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Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls

These pillowy Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls are buttery soft and fluffy with sweet and savory flavors. The perfect easy dinner roll to pair with any meal.

Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls by Baking The Goods
Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls by Baking The Goods
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The reliable dinner roll recipe

Having a go-to, reliable dinner roll recipe around the holidays is a relief and a total timesaver. These Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls have been gracing our holiday tables for years. I use this recipe time and time again as it's an easy recipe and everybody seems to love these dinner rolls.

If you're looking for an even more impressive dinner roll option, try my stunning, tender and fluffy Purple Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls. They have an undeniably moist and buttery bite with subtle sweet notes and a pretty in dusty pink-ish purple hued interior, topped with a crunchy sprinkle of poppy seeds.

Or if the lemon and herbs aren't calling your name, take a que from simple Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns. They use the same base recipe as these dinner rolls but they are baked larger and topped with sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning. Adapt here by swapping the lemon & herb for alternative toppings or skip it all together for Simple Butter Rolls.

Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls are a crowd pleaser

These simple, homemade dinner rolls have all of the qualities we hope for in the best dinner roll recipes. They are soft and airy with tender interiors. The buttery flavor keeps them moist without becoming soggy. Plus the sop up gravy like none other.

Lemon & herbs bring brightness to the buttery rolls

By adding lemon zest and herbs to the dough, it infuses the rolls with a bright and herby flavor throughout. Since holiday meals tend to lean heavy and rich, the subtle zesty, earthiness of these butter rolls is a welcome contrast. That bright flavor cleans the palate and cuts through the richness of the rest of the meal.

You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy dinner roll recipe.
You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy dinner roll recipe.
lemon zest and chopped herbs
The lemon zest and chopped herbs cut through the richer flavors with fresh brightness.

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I decided that it was a good idea to squeeze in one last Turkey Day post. This week has been crazy and I don't really have time to post this but that's how I roll. So, I'll keep it short and sweet; if you have time, make these Lemon Herb Rolls for your Thanksgiving spread. These rolls are light, fluffy and have a sweet and savory balance that pretty much puts those dry and dense grocery store rolls to shame.

How to make make homemade dinner rolls with easy yeasted dough

Using store bought yeast to kickstart any bread recipe is a seriously smart move. Let's be honest, most of us aren't tending to a Mother yeast regularly in our home kitchens. Active Dry Yeast is a real time saver as it gets the party going. This basic dinner roll recipe only requires about 90 minutes for the dinner roll dough to rise on the counter.

warming butter, milk & honey for rolls
The butter, honey and milk temperature should be right around 110°F. If it's too warm it could kill the yeast.
yeast blooming
The yeast should bloom up nicely after about 10 minutes, then you will add the flour, sugar, salt and egg.
mixing dinner roll dough
Gently mix everything together and then transfer to your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
mixing dinner roll dough with dough hook
Since these rolls are so buttery and soft, the dough will be very soft and sticky. If still very sticky after for 6 minutes mixing, gradually add 1-2 tablespoons of flour.
Lemon Herb Dinner Roll dough
Once the dough starts to feel more taught, mix in the herbs and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
Dinner Roll dough round
Gather the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface.

Let it rise

A proper rise is very important when making dinner rolls. If the dough doesn't rise enough or over-proofs, the rolls won't properly puff. You want buoyancy without over-expansion. 2 separate proofing periods occur with this dinner roll recipe.

Bulk ferment the dough

The first rise, known as bulk fermentation, happens right after the dough is mixed. This the the step when the dough is fermenting as a large, single mass. A good rule of thumb is proofing the dough just until it doubles in size. This generally takes somewhere between 1-2 hours. It can vary depending on things like room temperature. If the room is very warm, the dough will rise quicker. If the dough is in a cold and drafty space, it may take longer to rise.

Proof the dough balls

The second rise occurs after the dough balls have been shaped and placed in the baking dishes. This allows each individual roll to take shape. This step in important for that airy, fluffy texture of the rolls.

dinner roll dough in oiled bowl
Place dinner roll dough in large lightly oiled bowl to rise.
risen Lemon Herb Dinner Roll dough
After sitting in a warm place for 1.5 hours, the dough ball should double in size.

How to shape dinner rolls

While it may seem intimidating, shaping dinner rolls is a lot easier and more fun that you might realize! All it takes is a few simple steps and you will have equally proportioned, perfectly round dinner rolls that are ready to bake.

  • Measure out the dough into equal proportions, using a kitchen scale, if you have one, for perfectly proportioned rolls. Simply weigh the dough, divide that total weight by 18. Then divide the dough into 18 equal portions.
  • Gather the dough pieces together pulling from the sides and pinching the top to form a little dumpling shape.
  • Shape the dough by making a C shape with your dominant hand around the dough dumping. Place the seam side down and start rolling your hand in small circles against the counter, with the dough ball rolling around inside your C-shaped hand with gentle pressure. This will build tension in the dough balls and encourage the round shape.
  • Rise again by placing those dough rounds between the 2, greased baking dishes. Either in a 3x3 grid if using a square cake pan or with 1 dough round in the center and the other 8 evenly spaced around the edges.

Here is a quick video I created to show how to form a perfectly round dinner roll. You want your rolling surface to be slightly tacky instead of floured. I like using my a marble pastry board for this as it helps create some tacky tension, encouraging the dough to shape into a ball.

