These Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls are brushed with sweet honey butter and can be made in a bread machine or by hand! A perfect side dish idea for holidays and family dinners!
Love Copycat Recipes? Try my Texas Roadhouse Butter and Steak Rub recipes next!
Guys, I’m not a baker by a long shot. So if I can nail down these rolls, you have an amazing shot of doing the same. I’ve been making these rolls for years, it’s the only time you’ll see me with a rolling pin.
The ingredients that you need are incredibly simple, and you can even use a bread maker for these!
Ingredients
- Active Dry Yeast -See below for using Rapid Rise instead
- Milk
- Honey
- Butter
- Egg
- Salt
- Flour- All-purpose or bread flour may also be used
Subbing Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast for Active Dry
- Cooks Illustrated recommends using 25% less yeast if using Instant instead of Active Dry.
- In this recipe, that equates to 1 + 3/4 teaspoons.
- Combine the yeast with the flour instead of adding it to the warm milk.
- Proceed as outlined, no need to let the milk stand for 5 minutes after combining it with the honey.
Measuring The Flour
- Be sure to scoop your flour out with a spoon and level it out at the top. Don’t dip the cup right into the flour or you’ll measure out too much, which will make your rolls dense.
- Alternatively, you can weigh the flour. 1 cup of all-purpose or bread flour weighs 120 grams. So 4 cups = 480 grams, be sure to subtract the measuring cup from the weight.
Make Ahead Method
Method 1: Prepare dough and refrigerate overnight
- Form the dough, let it rise, and shape into rolls.
- Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for up to 15 hours.
- Remove from the fridge, keep covered, and let rise for up to 1 hour, then bake as outlined.
Method 2: Bake and Reheat
- Bake for no more than 12 minutes, before the tops start to brown too much.
- Don’t top them with the melted butter yet. Let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container.
- When ready to serve, bake for a few minutes at 350°, until the tops are golden brown.
- Top with melted butter and serve!
Method 3: Freeze Unbaked Rolls
- Form the dough, let it rise, and shape into rolls. Flash freeze on a baking sheet before the second rise. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
- When ready to bake, remove from freezer bag and let them rise on a lightly greased, covered baking sheet for 4-5 hours prior to baking.
Can You Use a Bread Machine?
- Yes. Scald the milk first and let it reduce to lukewarm. Then add the ingredients to a bread machine in the order listed in the recipe card and select the dough setting.
-
Once complete, Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and drop the dough inside. Cover the bowl (plastic wrap or a damp cloth works) and let it rise for an hour in a warm place.
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Punch down the dough and roll it out on a flat, floured surface until it’s about ½ inch thick. Fold it in half and gently seal.
- From there, proceed with rolling and cutting the rolls. Place them on baking sheets, cover, and let them rise until doubled in size.
- Bake and brush with butter. Serve with honey butter if desired!
How to Make Dough Rise:
Dough needs a warm environment in order to rise. If you’re having trouble, try these tricks. Note: it may take the dough longer to rise with these methods:
–Method #1: (👉My favorite) Oven: This trick works great! Heat your oven to 200° for 2 minutes, then shut the heat off. Cover the dough with a dish towel (no plastic wrap in the oven), and shut the door to trap the warm air inside. Let it rise!
–Method #2: Place a baking tray on the bottom rack in the oven. Remove the top rack. Boil water and pour it into the tray, then place the bowl of dough on top and close the door.
-Method #3: (Assuming you have a warm place for the dough to rise but it still isn’t)-Take a new package of active dry yeast and mix it with 1/4 cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it starts to foam. Knead the yeast mixture into the dough, and place it in a warm place to rise.
How Do You Scald Milk and Why?
–Scalding milk is the first step in this recipe, and it requires you to bring the milk to a near boil, remove it from the heat, and allow it to come down in temperature.
-Scalding milk helps to ensure that the dough is light and fluffy by killing the protein in the milk, which keeps the gluten intact. The gluten is what aids in the breakdown of the sugar and yeast, which in turn allows it to rise.
