Herbed Dinner Rolls
These Herbed Dinner Rolls are soft and tender, and they’re packed with fresh herb flavor.
Make a batch for dinner tonight!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Making homemade bread is like opening a book into a world of imagination and creativity. On one hand, you could keep it simple and classic like this recipe for Homemade Italian Bread. On the other hand, you could get creative and start adding all sorts of other ingredients into that bread dough.
You could go with cheese and bacon – still one of my all-time favorite bread recipes! Or what about chunks of pepperoni instead? Or even tomatoes – yup, tomato bread. That’s one of my favorite things about baking bread at home. You are only confined by what you can imagine.
For this most recent foray into the world of homemade bread, I opted for some fresh herbs. The flavors from the rosemary and thyme really shine through in this recipe. I also included some dried Italian seasonings, but that’s mainly for background flavor. The fresh herbs really make the flavor of these homemade rolls shine!
Herbed Dinner Rolls
Flour, yeast, salt and water. That’s it. Only 4 basic ingredients needed to make bread. The recipe for these Herbed Dinner Rolls contains more than just those 4 basics though. The milk, egg yolk and butter all add a smoothness and richness to the dough.
If you think of the perfect dinner roll, one of these Herbed Dinner Rolls has to be near the top of the list. It’s light and pillow-y, and you can easily pull it apart. The warm rolls practically melt in your mouth, and the taste from the herbs is out of sight. If you love making homemade breads (or even if you’re new to this world), put this recipe on the list!
Ingredients in Homemade Dinner Rolls
The ingredients in these Herbed Dinner Rolls are fairly straightforward:
- Bread flour, instant yeast, salt. These ingredients form the backbone of most homemade bread recipes.
- Sugar. Sugar in a savory bread recipe? Yup! The sugar adds a mild sweetness to these rolls, but more importantly it acts as food for the yeast. That’s what makes these rolls rise so well.
- Herbs. I opted for a combination of dried and fresh herbs. The dried herbs provide an underlying flavor while the fresh herbs add a brightness. It’ll be hard to stop at just one roll!
- Milk, egg yolk, butter. These ingredients create a soft and smooth dough – just the right texture for a dinner roll. These rolls aren’t very chewy at all. Instead each bite seems to melt away.
- Toppings. Before baking, I brushed the tops of the rolls with an egg yolk. In addition to creating a golden brown color, the egg yolk allows the additional herbs and salt to stick to the tops of the rolls. I used flaked sea salt for these rolls. It’s slightly crunchy with a noticeable salty flavor. It also just looks cool!
When it comes to baking homemade rolls, I love using a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets get quite a workout in our kitchen – everything from cheesy rice skillets to sticky buns. Not only are those skillets versatile, but they look cool since you can serve the rolls straight from the warm skillet. (Just make sure to put a trivet or hot pad down before you put that cast iron skillet on the table!)
How to Store Leftover Dinner Rolls
Leftover rolls should be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If desired, toss a leftover roll into a toaster oven to warm it up – nothing quite beats the taste and texture of warm bread! These rolls also freeze well, too. Just let the rolls cool completely and then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let the rolls thaw at room temperature before re-warming and serving.
What Types of Herbs to Use
As noted, I used a bit of dried Italian seasonings to create a base of flavor, and then I bumped up that flavor with fresh herbs. Any savory herbs could work in this recipe. I used rosemary and thyme, but basil, oregano, parsley and chives are all solid options. Get creative and experiment – that’s the fun that comes with making homemade breads!
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious recipe for homemade dinner rolls, then put these Herbed Dinner Rolls on the list. Happy baking!
Did you make this Herbed Dinner Rolls recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see what herbs you used for your version!
Herbed Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2½ cups bread flour
- 1¾ tsp active dry yeast
- 1½ Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- ½ Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasonings
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ cup whole milk warm
- 1 large egg yolk
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
For Topping
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp water
- chopped fresh thyme
- flaked sea salt
Instructions
For the Dough
- Using the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add all of the ingredients; mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3-4 more minutes, or until dough is smooth.
- Transfer dough into a large oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm (85°F) location for 55-65 minutes, or until dough has almost doubled in size.
- Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently fold the dough to press out the air. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (~2 oz. each). Shape each piece into a tight ball and place in a 10” cast iron skillet.
- Spray tops of dough with nonstick baking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Place pan in a warm location for 35-40 minutes, or until dough has almost doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
For Topping
- Using a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush the tops of the rolls with this egg wash.
- Sprinkle tops of rolls with chopped fresh thyme and coarse sea salt.
- Bake rolls for 14-16 minutes, or until tops are golden brown in color.
Looking for more tasty homemade bread recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
That’s an easy sell for me! I love fresh bread, and your herb combination sounds really tasty.
I’m with ya, Jeff. I hear fresh bread, and my next words are “yes, please” followed up with “Can I eat that for dinner…by itself!?” 🙂
I need to try this soon for me BTW cant wait to make your recipes soon for me
Definitely give these herbed rolls a try, Ramya! If you love freshly baked bread, then you’ll love these!
I can smell the deliciousness from here David. They look gorgeous too!
sherry
Haha – thanks, Sherry! I must say that the kitchen – nay, the whole house – smells amazing whenever I make these rolls!
These dinner rolls look so soft and fluffy, David! The addition of those fresh herbs really take it to a new level!
It’s truly hard to beat soft and fluffy bread! These rolls are a great texture, and the flavor is out of sight. Give ’em a try sometime, Michelle!
Herbaceous, garlicky, and with awesome shining exterior – these rolls look incredibly inviting and delicious! I’d definitely like to have a few of these rolls, still warm and with some extra butter:)
Extra butter is a must whenever we’re talking about freshly baked dinner rolls! And it’s one of the few places where I lean towards salted butter vs. unsalted. Yum! Thanks, Ben!
Homemade bread is such a fun way to get creative in the kitchen, and this Herbed Dinner Roll recipe is a perfect example! I love how versatile bread dough can be, you can start with the basics and build on them with ingredients like cheese, bacon, or even tomatoes and better yet why not some pork floss to have a bit of Asian flair to it
Homemade bread is honestly one of my favorite things to bake in the kitchen. It’s so fun to take such basic ingredients and turn them into something so delicious!