Homemade Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls are soft and fluffy. Brushed with garlic and fresh herb mixture hot out of the oven, they are completely irresistible! They're easier to make than you might think, and are perfect for special dinners or anytime you need a delicious bread roll as a side!
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a bread hook, combine warmed water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and combine it with lukewarm milk (microwave it for 30-60 seconds or let sit out while prepping the yeast). Add the milk mixture to the yeast in the stand mixer, along with the lightly whisked egg, and stir to combine. Add the salt and flour, mixing on medium speed until the dough is formed into a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky to the touch, but if your finger pulls away covered in dough, add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of flour in invervals, until incorporated (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.
Once the dough has risen, dump onto a well-floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes, moving quickly so the dough doesn't stick.
Use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough, then divide weight 8 to determine the weight of each individual roll (if you don't have a scale, cut dough into 8 evenly sized sections).
Take each section and pull down on the sides to create a ball, with the seam at the bottom. Then, seam side down, place the ball on the counter and cup your hand over the top. Move quickly in a circle to form a ball. Transfer the ball to around a cast-iron skillet (or a greased 10-inch circle pan). Cover with the tea towel again and let rise for another hour, until about doubled in size.
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.
Remove the tea towel and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 200-205°F.
While the rolls bake, prepare the garlic herb butter by melting the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl with the garlic. Stir in the herbs. Set aside to allow the flavors to infuse.
Once the rolls are done, brush the butter mixture on top of the hot rolls. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt. Let them rest for about 10 minutes, and serve warm.
Notes
Warm Environment: 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.
Garlic: for the most pronounced garlic flavor, use freshly minced garlic (really, do it yourself, not out of the jar, for the most flavor!). For a more mellow garlic flavor, smash the peeled cloves and let the flavor infuse in the butter; remove when serving. Or, use garlic powder.
Storage: store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a warm oven.