Published November 19, 2014. Updated November 6, 2023
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Rosemary Dinner Rolls are a sophisticated alternative to your traditional dinner rolls—perfect for Thanksgiving Dinner! These rolls are inspired by the Macaroni Grill copycat Rosemary Bread that I adore. They are an easy dinner roll recipe that won’t take up too much of your meal prep time on big days, but give a huge payoff.
Fancy Rosemary Dinner Rolls
These rolls are upgraded with fresh rosemary, making them one of my favorite bread recipes. I thought these rolls would be perfect for the holidays because the rosemary makes them seem festive and they are just a little fancier than your traditional roll recipe—without any more work.
You can get fresh rosemary sprigs from the grocery store, or use dried rosemary in a pinch, but the fresh herbs really make this dinner roll recipe stand out. You can even try harvesting rosemary from your own rosemary plant to really impress everyone!
What can I serve with Rosemary Dinner Rolls?
They are soft and fluffy with dreamy flavor, especially when you have a side of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and freshly cracked black pepper to dip them in.
These dinner rolls pair perfectly with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or for Christmas dinner. I especially love these dinner rolls for fancier meals, since they’re just a little more sophisticated.
These rolls are also fantastic for those turkey sandwich leftovers on Black Friday. Trust me.
Can I make Rosemary Dinner Rolls in advance?
These rolls are best served warm so reheat them as necessary (I just used the microwave, but you could also lightly underbake them, then return to an oven to warm just before serving and finish off the last few minutes of baking). You could also make the dough the day before and then finish rising the next day before baking. However, I highly recommend baking the day of your dinner because the combination of freshly baked bread with tantalizing rosemary is sure to make your house smell divine.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
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Rosemary Dinner Rolls
The perfect roll recipe for the holidays! Soft and fluffy and deliciously flavored with fresh rosemary.
Servings: 12
Prep25 minutes minutes
Cook25 minutes minutes
Resting1 hour hour
Ready in: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water , 110 degrees
- 3 Tbsp sugar , divided
- 3/4 cup milk , warmed to about 80 degrees
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter , softened
- 3 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp whisked egg , for brushing rolls
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , then more as needed
- Good quality extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whisk together yeast with water and 1/2 tsp of the granulated sugar. Rest 5 minutes. Set mixer with paddle attachment and mix in remaining sugar (2 Tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp) milk, egg, butter, rosemary and salt on low speed (the butter won't blend until the flour is mixed it).
Add 2 cups of flour and mix on low speed until combined, then switch to a hook attachment, set mixer on low speed and slowly add in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Allow mixture to knead on medium-low speed until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed (you shouldn't need more than an additional 1/4 - 1/2 cup, dough should be slightly sticky. If too much flour is added rolls will be dense and heavy).
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
Punch dough down and divide into 12 equal portions, shape each into a ball (I like to pull the sides down and tuck under several times then make into a ball shape). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place about 45 - 60 minutes until nearly doubled. Preheat oven to 350 during last 10 minutes of dough rising.
Gently brush tops of rolls evenly with 1 Tbsp whisked egg. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown, about 23 - 26 minutes. Serve warm with olive oil mixed with black pepper. Reheat before serving as necessary.
Notes
Recipe source: adapted slightly from Sunset Magazine
Nutrition Facts
Rosemary Dinner Rolls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 307mg13%
Potassium 90mg3%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 157IU3%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Course: breads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner rolls
Author: Jaclyn
Other Thanksgiving Side Dishes to try
- Crockpot Stuffing
- Perfect Pumpkin Pie
- Sweet Potato Casserole (with Cinnamon Pecan Topping)
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
