Description
These Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls are soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet dinner rolls inspired by the famous restaurant’s iconic bread. Made with simple ingredients like milk, honey, butter, and yeast, these rolls are perfect for serving alongside any meal and delighting guests with their tender crumb and golden crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 tablespoons melted butter (divided)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose or bread flour
Instructions
- Warm the milk: Heat whole milk until it is near boiling, just when steam begins to rise and small bubbles form along the side of the pan. Remove from heat and let it cool to lukewarm, between 80-90°F, to prepare for activating the yeast.
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm milk, active dry yeast, and honey. Stir to mix well and allow it to sit for 5 minutes until frothy, signaling that the yeast is active.
- Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of melted butter, the milk and yeast mixture, room temperature egg, salt, and half of the flour. Mix slowly using a mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand until smooth. Gradually add the remaining flour and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for 8 minutes using the mixer or by hand on a floured surface. Then transfer to a floured surface and knead for a few more minutes to develop gluten and smooth the dough.
- First rise: Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape the rolls: Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface until about ½ inch thick. Fold the dough in half and gently seal the edges. Cut into 24 equal squares and place them on two lightly greased baking sheets.
- Second rise: Cover the cut rolls and let them rise for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size, preparing them for baking.
- Bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes until the tops turn a light golden brown.
- Finish with butter: Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and brush it on top of the warm rolls for a rich, glossy finish.
- Serve: Enjoy these rolls warm, ideally with Copycat Texas Roadhouse Butter for the authentic restaurant experience.
- Bread machine alternative: Follow the same process to warm and cool the milk. Add milk, honey, 3 tablespoons melted butter, egg, salt, and flour to the bread machine, creating a small hole in the flour to place the yeast without it touching the liquid. Use the dough cycle on the bread machine. After the cycle completes, proceed with the first rise, shaping, second rise, baking, buttering, and serving as described above.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is lukewarm (80-90°F) before mixing with yeast to properly activate it without killing the yeast.
- For best results, use a mixer with a dough hook, but kneading by hand also works well.
- The dough must rise twice: once before shaping and once after cutting into rolls to ensure soft, fluffy texture.
- Lightly greasing the baking sheets prevents sticking and helps rolls bake evenly.
- Brushing the rolls with melted butter immediately after baking keeps the crust soft and flavorful.
- The recipe yields 24 rolls, perfect for large gatherings or freezing for future use.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Texas Roadhouse rolls, copycat rolls, soft dinner rolls, homemade rolls, yeast rolls, sweet rolls, fluffy bread rolls, easy bread recipe
