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!
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.
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.
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.