The 3-Ingredient Recipe My Mom Has Perfected Over the Past 20 Years

When autumn rolls around, nothing beats an easy, comforting recipe. While some places might still be too warm for cozy meals, my family has the perfect dish to ease the shift from summer to fall. Think warm, cheesy, bite-sized treats that bring to mind summer grilling—except without the grill: hamburger rolls.

Although I’ve always known them as my mom’s hamburger rolls, the recipe actually comes from my dad’s side of the family. That being said, I’ve only ever tasted the ones my mom makes, and after over two decades of perfecting them, she’s got it down to an art.

What Are Hamburger Rolls?

They go by a few different names, but at their core, hamburger rolls are just mini, mess-free cheeseburgers. Picture a soft dinner roll stuffed with a juicy hamburger patty and gooey melted cheese—your mouth is probably watering already.

A few of these rolls make the perfect dinner, especially when paired with crispy tater tots or golden french fries. They’re also the ultimate finger food, making them a crowd-pleasing choice for tailgating. Plus, since they reheat wonderfully, we often make a large batch and freeze them, ensuring we always have a tasty snack ready to go. It’s a constant battle not to sneak a roll or two from the fridge before meal time.

How to Make My Mom's Famous Hamburger Rolls

My mom prefers to make her dough from scratch, which might sound intimidating at first, but I promise it’s totally worth the effort. If you’re up for the challenge, her dough recipe is very similar to this one, with one key difference: she doubles the recipe to make sure there's enough dough to wrap all that delicious meat.

To assemble these rolls, divide the dough into smaller portions, then add a scoop of cooked ground beef (seasoned to your liking) and a folded slice of American cheese. Enclose the filling by folding the dough over the meat and cheese. In our house, the rolls usually turn out the size of a baseball, but the size is totally up to you as long as the dough surrounds the filling.

Bake the rolls at 425°F (220°C) for about 12 minutes. Don't stress if some cheese leaks out during baking—it’s actually one of the best parts of making these hamburger rolls.

Tips for Making Perfect Hamburger Rolls

If making dough from scratch feels daunting, there’s always the option of using store-bought dough. It’s a great shortcut that saves time and effort, and I’m sure the results will be just as tasty as my mom's homemade version. Crescent roll dough or biscuit dough could work really well. But don’t tell my mom I suggested this—I don’t want her to know I’ve been taking shortcuts. These rolls are sacred in our house, and I need her to keep making them for me!

Personally, I love dipping these rolls in ketchup, but honestly, you don’t need much else to enjoy them. My whole family agrees that they’re best eaten just as they are. However, if you're a fan of certain burger toppings, feel free to add them to your rolls.

Someone needs to get in touch with my mom and convince her to sell these in the freezer section of every grocery store. Until that happens, I guess we’ll just have to keep making them at home—well, you can make yours, but I’ll be over here begging my mom to make mine.