The possibilities in shapes and fillings are limitless when you make your own bread dough. I had fun customizing mine to look like Rilakkuma, and I will introduce how I did it shortly:)

Ham and cheese is just one option for the filling. My husband is a big fan of spicy food so I added sliced jalapenos in our cheese pockets, but they are totally optional.

Some other ideas for the filling:

• Pizza Pocket – Pepperoni + Mozzarella cheese + Pizza sauce
• Philly Cheesesteak Pocket – Thinly slides ribeye steak + Provolone cheese + Caramelized onions
• Buffalo Chicken Pocket – Chicken Breast + Buffalo hot sauce + Mozzarella cheese + Blue cheese Crumbles (Optional)

WHAT TOOLS HELP MAKE THESE HAM AND CHEESE POCKETS?

• Large mixing bowl / A stand mixer
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper / Silicone baking mat
• 0.5-inch Piping tip

Ingredients

Bread Dough (Makes 14 Rilakkuma Pockets)

The recipe is adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Platinum yeast (1 standard packet)
• 1 and 1/3 cups warm water, about 110°F (43°C)
• 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for work surface
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

Filling

• 1 cup cubed ham
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
• 3/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers (optional)

Decoration

• 1 sheet sliced Swiss cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon activated charcoal powder
• 1/2 teaspoon water

Instructions

For Ham and cheese Pocket

1. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy. Add flour, sugar, olive oil, and salt. Mix by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, slowly knead for 7 minutes by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed. If your dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been greased lightly with olive oil. Turn it over to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75°F or 80°F/24°C or 27°C)* for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Once risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 16 pieces. Each dough should be about 2 inches in diameter. Flatten each piece with your fingers or use a rolling pin. Place the cheese, ham, and sliced jalapenos(optional) in the center of the flattened dough, then fold the dough around to wrap the filling inside. Pinch the opening to seal as best you can. Repeat this process until you have 14 pockets.

4. Cut the remaining dough (you should have 2 pieces of dough) into 28 and roll into tiny balls.

5. Attach the tiny balls of “ears” to the pockets. *Place the ears on top of the pocket and grub a small portion of dough from the bottom of the ear with a toothpick, then keep stubbing into the pocket until the ears stick.

6. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

7. Brush the tops and sides of each pocket with egg wash. Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese around the ears.

8. Bake the pockets for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove pockets from the oven and allow to cool on the pan until ready to handle.

For Decorating

1. Using a 0.5-inch piping tip, cut out round pieces of Swiss cheese.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the activated charcoal powder into water. Mix well.
3. Place the Swiss cheese on top of the baked cheese pockets while they are still warm. Dip the dull side of a toothpick into the activated charcoal liquid and draw facial features.

Ham and Cheese Pockets – Rilakkuma

Frozen ham and cheese hot pockets are nice, but they are even better with homemade dough. Try this Rilakkuma ham and cheese pockets todya!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Decorating 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 14 pockets

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl / A stand mixer
• Rolling Pin
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper / Silicone baking mat
• 0.5-inch Piping tip

Ingredients

  

Bread Dough (Makes 14 Rilakkuma Pockets)

• 2 1/4 tsp Red Star Platinum yeast  1 standard packet
• 1 1/3 cups warm water about 110°F (43°C)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt

Egg Wash

• 1 egg large
• 1 tbsp milk

Filling

• 1 cup cubed ham
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for sprinkle on top
• 3/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers Optional

Decoration

• 1 sheet sliced Swiss cheese
• 1/4 tsp activated charcoal powder
• 1/2 tsp water

Instructions

For Ham and cheese Pocket

• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy. Add flour, sugar, olive oil, and salt. Mix by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, slowly knead for 7 minutes by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed. If your dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been greased lightly with olive oil. Turn it over to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75°F or 80°F/24°C or 27°C)* for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Once risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 16 pieces. Each dough should be about 2 inches in diameter. Flatten each piece with your fingers or use a rolling pin. Place the cheese, ham, and sliced jalapenos(optional) in the center of the flattened dough, then fold the dough around to wrap the filling inside. Pinch the opening to seal as best you can. Repeat this process until you have 14 pockets.
• Cut the remaining dough (you should have 2 pieces of dough) into 28 and roll into tiny balls.
• Attach the tiny balls of “ears” to the pockets. *Place the ears on top of the pocket and grub a small portion of dough from the bottom of the ear with a toothpick, then keep stubbing into the pocket until the ears stick.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Brush the tops and sides of each pocket with egg wash. Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese around the ears.
• Bake the pockets for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove pockets from the oven and allow to cool on the pan until ready to handle.

For Decorating

• Using a 0.5-inch piping tip, cut out round pieces of Swiss cheese.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the activated charcoal powder into water. Mix well.
• Place the Swiss cheese on top of the baked cheese pockets while they are still warm. Dip the dull side of a toothpick into the activated charcoal liquid and draw facial features.

Keyword Ham Cheese Pocket

If you like these ham and cheese pockets, you might also like my Pumpkin Dinner Rolls.

Follow me on Pinterest & Instagram

The post Ham and Cheese Pockets – Rilakkuma appeared first on Simply A Homebody.