Description
These Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls are soft, fluffy, and full of rich buttery flavor. Made with a tender yeast dough and baked in muffin tins for a charming cloverleaf shape, these rolls are perfect for holiday dinners, family gatherings, or any occasion when you want a comforting, homemade bread. The rolls are brushed generously with melted butter before, during, and after baking to create a golden, flavorful crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packets) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 1/2–6 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
For Brushing
- Melted butter for brushing
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water, yeast, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon honey. Stir gently and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dough: Add warm milk, the remaining honey, egg, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Then add 2 cups of flour and salt. Gradually increase speed to medium as flour incorporates.
- Add Remaining Flour and Knead: Slowly add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, up to 5 cups. Knead the dough on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Check the dough’s texture; if too sticky, add a little more flour and knead until smooth but still slightly sticky to the touch. Remove dough from the bowl and form into a ball, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- First Rise: Brush a large bowl with melted butter. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it once or twice to coat all sides with butter. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Tear off small pieces and roll each into balls slightly larger than one inch. You should get about 90 small dough balls.
- Prepare Muffin Tins and Second Rise: Brush muffin tins generously with melted butter. Place three dough balls per muffin cup. Cover and let the dough rise again in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until puffed.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the tops of the dough balls with melted butter generously before baking.
- Bake: Bake the rolls for 11-12 minutes until the tops are just golden brown.
- Finish with Butter: Remove rolls from oven and immediately brush the tops with melted butter. Repeat brushing with butter every few minutes as the rolls cool to keep them soft and flavorful.
- Serve and Store: Remove rolls from the muffin tins to serve. For best taste, enjoy them the same day. If storing overnight, let the rolls cool completely and keep in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Make sure the water and milk are warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Do not add too much flour; the dough should be slightly sticky for the softest rolls.
- Brushing the dough and bowls with melted butter adds richness and helps keep the rolls soft.
- These rolls are best eaten the day they are baked but can be stored in an airtight container after cooling.
- Shaping the dough into very small balls and baking three per muffin cup gives the classic cloverleaf shape.
- You can substitute honey with sugar, but honey adds a nice subtle flavor and moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
