The search is over. These homemade brioche yeast rolls are as light and fluffy as the ones you find at your favorite steakhouse.
Table of Contents
Delicious homemade brioche yeast rolls
When I eat out at a steakhouse, my favorite part of the meal is actually the basket of piping hot yeast rolls they bring to the table with cinnamon butter.
I can literally eat four rolls and forget I even went there to order a steak.
When I lived in Belgium, I missed the luxury of American steakhouses, but I was fortunate enough to be in a baker’s paradise. So I hopped a train to Paris and attended Le Cordon Bleu to learn how to bake my own dinner rolls and pastries.
As soon as I learned the art of making brioche bread, I realized that this dough would make those rolls I had been craving.
What is brioche
Traditional yeast rolls are made with flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt. Whereas, brioche dough contains eggs and butter, which creates a richer more supple dough.
When you mix the ingredients, the dough will actually be quite sticky. But, once you chill it in the fridge, the butter hardens, making the dough easy to shape into rolls.
The key is to use as little flour as possible when shaping the dough. That helps keep them buttery and fluffy.
An added bonus with this dough is that it not only makes amazing brioche rolls, but it’s also the key to authentic Belgian waffles.
Sweet and Fluffy Brioche Yeast Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 packet active dry yeast, or 20 grams fresh cake yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 50 grams
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 275 grams
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 5 grams
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla, or 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp flour, for dusting
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Make sure all of the ingredients except for the milk are at room temperature. Place the milk in a small bowl and microwave it for 20 seconds.
- Mix: Place all ingredients (except butter) in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix until blended, about 2 minutes.
- Add Butter: Cut the stick of butter into 8 pieces. Increase mixer speed to 4, and drop one piece at a time into the mixer, allowing each piece to incorporate into the dough for 30 seconds.
- Knead: Once all of the butter is blended in scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Then, mix on speed 4 for an additional 10 minutes. Increase speed to 6 and continue kneading for 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
- Rise: Let it rise at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Chill: Press piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Roll: When you remove it from the refrigerator, the dough will be somewhat hard. Cut the dough into 9 equal pieces (about 65 grams each). Shape into a roll. Use a very light dusting of flour, if needed to keep it from sticking. Place the dough balls into greased 8×8 pan.
- Rise: Let them rise for 90 minutes. They should be touching each other in the pan.
- Bake: Bake at 350F until golden brown, around 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- Milk: Adds moisture to the rolls. Use whole milk for the richest results.
- Yeast: This is the leavening agent. It makes the dough rise, creating those airy and fluffy rolls we love. I love baking with cake yeast, but it’s hard to find in the U.S., so you can use a packet of active dry yeast.
- Sugar: Besides adding a touch of sweetness, sugar also feeds the yeast. It’s the energy source that helps our dough rise and develop flavor.
- All-purpose flour: The main structure of our rolls comes from flour. It provides the necessary foundation for a soft and chewy texture.
- Salt
- Eggs: Bring richness and act as binders. They contribute to the rolls’ structure and help achieve that golden-brown crust.
- Vanilla sugar (or vanilla): Look for a packet of vanilla sugar in the international or European food aisle. If you can’t find it, just use a splash of vanilla extract for subtle sweetness.
- Butter: Butter is the secret to incredible flavor and softness. It enriches the dough, making our rolls utterly delicious and melt-in-your-mouth good. I use salted butter. To reduce sodium, you can also use unsalted butter.
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make yeast rolls
✔️ PRO TIP
For accuracy, I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. This will help the measurements be more accurate.
- Prep Ingredients: Make sure all of the ingredients except for the milk are at room temperature. Place the milk in a small bowl and microwave it for 20 seconds.
- Mix: Place all ingredients (except butter) in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until blended, about 2 minutes.
- Add Butter: Cut the stick of butter into 8 pieces. Increase mixer speed to 4, and drop one piece at a time into the mixer, allowing each piece to incorporate into the dough for 30 seconds.
- Knead: Once all of the butter is blended in scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Then, mix on speed 4 for an additional 10 minutes. Increase speed to 6 and continue kneading for 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
- Rise: Let it rise at room temperature for 15 minutes. Press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough mixture and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Roll: When you remove it from the refrigerator, the dough will be somewhat hard. Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 9 equal pieces (about 65 grams each). Shape into a roll.
- Rise: Place the dough balls into a greased 8×8 baking dish. Let them rise 90 minutes or until the edges of each roll touch each other.
- Bake: Bake at 350F degrees until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
How to serve brioche rolls
Let the rolls cool for 15-20 minutes. Then, pull them apart and set them on a plate or serve them in a basket with a clean kitchen towel or napkin.
Serve brioche dinner rolls with room temperature butter, cinnamon honey butter or jam.
These rolls also make awesome buns for sliders. Or if you make them larger, they’re fabulous gourmet hamburger buns. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops with a little butter or oil to make them shine.
Storage
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container on the counter for 2-4 days and in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Brioche rolls can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
If they’re frozen, I recommend letting them thaw in the refrigerator until thawed. Then, heat them up in the microwave for 10 seconds until warm.
Yes. While brioche rolls are best when they come right out of the oven, you can make brioche rolls a week in advance and store them in the refrigerator.
You can also make the dough in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. When it’s time to bake your rolls, let the dough thaw overnight (if you froze them). Then, follow the steps to shape, rise and bake them.
Absolutely. Double the ingredients and portion out 18 rolls. You will need another 8×8 baking pan for the second batch or place them in a 13×9 pan. You can also freeze one batch of rolls before the second rise and bake them later.
If you can get your hands on fresh cake yeast, that’s my preference. It’s hard to find in the U.S., but if you can find it, use 20 grams for this recipe. As an alternative one packet of active dry yeast or instant yeast works great.
In Europe, many baking recipes call for one packet of vanilla sugar. It’s sugar that has been infused with a vanilla bean giving it a beautifully aromatic flavor. You can find it in the U.S. at European specialty shops or online. If you can’t find it, just add a splash of vanilla to your dough.
