Are you searching for the ultimate easy and impressive side dish to grace your holiday table? The kind of warm, fluffy, buttery dinner rolls that taste like they came from a fine bakery, but are secretly the easiest thing you’ll make all day? This incredible, from-scratch-tasting Herby Butter Dinner Rolls recipe is your new secret weapon. We’re talking pillowy-soft dinner rolls, baked to a perfect golden brown and absolutely drenched in a luscious, fragrant butter infused with fresh rosemary, thyme, and bright lemon zest.
This isn’t just another roll recipe; it’s a guide to the ultimate holiday hack. We’ll show you how to transform simple, store-bought frozen dough into a show-stopping, gourmet-tasting side that will have everyone asking for your secret. This is a satisfying, soulful, and deeply impressive dish that is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate “Shortcut” Holiday Side Dish
What makes these Herby Butter Dinner Rolls so spectacularly delicious is their incredible, fresh flavor and their brilliantly simple, semi-homemade method. This recipe is a masterpiece of smart, efficient cooking. The star of the show is the herby lemon butter, a simple but powerful, from-scratch infusion of melted butter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest. The brilliant shortcut, however, is the rolls themselves: simple, store-bought frozen unbaked dinner rolls. The rolls are allowed to rise, then brushed with the fragrant butter before and after baking, ensuring that every single bite is packed with incredible, savory flavor.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 3 hours (includes rising time) |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 24 rolls |
The Baker’s Secrets: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, simple ingredients to create its signature rich and comforting flavor.
- The Rolls (The Shortcut Superstar!):
- Frozen Unbaked Dinner Rolls: This is the key to the incredibly easy and foolproof nature of this recipe! Using a bag of your favorite brand of frozen, unbaked dinner rolls (like Rhodes™) gives you the beautiful, fluffy texture of a from-scratch yeast roll with none of the work or worry.
- The Herby Lemon Butter (The Flavor Powerhouse!):
- Fresh Aromatics: The secret to the deep, complex, and aromatic flavor is a combination of fresh herbs and citrus. The earthy, piney notes of fresh rosemary and the bright, fragrant zest of a fresh lemon create an incredible, sophisticated flavor profile.
- Salted Butter: Using salted butter is a great shortcut that provides the perfect amount of savory flavor to the rolls and the herby infusion.
The Baker’s Masterclass: The Secrets to Perfect, Fluffy Rolls
This recipe is all about the simple but brilliant techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.
- The Rise is KEY: The number one, non-negotiable secret to a light, airy, and fluffy dinner roll is a proper rise. You must give your frozen dough balls plenty of time to thaw and rise until they have at least doubled in size. The recipe gives you two great options: a few hours at room temperature for a same-day bake, or a slow, overnight rise in the refrigerator for the ultimate make-ahead convenience.
- The Double Butter Method: The secret to rolls that are flavorful through and through is the brilliant “double butter” technique. By first brushing the muffin tins with melted butter, you are creating a crispy, golden, and non-stick bottom crust. Then, brushing the risen rolls with the herby butter before they bake infuses the tops with flavor. A final, generous dab of the herby butter on the hot rolls right out of the oven is the key that makes them unbelievably rich and luscious.
Step-by-Step to the Best Herby Butter Dinner Rolls
This elegant, festive side dish is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: The Art of the Perfect Rise
Step 1: Melt 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of your butter and use a pastry brush to generously grease two 12-cup muffin tins.
Step 2: Place one frozen dinner roll in each of the cups of the muffin tins.
Step 3 (The Most Important Step!): Cover the muffin tins and allow the rolls to rise until they have doubled in size. You can do this for several hours at room temperature, or in the refrigerator overnight.
Part 2: The Fragrant Herby Butter and Final Bake
Step 1: In a small skillet, melt the remaining 3 1/2 sticks of butter over a medium-low heat. Mix in your 1 1/2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary, the 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme, and the zest of 1 lemon. Heat until the butter is warmed through and fragrant.
