Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls With Cinnamon Honey Butter

Soft, buttery dinner rolls and a generous swipe of cinnamon honey butter can turn an ordinary meal into something people remember. This copycat Texas Roadhouse rolls recipe makes pillowy, lightly sweet rolls with a tender crumb and golden tops. The dough is enriched with milk, egg, sugar, and butter, then shaped, proofed, and baked until just golden. A quick whipped butter finishes the basket.

The method is approachable if you have not made yeast dough before. The most useful cues are the dough’s texture and rise: aim for smooth and elastic after kneading, then puffy before baking. Flour amounts vary, so weigh it if possible and add gradually. The rolls are lovely warm, but they also freeze well.

For other homemade bakes, see easy focaccia, homemade monkey bread, homemade cinnamon rolls, gingerbread cinnamon rolls, and maple pecan sticky buns.

What Makes These Rolls Tender?

Milk, egg, butter, and sugar soften the crumb and add a gentle richness. Kneading develops enough gluten structure for a good rise, but the aim is not a firm, chewy loaf. Keep the dough soft and a little tacky, then use just a light dusting of flour while shaping.

A first rise lets the dough expand and develop flavour. After dividing and shaping, a second rise makes each piece airy. Placing rolls close together encourages softer sides; leaving more space gives more browned edges. Brush the tops with melted butter after baking, then serve with cinnamon honey butter.

The spread is simple: softened butter, honey, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt whipped until light. Salt is a small but useful addition because it keeps the topping from tasting one-dimensionally sweet. Adjust honey and cinnamon to your liking.

Ingredients

Rolls

• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk, warmed to 38–43°C (100–110°F)

• 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) instant or active dry yeast

• 50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) fine salt

• 500–560 g (4–4½ cups) plain flour or bread flour

• 30 g (2 tablespoons) melted butter, for brushing

Cinnamon honey butter

• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

• 45 g (about 2 tablespoons) honey

• 15 g (2 tablespoons) icing sugar, optional

• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) ground cinnamon

• Pinch of fine salt

Ingredient Notes

Milk: Warm rather than hot milk encourages yeast activity. A thermometer is useful; without one, it should feel comfortably warm on your wrist.

Yeast: Instant yeast can be mixed directly into flour, though blooming it gives you a chance to see if it is active. Active dry yeast benefits from a short rest in warm milk and sugar.

Flour: Plain flour yields a soft roll; bread flour can make it slightly chewier. Add the last portion gradually because humidity and brand affect absorption.

Butter: Unsalted butter lets you control seasoning. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.

Honey butter: Optional icing sugar makes the spread sweeter and smooth. Use room-temperature butter so it whips without lumps.

Equipment

Gather a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, kitchen scale, dough scraper, baking tray or 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) dish, parchment paper, pastry brush, and small bowl or hand mixer for the butter. A clean tea towel or reusable cover keeps dough from drying during proofing.

How to Make Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

1. Activate yeast. Stir warm milk, yeast, and a teaspoon of the sugar in a bowl. Leave for 5–10 minutes if using active dry yeast, until lightly foamy. Instant yeast may not foam dramatically.

2. Mix dough. Stir in remaining sugar, egg, melted butter, salt, and about 500 g flour until shaggy. Use a spoon or mixer to bring it together.

3. Knead. Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes or in a stand mixer for 5–7 minutes. Add extra flour a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is too sticky to handle. It should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.

4. First rise. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until roughly doubled, about 60–90 minutes. Cooler kitchens need longer.

5. Shape. Gently press the dough to release large air pockets. Divide into 15–18 portions. Shape each into a smooth ball by tucking edges underneath, then set on a lined tray or greased dish.

6. Second rise. Cover loosely and leave 30–45 minutes, until puffy. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F).

7. Bake. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden and light. If using a thermometer, the centre of a roll should be around 88–93°C (190–200°F); oven performance varies.

8. Butter tops. Brush rolls with melted butter when they come out of the oven.

9. Make the spread. Beat softened butter until creamy. Add honey, optional icing sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until light and serve with warm rolls.

Shape, Proof, and Serve the Rolls

After dividing the dough, pull each portion’s edges toward the underside and pinch closed. Roll gently under your palm to round it. If it sticks, lightly oil your hands instead of adding lots of flour. The smooth surface helps each roll expand evenly in the oven.

