Salted Honey Brioche Dinner Rolls

Nov 14

These are the rolls everyone is going to fight over at Thanksgiving. They're soft, buttery brioche, lightly sweetened with honey, brushed with honey butter right out of the oven, and finished with flaky salt.

Brioche sounds intimidating, but most of the time here is hands-off rising. The one secret is adding the butter slowly, a cube at a time. The dough will look broken and greasy at first, and you'll think you ruined it. Keep the mixer going, and it comes together into the silkiest, shiniest dough.

Make a double batch, because these will be gone before the turkey even hits the table.

Let's get cookin'!

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 rolls

FOR THE DOUGH

½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
3 tbsp honey
450 g (about 3 ¾ cups) bread flour
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt (1 ¼ tsp if using salted butter)
3 large eggs, room temperature
113 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft and cubed

FOR THE EGG WASH

1 large egg
1 tbsp whole milk

FOR THE HONEY BUTTER GLAZE

3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp honey
1-2 tsp flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Instructions

Bloom the yeast
Warm the milk to 105 to 110°F, so it feels warm but not hot. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk it with the yeast and honey. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until clearly foamy. If there's no foam at all, start over with a fresh packet.
Mix the dough
Add the flour, salt, and eggs. Mix with the dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms, then raise the speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Work in the butter
With the mixer on medium-low, add the butter a cube or two at a time, letting each disappear before adding more. Keep kneading on medium for 10 to 15 minutes total, until the dough is glossy and mostly pulls away from the sides. It will look broken at first, so keep going. If it's still soupy after 15 minutes, chill the bowl for 15 minutes and mix again.
First rise
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly buttered bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled.
Shape the rolls
Butter a 9x13-inch pan. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces, about 65 g each. Cup each piece under your palm and roll it on an unfloured counter into a tight, smooth ball. Arrange them in the pan in 3 rows of 4. If the dough is sticky, lightly butter your hands.
Second rise
Cover and let the rolls rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 350°F while they rise.
Egg wash and bake
Whisk the egg and milk and gently brush it over the rolls. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden brown.
Glaze and enjoy
Stir together the melted butter and honey. Brush it over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven, then sprinkle with flaky salt. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then pull apart and serve warm.

Jo’s Tips

Go by size, not the clock. A cool kitchen can slow both rises. The dough should double in the first rise, and the rolls should be puffy and touching before they bake.

Make it ahead. After step 4, cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight instead of rising at room temperature. Cold dough is easier to shape into smooth balls. Let the shaped rolls rise a little longer, about 1 to 1½ hours, since they start cold.

Out of milk? Don’t panic. The first time I made these, I used 7 tbsp of fat-free milk plus 1 tbsp of heavy cream in the dough, and 1 tbsp of heavy cream in the egg wash. They turned out just as soft and rich, so use whatever you have. 2% milk or buttermilk also work as a straight swap, and buttermilk makes them extra tender.

STORAGE & REHEATING

To store: Let the rolls cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. To freeze, wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Reheating: Wrap the rolls in foil and warm them at 325°F for 8 to 10 minutes. For a single roll, microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds. Brush with a little extra honey butter if you like.