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Texas Roadhouse Rolls are the soft, fluffy, slightly sweet dinner rolls you cannot stop eating at the steakhouse, and they are even better warm from your own oven. I make a big batch when the whole family is over and they vanish before dinner is even served. Do not forget the copycat cinnamon honey butter to slather on top.
These rolls are pillowy-soft with a touch of honey sweetness, and the homemade cinnamon butter makes them completely irresistible.
Texas Roadhouse Rolls Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 rolls
- ⚡ Calories: 417kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet with whipped cinnamon honey butter
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Cheesecake Factory brown bread
Quick Answer
To make Texas Roadhouse Rolls, bloom yeast in warm milk, then whisk in butter, honey, salt, and egg. Stir in the flour and knead into a soft dough, let it rise until doubled, then roll it out, cut into squares, and let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, brush with melted butter, and serve warm with whipped cinnamon honey butter.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Honey gives them that signature sweetness. A good amount of honey in the dough is what makes these rolls taste just like the ones at the steakhouse.
- A soft, enriched dough. Milk, butter, and egg create a rich, tender dough that bakes up unbelievably soft and pillowy.
- Two rises for the fluffiest texture. Letting the dough rise twice develops flavor and gives the rolls their light, airy crumb.
- A butter brush for a glossy top. Brushing the hot rolls with melted butter right out of the oven makes them shiny, soft, and extra rich.
- The cinnamon butter seals the deal. Whipped cinnamon honey butter is the iconic finishing touch that makes these rolls completely addictive.
- Better than the restaurant. Made fresh and served warm at home, these copycat rolls taste even better than the originals.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste just like the steakhouse originals, soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet with that famous cinnamon butter.
- They are the perfect side for any dinner, from our grilled sirloin steak to a holiday ham.
- They are make-ahead and freezer-friendly, so you can have fresh rolls ready whenever you need them.
Key Ingredients
Simple pantry staples make these copycat rolls and their famous butter. Here are the ones that matter most.
- Active dry yeast: Bloom it in warm milk between 115 and 120 degrees, too hot and it will die.
- Honey: Honey sweetens both the dough and the cinnamon butter for that signature flavor.
- Whole milk: Warm milk feeds the yeast and makes the dough rich and tender.
- Butter: Butter goes in the dough, brushes the tops, and whips into the cinnamon honey butter.
- Bread flour or all-purpose flour: Flour gives the rolls structure, add it gradually since the dough should stay soft and a little sticky.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These rolls are easy to adapt to your kitchen and taste:
- Make them in a stand mixer: Use the dough hook to knead the soft dough hands-free.
- Shape them round: Form the dough into balls instead of squares for classic round dinner rolls.
- Add garlic: Brush the baked rolls with garlic butter for a savory twist.
- Make ahead: Shape the rolls, then refrigerate overnight and let them come to room temperature before baking.
How to Make Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Warm the milk to 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, stir in the yeast, and let it sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl with the sliced butter, honey, and salt, whisk to combine, then whisk in the egg.
- Stir in the flour and knead on a floured surface until a smooth, soft dough forms. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled.
- Punch down the dough, roll it out on a floured surface into a half-inch-thick rectangle, then cut it into 12 squares. Place them on a parchment-lined sheet tray, cover, and let rise again for 60 to 90 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until golden, immediately brush with melted butter, then serve warm with the whipped cinnamon honey butter.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Check your milk temperature with a thermometer, between 115 and 120 degrees blooms the yeast without killing it.
- Keep the dough soft and a little sticky, add flour gradually since too much makes the rolls dense.
- Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot, like an oven with just the light on, for the best rise.
- Do not skip the second rise, it gives the rolls their signature light, fluffy texture.
- Brush with butter right out of the oven for that glossy, soft, rich top.
- Whip the cinnamon butter well until light and fluffy so it spreads like a dream.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These warm Texas Roadhouse rolls are the ultimate side for a steakhouse dinner at home. Pile them in a basket next to our grilled sirloin steak, Alice Springs chicken, or marry me chicken with plenty of cinnamon butter on the side.
They are also a must for the holiday table alongside a honey baked ham and all the fixings. Use any leftovers to make sliders, mini sandwiches, or serve them with soup, just like our ham and cheese sliders.
Warm leftover rolls in the oven or microwave to bring back that fresh-baked softness, and always keep extra cinnamon honey butter on hand. These rolls disappear fast, so a double batch is never a bad idea.
Texas Roadhouse Rolls FAQs
Dense rolls usually come from adding too much flour or not letting the dough rise long enough. Keep the dough soft and slightly sticky, adding flour gradually, and give it the full time to rise and double both times. Make sure your yeast is fresh and your milk is warm, not hot, to keep the yeast active.
Yes. You can shape the cut rolls, cover them, and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and finish rising before baking. You can also bake them fully, then freeze and reheat. Either way, brush with fresh butter after baking or reheating for the best texture.
The milk should be between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warm to the touch but not hot. Use a thermometer to be sure. If the milk is too hot it will kill the yeast, and if it is too cool the yeast will not activate, so this step is worth checking carefully.
Absolutely. Freeze the fully baked and cooled rolls in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm in the oven and brush with melted butter to refresh them. The whipped cinnamon honey butter also freezes well in a small container.
To make the famous cinnamon honey butter, whip softened salted butter with powdered sugar, honey, and ground cinnamon until light and fluffy. Whip it well so it is smooth and spreadable, then serve it at room temperature alongside the warm rolls for the full steakhouse experience.
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the rolls stay soft for two to three days. Warm them briefly before serving to bring back that just-baked texture. For longer storage, freeze them. They are absolutely best served warm, so reheating is always worth it.
Love a steakhouse copycat? Whip up our Texas Roadhouse butter or our Cheesecake Factory brown bread next.
Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup unsalted butter thinly sliced
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
For the cinnamon butter:
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the milk to a microwave-safe container. Microwave in 15-second intervals until the milk reaches 115-120°F. Do not excess 120°F. Add the yeast and stir. Wait 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.
- Add the thinly sliced unsalted butter, honey, and salt to a large bowl. Pour in the milk mixture and whisk to combine. The butter will not melt all the way.
- Add the egg and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour and stir it together with a wooden spoon or something similar. The dough will be sticky.
- Add a generous amount of flour to a clean work surface and place the dough on the flour. Dust the top with flour and knead it for a few minutes by hand until a smooth dough forms. You may need to keep adding flour because the dough is sticky. It’s supposed to be, and why the rolls are so soft.
- Spray a large bowl lightly with cooking spray. Add the dough to the bowl and roll it around, so it is coated in the spray. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dry place. Allow it to rise to double the size for 60-90 minutes.
- Punch down the dough so a lot of the air can escape. On a clean work surface, dust with flour and place the dough on top of the flour. Dust the top lightly and roll it out into a rough rectangle shape, ½ inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut off the uneven edges.
- Cut the dough into squares or rectangles. Roll out the dough scrapes and keep cutting and rolling it out until you have 12 ½-inch thick pieces.
- Place the dough squares onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to double in size for 60-90 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Immediately brush with the melted butter.
- While the rolls are baking, make the cinnamon butter. Place the butter, powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whip until smooth.
- Allow the rolls to cool slightly and serve warm with the cinnamon butter.
Nutrition
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