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Best Homemade Honey Butter Dinner Rolls for Thanksgiving

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These honey butter dinner rolls are incredibly soft, sweet, and buttery, made with a tangzhong method for extra tenderness. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday gathering, they’re make-ahead friendly and disappear before the turkey gets carved.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons bread flour
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 cups bread flour (500g)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
  • ⅓ cup honey (113g)
  • ⅓ cup warm milk (80ml), heated to about 110°F
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g), softened to room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g), melted
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the Tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 tablespoons bread flour and ½ cup water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a paste — about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  2. Activate the Yeast: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm milk (about 110°F), 1 tablespoon of the honey, and the yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy.
  3. Mix the Dough: Add the remaining honey, the cooled tangzhong, eggs, and 4 cups of bread flour to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until everything comes together, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add Salt and Butter: Sprinkle the salt over the dough, then add the softened butter in pieces. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. First Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  6. Shape the Rolls: Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spacing them evenly.
  7. Second Rise: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for another 45-60 minutes, until they’re puffy and touching each other.
  8. Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush the tops of the rolls with a little melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the rolls sound hollow when tapped.
  9. Glaze While Warm: As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush them generously with the honey butter glaze. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then brush again.
  10. Finish with Flaky Salt: If using flaky sea salt, sprinkle a tiny pinch over each roll right after the second glaze.

Notes

Don’t rush the rising time. If your kitchen is cold, the rolls will take longer to double in size. For make-ahead: prepare dough through first rise, refrigerate overnight, then shape and bake the next day. The tangzhong method keeps rolls soft for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: honey butter dinner rolls, Thanksgiving rolls, soft dinner rolls, homemade rolls, tangzhong rolls, holiday rolls

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/best-homemade-honey-butter-dinner-rolls-for-thanksgiving/