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Soft Pull Apart Honey Butter Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls

Soft pull apart dinner rolls are made with an enriched yeast dough, baked until golden, and brushed with warm honey butter. Their tender, slightly tacky dough rises twice for fluffy rolls that pull apart easily at the table.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising and resting 2 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 205
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the rolls
  • 1 cup whole milk warmed to 105–110°F
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1 egg large, room temperature
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
  • 3.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for kneading
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray for coating
For the honey butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp honey

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Make the rolls
  1. Stir the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar together in a large bowl.
  2. Let the mixture stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
  3. Whisk in the remaining sugar, egg, and oil.
  4. Stir in 3 1/2 cups flour and the salt until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Lightly dust a work surface with the 1 tablespoon flour and knead the dough for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
  6. Lightly coat the bowl with cooking spray and return the dough to it.
  7. Cover the dough and let it rise for 60–90 minutes, until doubled in size.
  8. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  9. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and shape them into balls.
  10. Arrange the dough balls in the baking dish in 3 rows of 5.
  11. Cover the rolls and let them rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.
  12. Heat the oven to 350°F while the rolls rise.
  13. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Make the honey butter
  1. Melt the butter and honey together in a small microwave-safe bowl for 15–20 seconds.
  2. Stir the melted butter and honey until combined.
  3. Brush the honey butter over the hot rolls.
  4. Let the rolls rest in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the fluffiest rolls, let the dough complete both rises until it reaches the visual cues given. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; freeze baked rolls for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use unsweetened non-dairy milk and dairy-free butter.