Name: Rosemary Garlic Dinner Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 225 min
Ingredients: 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based); 1 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 packet active dry yeast ((¾ ounces)); 3 cups all purpose flour; 1 egg; 3 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature); 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted); 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped); 3 cloves fresh garlic (diced); flaky sea salt

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Thanksgiving is around the corner. You know one of my favorite parts? Dinner rolls. I love nothing more than to slather a roll with butter and eat it alongside my cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes (my other favorites).

But the rolls need to be golden. And fluffy! And herby. So that’s why I developed these rosemary garlic dinner rolls. They do take some time because we have to let the dough rise a few times, but they are well worth it. And you can sign up to bring these rolls to Friendsgiving and delight everyone with these instead of a store bought bag (which are totally delicious too, of course).

Equipment needed to make rosemary garlic dinner rolls

Here’s what you need to make these:

A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment – a KitchenAid mixer is ideal for this. If you do not have the dough hook attachment, you can knead the dough with your hands, which will take longer.
A 9 x 13 baking dish – I used a Le Creuset casserole dish for this. It’s helpful to use a dish that has a cover, but it’s not necessary (you can cover the rolls with a towel instead).
A small saucepan – to prepare our yeast and our rosemary garlic butter.
A knife
A pastry brush – to brush our rolls with butter. I use a rubber one.
A large bowl – it’s nice to transfer our finished dough from the stand mixer to a well greased bowl to let the dough rise the first time.
A thermometer – this is helpful to measure the heat of the milk that the yeast will be in.
A bench scraper – optional, but will help you cut the rolls easily into even pieces.

Ingredients for rosemary garlic dinner rolls

Here’s what to add to your grocery list:

milk – I used oat milk for this recipe actually. But you can use regular dairy or plant-based options.
Granulated sugar – you just need a little bit!
1 packet active dry yeast (¾ ounces) – there are a lot of different brands, but look for Fleischmann’s or Red Star.
all purpose flour
An egg
unsalted butter – very important for buttery rolls.
table salt and big, flaky sea salt – the flaky sea salt gets sprinkled on top!
fresh rosemary
fresh garlic – Definitely will provide more flavor than dried.

Tips for making rosemary garlic dinner rolls

Some things to keep in mind when you make these.

Don’t place the rising rolls in a cold area – this dough needs to rest in a warm atmosphere. That can be your countertop, your kitchen table or even the floor near a warm room. Do not put it near a drafty window or patio doors during the winter. They will not expand as much!

Dress the rolls with butter while warm – after removing the rolls from the oven, brush the rosemary garlic butter on them right away.

How to make Rosemary Garlic Dinner Rolls

Let’s make them together!

Step 1

In a saucepan, add the milk and sugar. Heat over medium low heat until just warm, approximately 110℉ (you can check with the thermometer). Remove from the stove and pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Be careful – if the yeast isn’t warm enough, it won’t bubble. If it’s too hot, the yeast will die.

Step 2

Add the packet of dry yeast to the milk and let sit for at least five minutes. The mixture should become bubbly and foamy. Then add the egg, flour, salt and room temperature butter. Add the hook attachment to the mixer and beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping the sides down occasionally so everything gets mixed together.

Step 3

Keep kneading the dough with the mixer for an additional 2-3 minutes. If the dough is super sticky (and would be hard to handle with your fingers), add flour one tablespoon at a time until it becomes pliable and soft (but still slightly sticky).

Step 4

Grease a separate, large bowl with butter or olive oil and transfer the dough to this new bowl. Cover it with a towel and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm, dry area – like the kitchen counter.

Step 5

After two hours, remove the towel. The dough should have doubled in size. Punch down the dough a few times to let out some air. Then divide the dough into 15 even pieces – a bench scraper will make this easier.

Step 6

Grease your 9 x 13 dish with oil or butter. Roll each piece into a ball with a smooth top – use your fingers to stretch any imperfections so that the lumps are at the bottom of each roll, not the top. Space each roll out in the dish. Cover the dish and let rise for 1 more hour, until they appear puffy.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the dish in the oven (uncovered) in the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through. The tops should become golden brown but not burnt!

Step 8

While the rolls are baking, prepare the topping. In a saucepan, melt the additional butter until bubbling. Turn off the heat and add in the rosemary and garlic. Stir well. While the rolls are still hot, brush the butter mixture onto the tops. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve warm.

Storage and Reheating

To keep these rolls fresh, keep them wrapped up in your dish or covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, move the rolls to the fridge so they don’t grow mold.

The best way to heat these is to just pop one in the microwave for 10 seconds. If you want to reheat a bunch, preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Place the rolls in the same dish and place it in the oven for 5 minutes.

Other recipes to try

If you liked these rosemary garlic dinner rolls, check out these other recipes:

Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream

Salted Caramel Apple Tart

Pancetta and Rosemary Hasselback Potatoes

Pumpkin Ricotta Lasagna

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