What to Serve with Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Mushroom Chicken
- Chicken Stew
- Chili Con Carne
- Steak with Gravy
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Did You Make This Recipe?
I would love for you to leave a rating and a comment below! How’d you do?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup Milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Active Dry Yeast, or 1 packet
- ¼ cup Honey
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (489 grams) all-purpose or bread flour
Instructions
- If using a bread machine, see next section below.
- Bring the milk to a near boil. Remove it from heat when you see it begin to steam and small bubbles form on the side of the pan. Let it reduce to lukewarm, between 80-90 degrees.
- Mix the milk, yeast, and honey in a small bowl until well combined. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the butter, the milk mixture, the room temperature egg, salt, and half of the flour. Mix slowly until smooth. (Use a mixer with a dough hook if you have one, or by hand.) Gradually add the remaining flour and mix until a dough has formed.
- Mix/knead for 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for a few more minutes.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour in a warm place.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out on a flat, floured surface until it’s about ½ inch thick. Fold it in half and gently seal.
- Cut into 24 squares of even size and place on 2 light, lightly-greased baking sheets. Cover and let them rise for 30-40 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the top of the rolls.
- Serve with Copycat Texas Roadhouse Butter.
If using a Bread Machine:
- Bring the milk to a near boil. Remove it from heat when you see it begin to steam and small bubbles form on the side of the pan. Let it reduce to lukewarm, between 80-90 degrees.
- Add the milk, honey, butter, egg, and salt to the bread machine. Add the flour and create a small hole in the middle of the flour, don't let liquid inside the hole. Place the yeast in the hole.
- Set the bread machine to the dough cycle, let it do the work from there.
- Once complete, Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl (plastic wrap or a damp cloth works) and let it rise for an hour in a warm place.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out on a flat, floured surface until it’s about ½ inch thick. Fold it in half and gently seal.
- Cut into 24 squares of even size and place on a 2 lightly greased and lightly colored baking sheets. Cover them and let them rise for 30-40 minutes,, until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the top of the rolls. Serve with Copycat Texas Roadhouse Butter.
Notes
- Make Ahead Method: Check out the blog post for 3 make-ahead options!
- Make sure your yeast is fresh and not expired!
Subbing Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast for Active Dry:
- Cooks Illustrated recommends using 25% less yeast if using Instant instead of Active Dry.
- In this recipe, that equates to 1 + 3/4 teaspoons.
- Combine the yeast with the flour instead of adding it to the warm milk.
- Proceed as outlined, no need to let the milk stand for 5 minutes after combining it with the honey.
Measuring the Flour:
- Be sure to scoop your flour out with a spoon and level it out at the top. Don't dip the cup right into the flour or you'll measure out too much, which will make your rolls dense.
- Bread flour or all-purpose flour both work well in this recipe.
- Alternatively, you can weigh the flour. 1 cup of all-purpose or bread flour weighs 120 grams. So 4 cups = 480 grams, be sure to subtract the measuring cup from the weight.
If your dough doesn't rise: If you're baking on a chilly Fall or Winter day, it might be tougher to get your dough to rise as it needs to do so in a warm place. These tricks can get you out of a bind, just note that it may take longer for your dough to rise if these methods are needed: -Method #1: Preheat the oven to 315 degrees and place the bowl on top of a warm spot on the oven. For me, the warmest spot is right in the front of the oven between the front two burners. -Method #2: Place a baking tray on the bottom rack in the oven. Remove the top rack. Boil water and pour it into the tray, then place the bowl of dough on top and close the door. -Method #3: (Assuming you have a warm place for the dough to rise but it still isn’t)-Take a new package of yeast and mix it with 1/4 cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until it starts to foam. Knead the yeast mixture into the dough, and place it in a warm place to rise.
Nutrition
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the recipe doesn’t say if you use self-rising flour or all purpose
All purpose or bread flour may be used.
Great baking tips turned out great
So happy to hear that Cindy!!!! Thank you so much for saying so! -Stephanie
Hello Stephanie, I was wondering if it would be ok to make the dough the night before? Thank you.
