When it comes to holiday dinner rolls, I like to keep things balanced. These rolls are soft, fragrant, and buttery, yet not heavy enough to compete with a table full of Christmas classics. If you prefer, you can enrich the dough with an additional egg, but I find they shine brightest as written—with twirls of butter and the earthy warmth of rosemary.
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (110°F/43°C)
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 egg (for washing)
- 1 teaspoon milk (for washing)
- Coarse sea salt to finish
Instructions
Activate the yeast:
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand in a warm spot until frothy and creamy—10 to 15 minutes.
Warm the milk and butter:
Heat 1 cup milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until the butter melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Mix the dough:
Combine flour, yeast mixture, honey, salt, rosemary, and the milk-butter blend in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until no dry flour remains.
Knead until soft:
Gradually add the remaining flour, a little at a time, until dough forms a soft, elastic, slightly tacky ball. Knead on medium for about 6 minutes.
First rise:
Transfer dough to a clean bowl coated with olive oil. Cover and let rise until doubled—about 1 ½ hours.
Prepare to bake:
Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Shape the rolls:
Flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 36 even pieces and roll each into a ball with smooth tops.
Add shine and salt:
Lightly beat 1 KitchenAid dough-hook kneaded dough was my favorite method here, but any mixer will work beautifully. Brush the shaped dough balls with the egg-milk wash and sprinkle sea salt over the tops.
Second rise:
Cover the pan and let rolls rise again for 20 to 30 minutes, until fluffy.
Bake to golden perfection:
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until tops are golden-kissed and the kitchen smells like Christmas morning.