Impress your family with these soft and fluffy Honey Rolls! Easy to make and utterly delicious, these rolls are the perfect addition to any meal or simply enjoyed on their own with a bit of butter!
I’ve had a love of baking for as long as I can remember. One of my favorite things to bake are dinner rolls like these delicious honey rolls. With a hint of sweetness, these honey rolls are incredibly soft, tender and fluffy. All qualities I look for in a good dinner roll!
This is a simple homemade dough with basic bread ingredients with a couple additions like an egg and the star ingredient, honey. As with most dinner rolls or bread recipes, there are two rises in this dough to develop finer gluten structure. Plus you can’t rush bread, you have to let it do its thing, and when it’s done, you will be rewarded with the best honey rolls ever!
Ingredients You Need To Make Honey Rolls
This recipe makes 12 rolls. If you need more rolls, just adjust the bars from servings!
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe, for complete measurements and instructions be sure to keep scrolling:
- Active dry yeast – You can use instant yeast if that’s what you have. If you use instant, you won’t need to bloom it first, but it’s a good idea to test if it’s still alive. If your yeast doesn’t foam up your yeast is dead and the rolls won’t turn out.
- Water – must be lukewarm to activate the yeast. Lukewarm water is between 98 F degrees and 105 F degrees. Make sure your water is not too hot because it can kill the yeast.
- Honey – A bit of honey will lend these rolls some great sweetness, but not only that! The honey will help brown the rolls and give you that gorgeous golden colour. And on top of that, the honey will help kick start the yeast!
- Salt – You need a little bit of salt in these rolls to bring all the flavors together.
- Egg – I used a large egg for this recipe. When eggs are added to dough it will help with the rising process because eggs are a leavening agent and you’ll get nice and high dough.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use bread flour. Bread flour has more protein content which helps with gluten development, so if you have it, use it!
- Butter – Make sure your butter is unsalted and melted so it will easily mix in with the honey.
How To Make Honey Rolls
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl combine the lukewarm water and yeast. Stir and let it rest for about 5 minutes until the yeast activates, you will notice bubbles forming. If no bubbles have formed, chances are your yeast is dead and your rolls won’t turn out.
- Make the dough: Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of your mixer, then add the honey, salt, egg and mix until combined. Add flour and mix with the dough attachment for 5-7 minutes, or until elastic and the dough comes off clean from the sides of the bowl.
- Rise the dough:In a large bowl add a bit of oil, about a tbsp and place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around so that it gets oil all over, this way it won’t get dry. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. You need to let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Form your buns: Punch down the dough to let the air out then divide into 12 equal portions, and shape each portion into a round ball. Place in a 9×13 inch baking dish coated lightly with cooking spray. Cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and let them rise for another 20 minutes or until they’ve doubled in size.
- Glaze the rolls: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of remaining honey. Brush evenly over the rolls.
- Prepare the oven: Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature.
What If I Don’t Have A Stand Mixer?
No mixer, no problem. All you have to do is knead everything by hand. After you proof the yeast as instructed, if using active dry yeast, just add the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl as instructed and start by stirring everything with a wooden spoon until you can’t do it anymore. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand until all the flour is incorporated and you end up with a dough that is soft to the touch and elastic.
Can The Dough Sit Out For More Than 2 Hours
It depends. If your dough has doubled in size, then no. The dough will rise too much and it will cause over-fermentation and a super yeasty flavor. If your dough has not doubled, then let it rest for a few more minutes or until it has doubled in size. Be patient with yeast.
Tips For Storing Yeast
Read all about how to store yeast to keep it fresh and longer lasting.
Can I Make The Dough The Night Before
These rolls can be made the night before up until you shape them and place them in a baking pan. You can then cover them and place them in the fridge overnight. The rolls will continue to rise in the fridge but at a slower pace. The next morning, simply take them out from the fridge and let them come to room temperature, brush them with the honey butter, then bake.
Tips And Tricks
- If using active dry yeast, always make sure you proof the yeast first. This means that you’re proving that your yeast is alive. You usually proof it with warm water or milk, and sugar. When these 3 ingredients are combined, the yeast starts emitting bubbles of carbon dioxide.
- Let your dough rise in a warm draft free environment. I always warm up my oven first till it reaches 200 F degrees, shut off the oven then place the bowl with the dough in there. Not only is this a draft free environment for your dough, but because of the heat it also speeds up the rising process and in around 30 minutes, your dough should have doubled in size.
- Resist the urge to add more flour to the dough, even if the dough seems sticky. This dough will be somewhat sticky but should not be so sticky that you can’t shape the rolls.
- Flour your hands when shaping the rolls to prevent sticking.
How Do You Store Leftover Rolls
Cool the rolls completely before storing. Place them in a plastic storage bag or breadbox, or wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Properly stored, this rolls will last for about 2 to 3 days at normal room temperature.
Can You Freeze Honey Rolls
Once they have fully cooled, wrap them well with foil and store in an airtight container. Properly stored, they will maintain best quality for about 2 months in the freezer. Thaw them at room temperature. Reheat, if desired.
A Few More Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
- Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls
- Zucchini Bread
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Nut Bread
- Classic Dinner Rolls
- Homemade Croissants
- Pizza Dough
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Honey Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup water, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl combine the lukewarm water and yeast. Stir and let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast activates, you will notice bubbles forming. If no bubbles have formed, chances are your yeast is dead and your rolls won’t turn out.
- Make the dough: Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of your mixer, then add the honey, salt, egg and mix until combined. Add flour and mix with the dough attachment for 5-7 minutes, or until elastic and the dough comes off clean from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is so sticky that it doesn't come clean from the sides of the bowl, keep adding a tablespoon of flour at a time, until it comes clean.
- First Rise: In a large bowl add a bit of oil, about a tbsp and place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around so that it gets oil all over, this way it won’t get dry. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. You need to let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Form your buns: Punch down the dough to let the air out then divide into 12 equal portions, and shape each portion into a round ball. Place in a 9×13 inch baking dish coated lightly with cooking spray.
- Second rise: Cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and let them rise for another 20 minutes or until they’ve doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- Glaze the rolls: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of remaining honey. Brush evenly over the rolls.
- Bake the rolls: Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
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