Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls

Whoa, whoa, whoa. These dinner rolls are about to stop you right in your tracks. 

And they’re not just for the holidays. Although it is the perfect time for them. These Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls are simple enough for a family dinner, or for a holiday dinner.

Let’s be real: there’s never a bad time for soft, fluffy, pillowy dinner rolls that are topped with rich melted butter, garlic, and comforting wintery herbs. HELLOOOOO, HEAVEN.

Have you made homemade dinner rolls before? I absolutely love working with yeast dough (I know, I might sound crazy to some…) but I hadn’t taken on homemade rolls until last year.

It was Christmas, we really wanted some homemade rolls, and I went for it. Which, BTW, there are some hilarious Insta story videos in my highlights under “love” if you’re curious! 🙂

Back to it though… Thanksgiving this year came along and I knew they had to make another appearance. Side note: aren’t holidays the best for homemade rolls?

And what’s better than homemade rolls? Homemade dinner rolls topped with melted butter, fresh minced garlic, and fresh rosemary and thyme! Whoa, hello, I’ll just have rolls for dinner, please and thank you. 

How To Make Homemade Dinner Rolls

I must say…they’re pretty easy. They do, however, require two rises to get the soft, pillowy texture we all LOVE in homemade dinner rolls.

There’s one tool I’ve been mentioning for a few months now (ever since I was introduced at the Tastemaker conference)… the Thermoworks Thermapen Mk4. Yes, that’s an affiliate link, but only because this thermometer is LIFE CHANGING.

You know I don’t cook a lot of meat (like, um, hello… ever) but I still 100% need a legit thermometer. Especially to make the PERFECT homemade rolls! 

Top Homemade Dinner Roll Tips:

1. Make sure your warmed water is heated to about 105°F to optimally proof the yeast! This instant read thermometer is KEY!
2. Use a food scale to make sure your rolls are evenly sized. I first weigh the entire dough ball, then divide by 8 to determine the weight of each roll.
3.  Again, the Thermapen comes in clutch to determine the doneness of the rolls (or hello any baked good – consistency is key!). Once the rolls have an internal temperature between 200 and 205°F, you’ll know they’re done without question!

Once the rolls come out, brush them with a butter-garlic-herb mixture. It takes the rolls over the top. You did read BUTTER, GARLIC, AND HERBS. Is there a better trifecta out there? Nope, no there’s not.

PSA – you should definitely serve these rolls warm too. The melt-in-your-mouth factor is out of this world.

These year they’ll definitely be served along side our family’s Christmas Eve dinner – which is homemade tagliatelle with braised short rib…and yes, a carb lover I am. The fresh thyme and rosemary on top of the rolls pairs so perfectly with the warm, comforting herbs in the short rib sauce. And the best thing ever is using fresh dinner rolls to sop up the extra sauce. WINNING INDEED!

What are your holiday traditions? I’d love to hear – do you have a family recipe that’s been made year after year? Share below in the comments!

Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls

Soft, fluffy, savory homemade dinner rolls topped with a luxurious butter mixture of fresh garlic and herbs! Make them for your next holiday dinner! 

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes

Servings: 8 rolls

Author: Becca Mills

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup warm water heated to ~105°F
• 1 1/2 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP yeast
• 4 TBSP butter divided
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg room temperature and lightly whisked
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups + 2 TBSP all-purpose flour additional 2 TBSP as needed
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
• Salt flakes to taste

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a bread hook, combine warmed water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until expanded and foamy.
• Melt 2 TBSP butter and combine with lukewarm milk (microwave it for 30-60 seconds or let sit out while prepping the yeast). Add the milk mixture to the stand mixer, along with the lightly whisked egg, and stir to combine. Add salt and flour, continuing to mix until dough is formed. The dough will be slightly sticky to the touch, but if your finger pulls away covered in dough, add an additional 2-4 TBSP of flour to the dough (being careful to not add too much).
• Lightly grease a large bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm area for 1 hour. To speed up the rising process, heat the oven to 200°F, turn it off once it's preheated, and set the bowl inside the oven to rise.
• Once the dough has risen, dump onto a well-floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, adding additional flour as needed. Weigh the dough and divide weight evenly by 8 to determine the weight of each individual roll (if you don't have a scale, cut dough into 8 evenly sized sections). Roll into a ball and place around a greased cast iron skillet (or 10-inch circle pan). Cover with the tea towel again and let rise for another hour.
• After rolls have risen for 30 minutes, begin preheating the oven to 375°F, while the dough continues to rise for the remainder of the time. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F. Melt remaining butter with garlic and herbs. Brush on rolls fresh out of the oven and serve.

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