convince him it’s a must try.
Thank you for sharing.
CVHS alum. I remember my friends and I would figure out who could make it out to the carts and buy a bunch first. We would hand over our money and hopefully get some.
It is definitely the best better than middle school
Alhambra in Martinez had yummy zombies too! They also had amazing cherry and apple turnovers but that’s a recipe for another day.
Can’t wait to try this!! When I was younger the school served then like a sheet cake style. If you separated the dough in half and put cheese in the middle of the bread dough layers?
That’s how Richland School District in SE Washington made them too. They were cut into huge triangles and were so buttery and salty. They used the government issue school district cheese which had more flavor than Velveeta but it’s the next best thing.
I am from Concord but live in Iowa now. I as looking for a recipe for my 7 year olds school lunches. Thanks so much for this!
A shout out from Mdhs class of ‘78 living now in Alaska and baking these for the boat tonite – isn’t the smell of yeast dough in the early morning hours ,and hearing soft rain while the teapot percolates the best way ever to wake up. Sending you kind thoughts from the north-ellie
Yummy. Going to make these.
I am a College Park High School alum!! Loved these. Thank-you for posting this recipe!! I am going to make them for my family!
Sounds like you went to the little store they opened next to concord high.. so expensive there. But so good, I would pay for them if I didn’t know how to make them… I went to Clayton valley and cheese zombies were the best. We also had these hotdogs made with the same bread that were available if the zombies were sold out, which happened everyday,…,this was 89-. 92.
I am so glad to have found this! Tiny moments of joy from pillowy cheese buns!!
I went to College Park and remember these! So glad you’ve shared these for the world to enjoy!
OH GOSH! I haven’t had these since elementary in pleasant Hill! And I’ve looked everywhere without knowing the name! I found this page and this is it! I made them and my husband and kids loved them! Thank you for the recipe it’s simple and easy to follow and brought back a good childhood memory!
Honestly I was surprised I pulled this off until I realized it’s actually super easy to use yeast and make dough. Like, unreasonably easy. I cut the recipe in half (smaller family) and I even had to refrigerate the dough overnight because my baby needed help mid-knead. and as I started late in the evening on this project, realized as an after thought I wanted them for the morning (adding sausage) and they still turned out super tasty and fluffy! I’d personally add maybe some more seasonsings but overall I’m at least two pounds heavier. Thanks!
You just made a pregnant girls dreams come true. My high school was in Woodland Ca by Sacramento and our school had these but with ham. Omg these are just like I remember
I went to College Park. Lve Zombies!!
I went to Mt. Diablo High in the 80s loved the cheese zombies but never found a recipe even close thank you
Hello,
Can you do this recipe sheet pan style like they did in school? Or does it have to be in rolls? Big family here, so I’d like to save some time lol.
Oddly enough, my grade school in a small Indiana town had these as well. So delicious. I’ve been searching for a recipe for them for years and just stumbled across this. I will definitely make them this week. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Thank you so much for your recipie. I just had a conversation with my husband about zombies, he had no idea what I was talking about…did not realize it was a regional thing. Glad I found your recipie. Miramonte girl.
also did you have the big cookie with half chocolate and half vanilla icing?
I am not a Californian but I moved from Maryland to Dublin, CA and was there for 2 years. I randomly found cheese zombies on yelp and drove to concord for the day. The first time I went I didn’t know how insanely popular they were so I couldn’t try the kind I wanted. But because I drove so far just for them they gave me a few for free lol I was hooked after that and would take that 50 min drive often. I’m back in Maryland now and craving them. So glad I found a recipe, so I can share something I grew to love from the west coast !!!
I attended Mt. Diablo high school 99-2003 I used to buy cheese zombies often on lunch break, and I think sometimes during the morning break too, love em and I have made this recipe a few times. So awesome thanks!
I went to El Dorado Middle School and these were my first break snack as well! I can’t wait to make these for my kids!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I taught at Alhambra High School in Martinez 1984-94 before moving to Virginia. Ham and cheese zombies with mustard squirted in were a definite favorite.
I got these when i went to valley view & college park CP class of 1976. I’ve dreamed about these yeast rolls, soft. Hot & gooey. Was there one with ground beef as well?
Yay, can’t wait to try these, great cheese zombie memories, YV 81
Hi Amy, my name is Jeni. I love your recipe listed here. I too was a Cheese Zombie-ite. I was going to Pleasant Hill High School when it was closed after my sophomore year. I still have my handwritten recipe of Cheese Zombies that was published in the school newspaper before they closed in 1980. But, my recipe is different and to tell you the truth, lacks something. I am going to try your recipe that includes an egg.
Cal remembers these from his high school days at Mt. Diablo. He suggests adding ham and picked japeno rings. The people who now make these call them Spicy Ham Zombies.
I have told my kids about the infamous Zombies from our YVHS days and they finally were able to experience one that was pretty close from a vendor at the WC Farmers Market. I’m excited to try this recipe…looks spot on!
I attended Mt. Diablo in Junior High and High School and loved getting a zombie every day. (class of 1995), I’ve tried making them but CANNOT seem to get it right. Looking forward to this recipe and to see how it stands up. (I’m afraid of yeast as well)
My mom made theses for me as a kid. She attended Mt. Diablo high school. The person who created this blog is correct. You can’t substitute Velveeta cheese. My family and I add diced ham and caramelized unions.
Can I use oat milk? It has the consistency of whole milk. I haven’t had these in years!!
Hi Stephanie! Without further recipe testing, I couldn’t say, sorry. You could try it!
I grew up in the MDUSD too as always loved these. My step mom became a “cafeteria lady“ when I was in HS. She brought the recipe home, and used to make these for us. You totally nailed it!!! Thank you!!
Omg I haven’t had these since middle school in Napa and randomly googled it. Glad I did because now I know what I’m making tomorrow! Thank you!
Outstanding—Just like I remember from Campolindo High School!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I was a teacher in Mt. Diablo and was craving Zombies today so I made up my own recipe before I saw yours. I have to bake gluten free and substituted Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix for the dough. They came out pretty good. I’ll follow your baking directions next time. Could you tell me how much cheese you put in each Zombie and if you’ve come up with any tricks to keep the cheese from melting out of the buns?
I too went to Ygnacio Vly, then Mt Diablo. As soon as I saw the photo and name, I was instantly transported back to 1970! Have thought of these often, thank you for the recipe.
In Vancouver, wa. They were made in big sheets and cut in squares. I cook for a large group every month day at chu r h and have been craving g them for some time now. So in 2 wks it’s tomato soup and cheese zombies with salad.
My husband and I are looking forward to making Cheese Zombies. I graduated from Ygnacio Valley in 1969 and him from Mt. Diablo in 1968. Thanks for putting this out there. So cool that lots of folks are from our area.
I have looked for this too. I went to Mount Diablo and would have graduated in 1970 but moved to a Oklahoma after my junior year. Remember the maple bars?
Yaaaaaas. Also amazing!
My husband graduated Mt. Diablo High School in ’62 and I graduated from Pleasant Hill High School in ’63. My Mom worked in the cafeteria and made zombies for the school. Zombies became a favorite way back then, In fact, I’m making them today! So good!