Sweet Rolls
These Sweet Rolls are light, tender, and buttery — the perfect addition to any meal. With simple ingredients and easy steps, this homemade rolls recipe bakes up beautifully golden every time.
Equipment
- Stand mixer optional
- 8x13-inch baking dish 9x12-inch or another 3-quart baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2% or whole milk just warm to the touch (90–95°F)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1 large egg
- 3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature for 5–10 minutes (DIVIDED), plus more to serve
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour measure carefully, ideally with a food scale
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, honey, sugar, and yeast until combined. Let sit for 5–10 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy and the yeast looks puffy.
- Whisk in the egg and 2 ½ tablespoons of the melted butter until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt until combined. Fit the mixer with a dough hook or switch to a wooden spoon if mixing by hand and stir in the salt and flour until a dough forms. Knead for 5–7 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and stretches easily without tearing.
- Lightly grease a clean bowl with butter or oil. Place the dough inside, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Grease a 9x12 or 8x13-inch baking dish (or another 3-quart dish). A slightly smaller pan encourages the rolls to rise higher, while a 9x13-inch pan allows them to spread out more. They’ll still be soft and fluffy, just wider rather than taller.
- Gently punch down the dough to release air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and space them out evenly in the prepared pan.
- Cover the dish with lightly greased plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the rolls have doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F while the rolls finish rising. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Bake for 19–22 minutes, or until a light golden brown.
- For deeper browning, move the oven rack to the middle position and broil the rolls on high for 30 seconds to 1 ½ minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Brush the rolls with butter and let them cool in the pan on a wire rack until they reach your preferred serving temperature. Serve with butter and/or honey!
Notes
- Temperature matters — Make sure the milk is just warm to the touch (90–95°F). If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast; if it's too cool, it won't activate properly. Let the melted butter cool for 5–10 minutes before adding it as well.
- Check yeast freshness — If your yeast doesn't foam after 10 minutes in step 1, it may be inactive. Start again with a fresh packet.
- Proof in a warm spot — Yeast dough loves warmth. Aim for around 72–75°F — near a sunny window, on top of the fridge, or in a turned-off oven with the light on.
- Cover the dough — Cover with greased plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel to trap humidity and prevent the dough from drying out as it rises.
- Flour variation — If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in 1–2 tablespoons of extra flour during kneading — but don't overdo it. Slightly tacky dough yields softer rolls.
- Pan size — An 8x11 or 12-inch dish encourages the rolls to rise taller and stay pillowy. A 9x13-inch pan gives them more room to spread, resulting in wider, flatter rolls.
- Brush with butter twice — Once before baking and once right after for that soft, glossy bakery-style finish.
- Make-ahead — Prepare through the first rise, punch down, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Shape the next day and let proof at room temperature for 1–1½ hours before baking.
- Freeze (unbaked) — After shaping, freeze rolls on a parchment-lined sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw and proof at room temperature for 3–5 hours before baking.
- Freeze (baked) — Cool completely, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Reheat wrapped in foil at 300°F for 8–10 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 193mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8g
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