Garlic Herb Rolls
Serves 16
25 mins prep
22 mins cook
40 mins Additional Time
87 mins total
Indulge in the perfect holiday side dish with a basket of homemade garlic and herb rolls! Made with plenty of garlic, fresh rosemary and herbs, these soft dinner rolls are a must-have for family dinners or celebration meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. 😋💛
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To a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add the water, milk, 3 1/2 tablespoons butter, honey, and heat with high power until the mixture is about 110F, or the temperature that is indicated and directed by the yeast manufacturer. I recommend heating the mixture for about 30 seconds at first, then heat it in 10-second bursts until it's at the correct temperature. Tips - Do not guess, especially if you're a more novice bread baker. Use a digital read thermometer so you know for sure. If the mixture is too cool, the yeast won't activate; however, if it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast. If you absolutely must rely on sticking a finger in it, it should feel fairly hot, like a hot shower, as this is 12 degrees Fahrenheit above human body temperature so will and should feel like a hot shower.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the milk mixture, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top, and allow the yeast to proof for about 6-8 minutes, or until bubble. Tips - "Proof" in bread-making means that the yeast need to prove they can come to life, which will be evident by the formation of bubbles. If you don't see bubbles, do not carry on. Start over with very fresh yeast and pay close attention to the temperature of the liquid mixture. If you're going to make the recipe without a stand mixer, that's fine. Add everything to a very large mixing bowl and carry on.
Add the flour, beaten egg, garlic, salt, 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence, and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides (a lot), add about 3 tablespoons additional flour, or until the dough can be pulled in and combine. Tips - In bread-making, the sloppier, wetter, and looser you can keep your dough and resist the urge to add flour, the softer, lighter, and more tender the finished rolls or bread will be. There is a balance, of course, you need to add enough flour to create a dough, but a light hand with flour is always preferred. I always use King Arthur All-Purpose Flour for best results.
Continue mixing for about 4 minutes, or until the dough has come together in a nice, smooth ball.
Spray a large mixing bowl with cooking spray, spray your hands with cooking spray, transfer the dough ball to the sprayed bowl, cover with plastic wrap (spray the underside that will be in contact with the dough with cooking spray too), cover tightly, and allow it to rise for about 20 minutes. Tips - The warmer your kitchen is, the faster dough will rise. If you're making these rolls in a cold midwest or northeast kitchen around the holidays, you may need 25-30 minutes. Dough won't quite double in volume, but it will be visibly bigger and filled with air. This is the first rise. Don't throw away your plastic wrap, you'll need it in step 8.
After the first rise, punch down the dough with a fist (spray it, this is fun!) and divide the dough into 16 equally sized balls. If you have a digital kitchen scale, I highly recommend weighing the dough balls. Each should weigh about 2 ounces (60 grams).
Place the dough balls in a 9x9-inch baking pan that's been lined with parchment paper, and sprayed well with cooking spray.
Place the plastic wrap over the baking pan, and allow the dough to rise for about 20 minutes. This is the second rise. Again, the warmer the kitchen, the faster this will go; and if your kitchen is chilly, you may want to give this 25-30 minutes.
While the dough is on the second rise, preheat your oven to 400F.
After the second rise, but before baking, melt the additional 1 tablespoon butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence, and evenly brush the melted butter + herb mixture over the top of the dough. Tips - This helps to add a more buttery taste and to give a lightly golden brown color and sheen the finished rolls. However, some people like to brush the dough with a beaten egg + 1 tablespoon water and prefer an egg wash to melted butter. An egg wash creates a darker color and sheen, and adds a slightly bit of a firmer crust in my opinion. I generally prefer butter but it's your choice.
Evenly sprinkle with fresh rosemary, to taste. Tip - If all you have is dried rosemary, that's fine but use more sparingly as the flavor is more concentrated in dried herbs than with fresh and rosemary is already a fairly strong herb.
Bake the rolls for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until they have puffed, are lightly golden browned, and are set and done. Tips - For best results, I highly recommend rotating your baking pan once midway through the baking process to ensure even cooking and browning as no oven is perfect, and this is a hot oven, and the dough is delicate cooks quickly. I personally like my bread on the lighter side and am fanatical about pulling it out at the first signs of browning, which in turn makes for moister rolls rather than dry, but it's personal preference once you know for sure the rolls are done and cooked through.
Allow the rolls to cool momentarily or until they're cool enough to remove from the baking pan and serve.
Extra rolls will keep airtight at room temp for up to 2-3 days, although like any homemade bread, fresh is always best. I have never frozen the rolls although bread in general is safe to freeze for up to about 3-4 months. This isn't a great recipe to make ahead of time, although please read the blog post and the section above the FAQs area with my suggestions on a decent compromise for making-ahead, such as for a busy Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday meal.