Step 2: Lightly brush your risen rolls with some of this herby butter mixture.
Step 3: Bake the rolls according to the package directions (usually at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes), until the rolls are a beautiful, deep golden brown on top.
Step 4 (The Best Part!): As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, dab them generously with more of your warm herby butter mixture. Serve the rolls warm.
Herby Butter Dinner Rolls (An Easy Holiday Shortcut!)
An easy and elegant recipe for Herby Butter Dinner Rolls, perfect as a side dish for a holiday meal. This simple recipe elevates store-bought frozen dinner rolls by proofing them in a muffin tin and brushing them with a rich, homemade compound butter. The aromatic butter is infused with fresh rosemary, dried thyme, and bright lemon zest. The rolls are baked until deep golden brown and served warm with another dab of the flavorful herby butter.
Ingredients
- 4 sticks (1 pound) salted butter
- 24 frozen unbaked dinner rolls
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of the butter and use it to brush the inside of two 12-cup muffin tins.
- Place the frozen dinner rolls into the cups of the muffin tins. Cover the tins and allow the rolls to rise for several hours at room temperature, or in the refrigerator overnight.
- While the rolls are rising, melt the remaining 3 1/2 sticks of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Mix in the rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest, and heat until the butter is warmed through and fragrant.
- Preheat the oven according to the package directions for the rolls (usually around 400°F).
- Lightly brush the risen rolls with some of the herby butter mixture.
- Bake the rolls for 6 to 8 minutes, or according to the package directions, until they are a deep golden brown on top.
- Dab the hot rolls with more of the herby butter mixture and serve warm.
Notes
- This is a very simple ‘shortcut’ recipe that uses frozen dinner rolls to create a delicious, homemade-tasting side dish.
- Proofing the rolls in a muffin tin is a key technique that helps them to rise upwards and maintain a beautiful, uniform shape.
- The herby butter is used both before and after baking, which ensures the rolls are packed with flavor.
- This is a great make-ahead side dish for a holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving, as the rolls can be left to rise overnight in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With Your Herby Butter Rolls
These beautiful and savory rolls are a fantastic and incredibly versatile side dish. They are the perfect accompaniment to almost any holiday meal or Sunday supper.
- Holiday Roasts: They are an absolute must-have alongside a classic Roasted Turkey, a Glazed Ham, or a beautiful Prime Rib. They are the perfect vessel for sopping up every last drop of delicious gravy!
- Soups & Stews: They are also the perfect, cozy side for a hearty winter soup or a rich beef stew.
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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead holiday side dish! You can let your rolls do their overnight rise in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the herby butter up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftover baked rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat these rolls is to wrap them in foil and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5-10 minutes, until they are soft and warmed through.
Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)
Q1: My rolls didn’t rise properly. What happened?
The most common culprits for rolls that don’t rise are that they were not given enough time, or the room they were in was too cold. Yeast is a living organism that is most active in a warm environment. If your kitchen is chilly, you can create a warm “proofing box” by simply placing your covered muffin tins in your oven (with the oven turned OFF) with the oven light on.
Q2: Can I make these without a muffin tin?
Yes, absolutely! For a beautiful, pull-apart style roll, you can simply arrange your frozen dough balls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. As they rise, they will grow together.
Q3: Can I use different herbs in the butter?
Of course! This recipe is wonderfully versatile. Some other fantastic, festive additions would be about 1 to 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh sage, parsley, or chives.
Q4: Can I use all fresh herbs or all dried herbs?
Yes! The general rule of thumb for substituting fresh and dried herbs is a 3-to-1 ratio. So, for this recipe, you could use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme (instead of dried), or about 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary (instead of fresh).
Q5: Can I make these into garlic bread rolls?
That sounds delicious! Simply add about 2 to 3 cloves of finely minced or grated fresh garlic to your melted butter along with the other herbs for an incredible, garlicky twist.