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    Home » Recipes » Breads & Buns

    Published: Nov 21, 2022 by Sloane · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Salted Honey Milk Bread Rolls

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    5 from 2 votes

    These salted honey milk bread rolls are impossibly soft & pillowy, and so easy to make! They're the perfect addition to any special dinner.

    milk bread rolls stacked in white dish.

    These salted honey milk bread rolls may seem intimidating, but they really are just easy yeast rolls for beginners. The dough requires just a few basic ingredients, a simple assembly, and a quick bake time. With the sweet, honey butter and a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt, these golden pillows are absolutely addicting! And if you're anything like me, I know you're gonna snag that extra soft center roll!

    For more savory bakes, try Salted Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip, New York Style Bagels, Everything Bagel Babka, and Pesto Brioche Swirl Bread.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love these milk bread rolls
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Make Ahead Tips
    • Storage Tips
    • Baking in Grams
    • Other savory baking recipes to try
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Why you'll love these milk bread rolls

    • Soft & Fluffy Texture: All good dinner rolls are soft & fluffy, but these milk bread rolls?! They're on another level kind of soft. So soft you wish you had one giant roll to sleep on... and maybe eat your way through.  
    • Sweet & Salty Topping: The sweet & salty honey butter makes these rolls just that much more addicting!
    • Quick Make Ahead Recipe: Surprisingly, there isn't actually that much standing between you and tray full of these warm golden, pillowy dinner rolls. Whip up the dough the night before, let it proof in the fridge overnight, then bake them off the next day! 
    milk bread rolls in white dish.

    Ingredient Notes

    Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Here you'll find notes on why I chose certain ingredients, as well as ingredient substitutions.

    ingredients for milk bread rolls.
    For the milk bread dough
    ingredients for honey butter.
    For the salted honey topping
    • Flours: Proper dinner rolls require more gluten than other breads, so use a combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour.
    • Butter: You'll need a few tablespoons of butter for both the dough and the honey butter.
    • Sugar: The sugar is primarily for helping to activate the yeast.
    • Salt: Use a high quality kosher salt to help bring out the flavors in this recipe.
    • Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast, but you can also use active dry yeast. Just be sure to let it sit with the milk and sugar for a few minutes in the first step and wait for it to become foamy.
    • Milk: Use whole milk for best flavor, and be sure to warm it to 110 degrees so the yeast activates properly.
    • Milk Powder: Dry milk powder is used in a lot of baked goods to help keep them extra soft for longer!
    • Egg: Be sure to bring the egg to room temp by placing it in a bowl of warm water.
    • Honey: For the honey butter, you'll need about ¼ cup.
    • Flaky Sea Salt: Top each roll with a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt. I LOVE Maldon.

    See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

    Step by Step Instructions

    These salted honey milk bread rolls require some technique but not as much as you'd think! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

    tangzhong starter in white saucepan.
    STEP 1
    milk bread dough in glass mixing bowl.
    STEP 2

    STEP 1: Make the tangzhong starter: In a small saucepan, combine the water, milk, and flour. Heat over low-medium heat, mixing frequently with a rubber spatula for about 5 minutes or until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

    STEP 2: Make the dough: In a glass measuring cup, combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Once foamy, whisk in the egg until well combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the flours, milk powder, salt, tangzhong starter, and milk mixture. Mix on medium speed until a ball forms around the hook, then add the softened butter. Mix on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes until smooth and passes the windowpane test. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to proof overnight. Alternatively, the dough can proof for about 1 hour in a warm environment. 

    shaped milk bread rolls in white dish.
    STEP 3
    proofed milk bread rolls in white dish.
    STEP 4

    STEP 3: Shape the rolls: Once proofed, divide the dough into 12 parts, about 40g each. After they have been divided, shape the rolls. Flatten each dough piece into a disk, then fold the edges over into its center, forming a smooth surfaced ball. On a non-floured surface, roll the ball with a cupped hand until smooth. Set aside to rest and repeat with the remaining rolls. Once all of the rolls have been shaped, quickly roll them again with a cupped hand, then place in a 12"x8" oval dish or 9" square pan spaced about 1" apart. 

    STEP 4: Proof & bake: Cover the rolls and allow to proof for about 1 hour in a warm environment until doubled in size. Brush with an egg wash, then bake for about 20 minutes until golden. Brush with the honey butter & enjoy!

    baked salted honey milk bread rolls.

    Expert Baking Tips

    • Windowpane Test: The windowpane test is used to tell when the dough has developed enough gluten. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
    • Divide into 12 equal rolls: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measuring out each roll to 40g! This will ensure they are all the same size and will bake evenly. 
    • Brush with honey butter: Once the rolls come out of the oven, immediately brush them with the honey butter so they absorb all of that goodness!

    Recipe FAQs

    What is bread flour?

