Sweet Honey Rolls

Sweet, warm rolls, glazed with a little extra honey for good measure!

Oh my gosh! These rolls are amazing. I love making yeast breads and rolls from scratch. There's something comforting about it. Some people say that about gardening - it's rewarding to watch things grow. 

You will adore these buttery, sweet rolls any time of day - breakfast, brunch, as a side dish, or dessert. Warm or room temperature, they're always a pick-me-up. Last night, I split one open, nestled in some Black Forest ham and sharp cheddar and it was the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Imagine the creations you can make with what you have on hand. 

Leftover rolls? No problem - these rolls freeze beautifully and it's nice to know they're in the freezer! To freeze leftover rolls, place the cooled rolls in zip-top plastic freezer bags, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature. If you want to reheat the them, place the rolls on a baking sheet and reheat at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. 

Sweet Honey Rolls

1 cup milk

1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey, divided  

1/2 cup vegetable oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2-3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cooking spray

For the glaze:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted  

1 tablespoon honey

1 large egg white

To make the dough, warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat or in a bowl in the microwave. Warm to 100-110 degrees.

Transfer the milk to a large mixing bowl and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the honey. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly.

Add the oil, remaining 2 tablespoons of honey, egg, and salt. Mix with the paddle attachment until blended. Beating on medium speed, gradually beat in 3 1/2 cups of the four. Beat until mixture is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary (dough will be sticky, but it should start to come away from the sides of the bowl). When the mixture is blended, switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook and knead for 3 minutes (or transfer the dough to a lightly flour surface and knead for 5 minutes).

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap. 

Let rise in a warm place, free from draft, for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk (I let my dough rise in the microwave - it was still warm from heating the milk).

Punch the down dough with your fist. Take a moment to enjoy this feeling. 

Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Coat two 8-inch square baking pans with cooking spray. Place 9 balls in each pan (rows of 3). 

Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the glaze, whisk together the sugar, butter, honey, and egg white. Brush the mixture over the rolls. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Makes 18 rolls