These homemade Honey Bread Rolls are fluffy, soft, and lightly sweetened. They are a perfect dinner roll recipe for special occasion dinners or whenever you’re craving homemade bread.

overhead photo of honey bread rolls

This is the honey bread recipe I make every year for Easter, but I couldn’t wait that long to make it. Sometimes it’s nice to make a batch because who doesn’t love the smell of fresh baked bread?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This is a traditional bread recipe, so it uses yeast, and the dough needs time to rest, but there’s very little actual work for you to do.
  • The bread rolls are tender and soft and lightly sweetened with honey.
  • The rolls are brushed with butter and honey to give them a shiny, glossy finish.
  • The rolls are so delicious, especially warm from the oven. They’re worth the time it takes to make them, especially if you want homemade rolls for a holiday meal.

Ingredients

  • Active dry yeast
  • Water
  • Honey
  • Salt
  • Egg
  • All-purpose flour
  • Unsalted butter

Yeast: These are yeasted rolls, so you will need a packet of active dry yeast. Be sure to check the expiration date. If it it’s expired the yeast won’t work right.

Honey: This sweetens the rolls and also feeds the yeast so the dough rises better.

Egg: The egg helps create soft, moist and tender rolls.

Flour: You will need all purpose flour for this recipe. I have not tested the recipe with alternative flours.

close-up photo of a roll

How to Make the Rolls

  • Activate the yeast: Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and leave it for five minutes.
  • Make the dough: Add honey, salt, and egg and stir until combined. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together.
  • Knead the dough: You can knead the dough by hand, but I used my stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. This cuts down the kneading time. Just knead the dough until it’s elastic. If it’s sticky, you can add a little more flour, but don’t add too much.
  • Let the dough rise: Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a dishtowel, and let it rise for two hours in a warm place or until it’s doubled in size.
  • Divide into rolls: Divide it into 12 equal parts and form each into a dough ball. Place the dough balls in a prepared baking pan, cover it with a towel and let them rest for 20 minutes.
  • Brush with honey butter: Before you bake the rolls, combine some honey with butter and brush it on top of the rolls, which will give them a little bit of a glossy finish.
  • Bake the rolls: Bake the rolls at 400°F for about 10 minutes or until they are golden.

Expert Tips

  • Don’t use water that is too hot or too cold to activate the yeast. It should be between 100 to 105°F.
  • Stop kneading the dough once it’s elastic. This means that you should be able to stretch it without it tearing.
  • If you’re using a stand mixer to knead the dough, it shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes. If the dough is very sticky, add a small amount of flour if needed.
  • How fast the dough rises will depend on the temperature of the room. If it’s cooler, it may take a little longer for the dough to double in size.

photo of a bread roll

More Bread Roll Recipes

5 from 6 votes

Honey Bread Rolls

These rolls are soft and fluffy with just a hint of sweetness.
Servings: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup lukewarm water, (around 100°F to 105°°F)
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp honey, divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra if needed
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water and leave it for five minutes. Then add 1/4 cup honey, salt and egg and stir until combined.
  • Add flour and stir until the dough comes together.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead the dough for about seven minutes or until the dough is elastic. If dough is too sticky to work with, add flour (about 1 tbsp at a time) and knead it into the dough until it is elastic. Be careful not to add too much flour or it will make your rolls very dense.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and a clean dish towel. Leave the dough to rise for about two hours or until it’s doubled in size.
  • Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan or a baking sheet. Slightly punch down the dough to deflate it. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Form each part into a ball and place each in the prepared pan or sheet.
  • Cover the pan with a dish towel and rest the dough balls for about 20 minutes. While the dough balls rest, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with remaining honey. Brush the honey over the surface of the rolls. Bake the rolls for 10-13 minutes or until tops are light brown and rolls are cooked through.

Notes

  • Slightly adapted from recipe found on Pastry Affair
  • It is okay if your dough deflates slightly when you divide it and shape it into balls.
Serving: 1roll, Calories: 156kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 201mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, NET CARBS: 30
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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