    Bread flour has a higher gluten percentage than all-purpose flour, so using a combination of the two flours will give this dough the perfect amount of gluten development to create soft, fluffy rolls.

    What is a tangzhong starter?

    A tangzhong starter is essentially a roux that gelatinizes the starches, enabling the flour to absorb more liquid. By adding a tangzhong starter to the dough, the liquid absorption is maximized throughout the kneading & baking process, resulting in an extra soft bread!

    Can I use active dry yeast?

    Yes, just be sure to let it sit with the milk and sugar for a few minutes in the first step and wait for it to become foamy. Then proceed with the recipe as written.

    baked milk bread rolls with honey butter brushed on top.

    Make Ahead Tips

    These rolls are best the day they are baked, but to save yourself some time, you can prep the recipe by making the dough the night before & proofing overnight. Then, the next day all you need to do is shape, proof one last time, and bake! 

    Storage Tips

    Since these milk bread rolls are best the day they are made, I recommend freezing any leftovers right away. Warm them up the microwave for a few seconds, and they're good as new! 

    shot of inside texture of rolls.

    Baking in Grams

    All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

    If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

    But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

    Happy baking! x

    Other savory baking recipes to try

    • New York style pepperoni pizza cut into 8 slices.
      New York Style Pepperoni Pizza
    • soft pretzels piled on baking sheet with bowl of cheese dip
      Salted Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip
    • new york style bagels with cream cheese on plate
      New York Style Bagels
    • slice of everything bagel bread babka with small paring knife
      Everything Bagel Babka

    If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂

    📖 Recipe

    milk bread rolls stacked in white dish
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save for LaterSaved!

    Salted Honey Milk Bread Rolls

    These salted honey milk bread rolls are impossibly soft & pillowy, and so easy to make! They're the perfect addition to any special dinner.
    Prep Time 45 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Servings12 rolls
    Coursebread
    CuisineAmerican
    AuthorSloane
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    Kitchen Scale
    Electric Mixer
    Square Pan

    Ingredients

    For the tangzhong starter:

    • 30 g (2 tablespoon) water
    • 30 g (2 tablespoon) whole milk
    • 10 g (1 tablespoon) all purpose flour

    For the milk bread dough:

    • 90 g (â…“ cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
    • 12 g (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
    • 200 g (1 ¾ cup) bread flour
    • 40 g (â…“ cup) all purpose flour
    • 10 g (1 tablespoon) dry milk powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 egg, room temp
    • 35 g (2 ½ tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
    • Egg wash, 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water

    For the honey butter:

    • 56 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter
    • 84 g (¼ cup) honey
    • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

    Instructions

    For the tangzhong starter:

    • In a small saucepan, combine the water, milk, and flour. 
    • Heat over low-medium heat, mixing frequently with a rubber spatula for about 5 minutes or until it thickens.
    • Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

    For the milk bread dough:

    • In a glass measuring cup, combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Allow to sit 2-3 minutes until foamy to ensure the yeast activates properly. 
    • Once foamy, whisk in the egg until well combined. 
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the flours, milk powder, salt, tangzhong starter, and milk mixture. 
    • Mix on medium speed until a ball forms around the hook, then add the softened butter. 
    • Mix on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes until smooth and passes the windowpane test. 
    • Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to proof overnight. Alternatively, the dough can proof for about 1 hour in a warm environment. 
    • Once proofed, divide the dough into 12 parts, about 40g each.*
    • After they have been divided, shape the rolls. Flatten each dough piece into a disk, then fold the edges over into its center, forming a smooth surfaced ball. On a non-floured surface, roll the ball (seam side down) with a cupped hand until smooth. Set aside to rest and repeat with the remaining rolls. 
    • Once all of the rolls have been shaped, quickly roll them again with a cupped hand, then place in a 12"x8" oval dish or 9" square pan spaced about 1" apart. 
    • Cover the rolls and allow to proof for about 1 hour in a warm environment until doubled in size. 
    • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
    • Brush the proofed rolls with an egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes until golden and internal temp is 190 degrees F.
    • While the rolls are baking, make the honey butter. 

    For the honey butter:

    • In a small saucepan, combine the butter and honey, and place over low-medium heat.
    • Stir frequently until fully melted, then pour into a bowl.
    • Once the rolls come out of the oven, immediately brush each of them liberally with the honey butter. 
    • Sprinkle some flaky sea salt on each, and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Windowpane Test: The windowpane test is used to tell when the dough has developed enough gluten. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
    • Divide into 12 equal rolls: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measuring out each roll to 40g! This will ensure they are all the same size and will bake evenly. 
    • Brush with honey butter: Once the rolls come out of the oven, immediately brush them with the honey butter so they absorb all of that goodness!

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving: 1roll | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @sloanes.table on Instagram and write a star review below!

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    Hi, I'm Sloane! Welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries.

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