Hi Josh! I have only tested this with under baking them the night before, then popping them in the oven the next day. I have some information on this post for cinnamon rolls about preparing dough days ahead of time but I haven’t tested it or applied it to this post. Here’s how to under-bake these tonight and finish them tomorrow:
Bake for no more than 12 minutes, before the tops start to brown too much.
Don’t top them with the melted butter yet. Let them come to room temperature and store them in an airtight container.
When ready to serve, bake for a few minutes at 350°, until the tops are golden brown.
Top with melted butter and serve!
These look delicious! Do you use kosher salt or regular table salt? Thank you very much!
Hey Erin! I used regular table salt for these!! ENJOY!! -Stephanie
Thank you so much!
Help! I followed recipe exactly, (after folded the dough I pinched the corners together,) but when I baked them the two layers came apart.
Hi Traci! I’ve never had that issue or heard anyone else have it, sorry about that! Maybe next time after you fold it, gently run a rolling pin over the top to get it to “stick” a little bit more so that doesn’t happen.
I made these last weekend for my husband and children. They were a hit, especially with the homemade butter on top. Guess who’s making another batch for tomorrow’s dinner.
Hey Kendrah!! I am sooooo happy these rolls turned out well for you! I can’t even imagine how good they must be with homemade butter!! YUMMM!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! You just might have to make these for Thanksgiving this year! -Stephanie
I only have instant yeast in the packets. Do you think that would work?
Hi Erica, I apologize for the delay in my response, (we are in the middle of moving at the moment.) I found this from Cook’s Illustrated: “To substitute instant (or rapid rise) yeast for active dry: Use about 25 percent less. For example if the recipe calls for 1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast, use 1 3/4 teaspoons of instant yeast. And you do not need to prove the yeast, just add it to the dry ingredients.”
So my recommendation would be to combine 1 3/4 tsp rapid rise yeast with the flour. Then combine all other ingredients as outlined, no need to let the warm milk and honey sit for 5 minutes when you mix them.
Total time is inaccurate. Should be 2:55 unless my math is wrong.
You are correct, I’m going to fix that now, thanks James!
Can I use Rapidrise instant yeast fast-acting? Says to add to dry ingredients no need to hydrate in water. No prooding required?
Hi Krissy, so sorry for the delay on this response, (we are moving)– I have updated the post to indicate how you would use rapid rise instead of active dry. You would use 1 + 3/4 teaspoons instead of the whole packet, and as you mentioned, just mix it in with the flour without proofing. Thank you for your patience and apologies again for the delay! -Stephanie
This recipe is perfect! I was truly impressed with how they turned out!!! The honey cinnamon butter made them amazing! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
You are a GEM! Thank you so so much for your rating and feedback! I feel your positive energy from here! ❤️❤️ Thank you! -Stephanie
Could this dough be made on the dough setting of a bread machine?
Hi Melissa! I personally have not tried it before, but I think so? If you give it a shot I would love to know how you do! -Stephanie
My Family Loves These Rolls! They can never get enough of them I did find that allowing my egg to get to room temperature helped get that light fluffy texture of rolls that everyone loves vs just using one straight out of the fridge. But thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe.
Hey Crystal! I’m so happy that you and your family love these rolls! Thank you so much for including that tip about the egg, that’s a great suggestion that I’ll add into the instructions, I appreciate it! -Stephanie
OMG
SO GOOD. Sooooooo goooooooooood.
We didn’t roll ours flat We made balls.
Thanks for posting this! We are keeping this in the book for Thanksgiving.
For anyone that is having difficulty, know that baking, especially bread, is a science.
Don’t give up! Try it again! You’ll get it!!!
Hi Tyler! I am SOOO happy that these rolls worked out well for you, and I’m pumped that you were able to make them into round balls, I’m definitely trying that next time! You are 1,000% right- bread is a science. The slightest thing can make it go off track!! 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment and rating, you totally made my day! I saw it yesterday and was so happy, I was shooting a recipe so I forgot to respond! Have a GREAT weekend Tyler! -Stephanie