Video: rolling out perfect dinner roll dough balls

Watch and learn how to shape make perfect dinner roll dough balls!
weighing roll dough
Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough up into 18 equal pieces, about 1 ⅕ ounces or 45-ish grams each.
Dinner roll dough rounds
The dinner roll rounds should be round, smooth and evenly sized.
Butter rolls before baking
Generously butter the rolls with 2 tablespoons of melted butter right before baking.

Bake in under 20 minutes

After that final rise and the dinner rolls are nice and puffy, they bake up quick in a 375°F oven. I generally try and time the bake just right so the Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls are rolling out of the oven just as everyone is sitting down to eat. Because we all know there is nothing better than fresh from the oven rolls.

Generously butter the warm rolls right when they come out of the oven.
top rolls with herbs and salt
Top with sea salt flakes and fresh herbs for a fancy finish.
fluffy dinner rolls
These fluffy dinner rolls tear apart easily but won't last long on the table.

Out of the oven emerge the softest, buttery rolls imaginable. This recipe for Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls will forever be our favorite holiday side dish. The buttery depth against the bright lemon and fresh herbs is unmatchable.

These buttery soft rolls create a pillowy landing pad in your overstuffed tummy, softening the blow of the stomach stretching sport known as Thanksgiving. The hint on lemon and herbs give the rolls a complimentary flavor nod to classic Thanksgiving dishes without overwhelming the rolls.

Lemon Herb Dinner Roll pile
The ultimate in tender sop-ability. These rolls are everything you want in a dinner roll.
Fluffy herb & lemon Dinner Rolls
Fluffy herb & lemon Dinner Rolls

These Lemon Herb Rolls are easy to make yet they take your turkey table to the next level of homemade goodness. And, they make for the very best leftover turkey sliders, with a hunk of turkey, a thick slice of sharp cheddar and a dollop gravy. I always look forward to the Black Friday feast centered around these flavorful Dinner Rolls.

Recipe

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Recipe

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Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls by Baking The Goods

Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls

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Description

These pillowy Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls are buttery soft and fluffy with ultra tender interiors. The bright lemon and earthy herbs add fresh flavor to the tender rolls.

Ingredients

Units
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3-4 tablespoons melted and cooled
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus 1-2 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt salt
  • 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt - optional, for topping
  • 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons finely chopped, fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme
  • 1 small lemon, zested
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the honey.
  2. Slowly stir in the milk. Whisking the mixture together. It will need to be at 110°F. If it's too cool, warm it on the stove over low heat until it reaches 110°. If it's too warm let it sit (off of the heat) until it reaches 110°F.
  3. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in the yeast. Allow to stand until it begins to bloom and become foamy, about 10 minutes.
  4. Roughly stir in the egg, flour, sugar and salt. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough on medium speed for 6-8 minutes.
  5. Add the lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of the herbs. The dough will be very sticky and soft (thanks to all that buttery goodness). Once the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and cling to the hook, gently remove it (a bowl scraper or spatula comes in handy here) and shape it into a ball shape in your hands or on a very lightly floured surface.
  6. Place the dough ball into a large lightly oiled bowl. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in a warm area for about 1-2 hours until the dough ball doubles in size.
  7. Generously butter two 8" or 9" metal or ceramic cake pans. Divide the dough into 18 equal chunks (using a kitchen scale if you have one) each piece should weigh about 1 ½ ounces or 45 grams.
  8. Roll each chunk of dough into a little round ball and evenly space 9 dough balls in each round pan, with one in the center and 8 around the outside, evenly spaced. Or place evenly spaced in a 9x9 grid in a square pan.
  9. Brush the dough balls gently and abundantly with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them stand until they puff up, about an hour.
  10. With the rack positioned in the middle of your oven, preheat to 375°F. Bake the rolls until they are a warm golden brown, about 18 minutes.
  11. Immediately, brush them again with 1-2 more tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle with coarse salt and remaining fresh herbs. Best when served right away while they are still all warm and squishy.

Notes

*Recipe adapted from Buttery Flaky Rolls recipe in Home Baked Comfort (Williams-Sonoma) by Kim Laidlaw Buttery Flaky Rolls recipe in Home Baked Comfort (Williams-Sonoma) by Kim Laidlaw


You can freeze these Lemon Herb Dinner Rolls and enjoy a fresh baked batch at a later date. You've got 2 options. 

Option 1 - Freeze Unbaked Lemon Herb Rolls

  • Once you've shaped the dough balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with with wax paper or parchment paper. Then cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  • Immediately store in the freezer until they are completely frozen and rock hard. 
  • Transfer to a freezer proof baggie and freeze up to one month.
  • Space the rolls evenly in two, generously buttered 8" or 9" round or square metal or ceramic pans. Then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them stand until they puff up, and have doubled in size. It may take 4+ hours, depending on how warm it is in your kitchen. 
  • Then brush the dough balls gently and abundantly with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and continue per recipe instructions. 

Option 2 - Freeze fully baked Lemon Herb Rolls

  • Bake your rolls as the recipe calls, like you'd serve the right away.
  • Allow them to cool completely, then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped package in a freezer bag or storage container and freeze for up to a month.
  • To thaw the dinner rolls, remove from the freezer the night before, or at least a few hours before you want to serve them. Remove the foil-wrapped rolls from the freezer bag and loosen the foil. Allow them to thaw at room temperature overnight or for at least a few hours. When you are ready to serve, re-warmed, while still in the loose foil packing, for about 10 minutes in a 300°F oven
  • Serve the rolls immediately, while still warm.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Proofing time: 2-3 hours
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes

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