Garlic bread rolls are soft and fluffy dinner rolls brushed with delicious garlic herb butter. They make a perfect side to any dish, especially for Thanksgiving and the holidays!

My favorite part of the holidays is making these garlic bread rolls! They are super soft, fluffy, and so easy to make. They are a must for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion dinner!
The best part of these dinner rolls is the dough is full of fresh herbs and garlic butter and they are brushed with more straight out of the oven for the best garlic flavor. They turned out so delicious, that I even made a mini parmesan bread bite version!
For more bread recipes, try French Onion Focaccia, Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Pretzels, and Chewy Pizza Dough.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Homemade bread: This is the BEST garlic roll recipe! Made with homemade bread dough, they taste super fresh and beat any store-bought or frozen variety.
- Soft rolls: These rolls are ridiculously soft and fluffy!
- Delicious side dish: Add these rolls to the top of your grocery list for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to accompany any hearty meal. Just like my baked mac and cheese, they are perfect for sharing!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Instant yeast: I love using instant yeast for bread recipes, as it cuts the rise time in half without compromising flavor! You can use active dry yeast in equal parts. Although, you will need to let the dough rise after kneading for 15-20 minutes before shaping.
Garlic: I recommend fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
Parsley: You can also use fresh thyme or oregano instead of parsley.
Granulated sugar: Substitute the sugar for honey if you don't have any on hand.
Milk: I recommend using whole or 2% milk for this recipe as it gives the garlic rolls the best flavor and structure.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here's how to make these homemade garlic rolls! You will need a stand mixer to make the dough and a 9x13 baking pan. Before you start, lightly butter your baking dish and set it aside.
STEP ONE: Make the garlic herb butter. In a small saucepan, cook the butter and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant. Set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.
STEP TWO: Knead the dough. Add the warm milk, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Then add the all-purpose flour, salt, melted butter, parsley, and egg.
Knead the dough with the dough hook attachment on low speed for 8 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the mixing bowl and come together into a single ball. It should look smooth and feel soft and tacky.
If yours is sticky or not cleaning the sides of the bowl, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until you have a workable dough, similar to the photo in step 3.
STEP THREE: Portion and shape the rolls. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. This is best done with a kitchen scale for accuracy! Each dough ball should weigh 67 grams.
Then cup your hand over each ball of dough and roll it clockwise until it forms a smooth ball. Pinch the bottom together to seal it, then place the dough balls in the prepared baking dish.
STEP FOUR: Let the dough rise. When all of the rolls are in the baking dish, cover the top with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set it aside to rise for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
STEP FIVE: Bake! Lightly brush the tops of the rolls with egg wash. Then bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
STEP SIX: Brush with garlic butter. Straight out of the oven, brush the tops of the baked rolls with the garlic herb butter. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a stand mixer. Kneading the dough in a stand mixer is much easier than kneading by hand, but it can be done! To do it by hand, first, mix the dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then transfer it to a clean surface and knead until a smooth dough ball forms.
- Follow the recipe. Read the recipe once before you start and ensure you have everything on hand. Following the recipe as instructed will ensure a successful bake!
- For best results, measure carefully. Baking with a kitchen scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you don't own a scale, fluff the flour first then spoon it into your measuring cup.
Storage and Freezing
- Room temperature: Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze them after baking! Remove them from the pan and wait until they are completely cool. Then transfer them to an airtight container for 2-3 months.
FAQs
Yes! Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Absolutely! You can simply leave the garlic out of the dough and the butter after baking.
Definitely! You can add up to ¼ cup of shredded parmesan cheese to the bread dough and sprinkle more on top before baking.
No, you must use yeast for this recipe.
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Recipe 📖
Garlic Butter Bread Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk warmed to 110 F
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 3 ½ cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Garlic Butter
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan and set it aside. *If using a metal pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and just butter the sides of the dish.
- In a small pot, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Take off the heat and cool for 5 minutes.4 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Then add the melted garlic butter, egg, flour, salt, and parsley.1 cup whole or 2% milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast, 3 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Knead with the dough hook on low speed for 8 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, look smooth, and feel super soft and tacky. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until you have a workable dough. *See the post photos or video below for a visual.
- Portion the dough into 12 pieces, each weighing 67 grams.
- Shape each piece into a smooth ball with your hand. Pinch the bottom of the roll to keep it tight. You can see how this is done in the video below!
- Arrange the rolls in your prepared baking pan. Cover the top with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 30 minutes.
- Lightly beat an egg. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the tops are a nice golden brown.
- While the rolls are baking, make the garlic butter. Melt the butter in a pot and add the minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Then remove it from the heat and stir in the parsley.2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- When the rolls come out of the oven, brush them with the garlic butter, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy!flaky sea salt
Video
Notes
- Use a stand mixer. Kneading the dough in a stand mixer is much easier than kneading by hand, but it can be done! Mix the dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then transfer it to a clean surface and knead until smooth dough ball forms.
- Follow the recipe. Read the recipe once before you start and ensure you have everything on hand. Following the recipe as instructed will ensure a successful bake!
- For best results, measure carefully. Baking with a kitchen scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you don't own a scale, fluff the flour first then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Room temperature: Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days. You can reheat it in the oven or microwave until they are warm and softened through.
- Freezer: You can freeze them after baking! Remove them from the pan and wait until they are completely cool. Then transfer them to an airtight container for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Spencer says
Delicious garlic butter dinner rolls!
Catherine McKenzie says
I am new to using yeast and am confused as to the different types eg. regular vs quick or rapid rise, please name preferred brand name and type. Thank you.
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Catherine, for this recipe I recommend Instant Yeast, the brand is Fleischmann's and you can find it in the flour/baking aisle at the grocery store. Here's a link to what it looks like!
Dawn says
Made these for the super bowl and they were a huge hit at my party!
Cambrea Gordon says
Yay! Thanks so much Dawn!
Rick says
Another amazing recipe from Cambrea Bakes! I had my daughter make these for our Thanksgiving dinner and they were a hit. She said the recipe was very easy to follow!
Cambrea Gordon says
Yay! So glad they were enjoyed Rick!
Yasmeen says
Sooo fluffy and perfect! Made them for thanksgiving and they were gone so fast!
Cambrea Gordon says
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed them Yasmeen!
Lauren says
I made these vegan by using vegan butter (earth balance), soy milk and Bobs Red Mill Egg Replacer and they came out PERFECTLY!! So fluffy, easy to make and flavorful - will definitely make again!
Lucy says
what are the dimensions of the “large baking dish” required and must it be ceramic?
Cambrea Gordon says
Sorry, it should be about 9x13. You can definitely use a metal pan, although you should line the bottom with parchment paper so the rolls don't stick to the pan.
Lisa says
These rolls were perfection! Turned out way better than any other dinner roll recipe I've ever tried. So simple to make and they were done in just about an hour total! I am making these again next week for Thanksgiving, everyone is going to love them!