The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe Ever – Light, airy, and kissed with honey! This is an easy yeast roll recipe you’ll make again and again.

Yeast dinner rolls in a serving basked lined with a white linen.

Easy Dinner Roll Recipe

Today we’re serving Honey Yeast Rolls that are light, airy, and kissed with sweetness! This is honestly The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe I’ve ever made. A classic you’ll come back to again and again.

People get funny when you call something the best.

Here, shove a honey yeast roll in your mouth… It will make you feel less sensitive. *wink*

To clarify, I want it to be known that this is The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe I’ve ever made. You can choose to disagree, but you’ll need to make and test them first.

Then you’ll find it tricky to say much about anything, because your face will be packed with one yeast roll right after the other.

Yeast rolls lined up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper after being baked.

Let me tell you why this is The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe…

First, each little yeast roll is kissed with honey. There is honey in the dough and a honey butter glaze over the top.

Second, to balance the light sweetness, these yeast rolls have a generous dose of sea salt to bring out the best flavor.

Third and most important, the dough is sticky, meaning it will rise and bake into delicate pillows of wheaty goodness.

Convinced?

The Best Yeast Roll Recipe is such a versatile rolls recipe. You can shape the dough any way you want and use them as a side dish, or as buns for sliders.

For sliders, I like to roll the dough into balls for a perfectly round yeast roll you can cut in half.

Basket of yeast dinner rolls with one in front of the basket ripped in half to show the inside.

What Ingredients You Will Need

  • 4 1/4 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter divided
  • 2/3 cup honey divided
  • 1 packet dry active yeast about 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Roll dough in balls on a baking sheet with a hand brushing butter on top.

How To Make Homemade Yeast Rolls

Instructions…

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until it comes to a simmer to scald the milk, then immediately remove. 

Add 1/4 cup butter to the milk, stirring until the butter melts. (This starts cooling the milk.) Then stir in 1/3 cup honey. 

Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric mixer, and test with your finger for temperature. The milk needs to be just lukewarm before proceeding, so it doesn’t kill the yeast. 

When the milk mixture is barely over room temperature, sprinkle the yeast over the top. 

Swirl the bowl a couple of times, then let the yeast sit and foam for at least 10 minutes.

Dinner rolls stacked on top of each other in a bread basket.

Once the yeast looks foamy, add in eggs and salt. 

Then place a bread hook on your stand mixer and turn it on low. 

Slowly add the flour until the dough comes away from the sides into a ball, but is still sticky. 

Only add 4 1/4 cups of flour, unless extra is needed to make the dough pull away from the sides. 

Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, stop the mixer – Do not over-mix. 

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours, until it is double in size.

Everyday and Holiday Rolls

These rolls are perfect for everyday dinners or Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I like to make bread basket rolls for these occasions, I like to tie them in knots as you see above. 

Just roll a piece of dough into a short rope, cross one end over the other, then push one end through the hole.

And for Easter, I like to make The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe into bunnies!

Simply roll the dough into ovals.

Then poke “eyes” in one end with a chopstick, and use kitchen sheers to snip ears and tail. Fold the tail down to make it round.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long To Knead The Dough By Hand?

If kneading by hand, instead of with an electric mixer, it can take about 10 minutes for the right amount of gluten fibers to form. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky, smooth and slightly firm. 

Can This Dough be Made and Frozen in Ball Form?

Yes, absolutely! Freeze them flat on a foil-lined baking sheet. Once the rolls are hard, put the balls in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

Is There A Reason Why You Don’t Use Bread Flour In This Recipe?

Bread flour is best for recipes where you want a strong gluten stretch… Like pizza dough or sourdough bread. However, with “delicate” baked goods and breads it’s better to use a lighter flour.

Can I Use Quick Rise Instant Yeast instead of Active Dry Yeast?

Yes, you can and it should work the same.

What Can I Use Instead Of Honey?

Maple syrup or brown rice syrup are good substitutions in this dinner rolls recipe!

Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?

You can definitely make the dough early and refrigerate or freeze it, but I would definitely bake right before serving. When making them the night before, I would shape them, brush with butter to protect the exterior, and then chill them overnight. However, you could wrap the whole dough ball with plastic and shape the rolls in the morning.

Dinner rolls in a linen lined bread basket with a dinner roll broken in half in front.

Whether you make round rolls, knots, or bunnies, you will soon discover this roll recipe is The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe after all.

It’s one to tuck in your kitchen journal and use for years to come!

Looking for a gluten-free variation? Try these Gluten Free Dinner Rolls.

We also love these Potato Rolls.

Check the printable recipe card for the prep time, total time, and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.

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The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
The Best Yeast Rolls Recipe Ever – Light, airy, and kissed with honey! An easy yeast roll recipe you’ll make again and again.
Servings: 32 rolls

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Pour the milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until it comes to a simmer to scald the milk, then immediately remove. Add 1/4 cup butter to the milk, stirring until the butter melts. (This starts cooling the milk.) Then stir in 1/3 cup honey. Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric mixer, test with your finger for temperature. The milk needs to be just luke-warm before proceeding, so it doesn't kill the yeast. When the milk mixture is barely over room temperature, sprinkle the yeast over the top. Swirl the bowl a couple times, then let the yeast sit and foam for at least 10 minutes.
  • Once the yeast looks foamy, add in eggs and salt. Then place a bread hook on your mixer and turn on low. Slowly add the flour until the dough comes away from the sides into a ball, but is still sticky. Only add 4 1/4 cups of flour, unless extra is needed to make the dough pull away from the sides. Once the dough pulls away from the bowl, stop the mixer – Do not over-mix. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise for 1-2 hours, until it is double in size.
  • Punch the dough down and cut into 32 equal pieces with a floured knife. Then gently roll into balls, or roll into short ropes and tie into knots. (Or make bunnies! See photos above.) Place the yeast rolls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, and cover with lightly dampened tea towels or paper towels. Allow the rolls to rise a second time for 30-45 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter and whisk with 1/3 cup honey. Once the rolls have risen the second time, remove the towels and gently brush each roll with honey butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Wait five minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pc, Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 120mg, Potassium: 65mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 165IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Course: Biscuits, Bread
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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