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Honey Butter Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Honey Butter Dinner Rolls Recipe

I baked these honey butter dinner rolls on a lazy weekend, and my kitchen smelled like a bakery for hours. The dough felt soft and pillowy in my hands, and it rose beautifully both times. When I brushed the warm rolls with sweet honey butter, they vanished from the pan within minutes.
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Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 240 ml whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C): Warm milk wakes up the yeast, so don't let it get hot.
  • 2¼ teaspoons 7 g instant or active dry yeast: This makes the rolls rise tall and fluffy.
  • ¼ cup 85 g plus 1 teaspoon honey, divided: It sweetens the dough and keeps the crumb tender.
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk: They add richness and a soft rich bite.
  • ¼ cup 56 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled: Cool it a little so it doesn't harm the yeast.
  • 3½ cups 455 g bread flour, spooned and leveled: It builds a chewy, structured crumb, so never scoop it packed.
  • 1 teaspoon salt: It balances the sweetness and strengthens the dough.
  • ¼ cup 56 g unsalted butter, very soft: Soft butter blends smoothly without any lumps.
  • 2 tablespoons 30 ml honey: It gives that glossy, sweet finish on warm rolls.

Method
 

  1. Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of honey in your mixer bowl. Cover it loosely and wait 5 to 10 minutes. The top should look foamy, which tells you the yeast is alive and ready.
  2. Turn the mixer to low and add the remaining honey, egg, yolk, melted butter, 3 cups of flour, and the salt. Mix for one minute, then add the last ½ cup of flour and mix for one more minute. The dough should feel thick, soft, and slightly sticky.
  3. Knead for 8 to 10 full minutes, either in the mixer or by hand on a lightly floured counter. If it sticks too much, add flour one teaspoon at a time. Do the poke test: if the dough slowly bounces back, it is ready.
  4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it once to coat. Cover it and set it in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours. It is ready when it has doubled in size.
  5. Grease your 9×13-inch pan. Punch down the dough gently to release the air, then divide it into 15 pieces of about 2 ounces (60 g) each. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and set it in the pan.
  6. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise for about 1 hour. They should look puffy, touch each other, and have doubled in size.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. If the tops brown too fast, loosely tent them with foil.
  8. While the rolls bake, stir the very soft butter and honey until creamy. Pull the pan out of the oven and spread the topping generously over the warm rolls. Keep a little extra on the side for serving.

Notes

  • I spoon my flour into the cup and level it off, because packed flour gave me dry rolls once.
  • I never skip the full 8 to 10 minutes of kneading, since it keeps the rolls soft and fluffy.
  • I use the windowpane test when unsure: a thin stretch of dough should let light through without tearing.
  • I choose a glass pan when I have one, because it browns more gently than metal.
  • I bake the rolls on a lower oven rack and watch them closely so the bottoms don't darken too fast.
  • I check the center with a thermometer, and I pull the rolls out at about 190°F (88°C).
  • I brush the tops with egg wash when I want an extra golden color.