The second proof gives the shaped dough time to relax and become airy. A light indentation should slowly spring back. If it snaps back immediately, wait a little longer; if it collapses, it may have proofed too far, but it can still bake into tasty rolls. Handle the tray gently and put it straight into the oven.

Pan choice changes the edges. A flat tray with space around each roll creates more browning, while a deeper dish and close spacing produce soft pull-apart sides. Rotate the tray if your oven has a hot spot. If tops are already golden but rolls feel heavy, lower the heat slightly and continue baking rather than increasing it.

Whip the cinnamon honey butter until lighter in colour and soft enough to spread. Taste it on a warm roll, because heat makes honey taste sweeter. Add a pinch more salt if the spread feels flat. Leftover rolls can be split and toasted for breakfast or used as soft sandwich buns.

Tips for Light, Fluffy Rolls

• Measure flour by weight. Cup measurements can pack in too much and make dough firm.

• Do not overheat milk. Warm milk helps yeast work predictably; hot milk may weaken it.

• Knead until elastic. The dough should become smooth. If it tears immediately when stretched, knead a little longer.

• Let dough rise fully. A cool room slows yeast. Look for a puffy, expanded dough rather than relying only on the clock.

• Make equal portions. Similar-sized rolls bake evenly.

• Shape with surface tension. Tuck the dough underneath to create a smooth top that rises upward.

• Choose your pan spacing. Close rolls have soft sides; spaced rolls brown more.

• Brush while warm. Melted butter adds flavour and keeps the top supple.

• Whip softened butter. Cold butter makes lumpy honey butter.

Make-Ahead Options

For fresh rolls in the morning, shape and arrange the dough, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight before the second rise. In the morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature until puffy, often 45–75 minutes, then bake. Rise time depends on fridge temperature and room warmth.

Bake the rolls ahead, cool completely, and freeze them. Reheat from thawed in a low oven, loosely covered with foil. Make cinnamon honey butter up to several days ahead and refrigerate it; soften briefly before serving. For a sweet breakfast table, try soft sugar cookies, banana bread chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cheesecake cookies, gooey s’mores cookie bars, and butter pecan cookies.

Variations

Whole-wheat blend: Replace up to 125 g flour with whole-wheat flour. The rolls become heartier and may need slightly more liquid.

Garlic butter: Leave cinnamon out and mix finely grated garlic and chopped parsley into the butter for a savoury version.

Orange honey butter: Add finely grated orange zest to the butter for a bright, fragrant variation.

Slider buns: Shape the dough into 12 larger portions and bake a little longer. Check the centres before serving.

Dairy-free: Use plant milk and plant butter. The flavour and browning may differ, so watch for a golden top and cooked centre.

What to Serve With the Rolls

Serve warm alongside soup, barbecue, roast chicken, or a holiday meal. They are especially good with dishes that have sauce to mop up. A basket also works for brunch, with eggs and fruit. Add apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies, easy Jell-O cookies, peppermint chocolate chip cookies, Christmas Crumbl sugar cookies, and peanut butter chocolate caramel cookies to create a sweet baking table.

Storage and Freezing

Keep cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days for best softness. Refrigeration can stale bread more quickly, so freeze extras instead. Keep cinnamon honey butter covered in the refrigerator; soften it before serving and use a clean utensil.

Freeze baked rolls once cool in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently. To freeze unbaked rolls, shape them and freeze on a tray; transfer to a container when firm. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and proof until puffy before baking.

Troubleshooting Yeast Dough

If the dough feels sticky after several minutes of kneading, pause briefly before adding flour; it continues to absorb moisture as it rests. If it remains difficult to handle, add flour a tablespoon at a time and stop as soon as it can be shaped. Too much flour is difficult to correct, while a slightly tacky dough usually bakes into softer rolls.

If dough springs back while rolling, cover it and rest for five minutes. If the surface dries during proofing, the rolls may form a skin that limits expansion, so cover them loosely with a clean towel or reusable wrap. Do not let plastic touch sticky dough directly.

If rolls brown unevenly, check the tray position and rotate once the tops have set. Keep the pan on the centre rack. If the tops are golden but the rolls feel heavy, lower the oven temperature slightly and bake a little longer. Do not increase the heat, which can brown the outside before the centre is baked.

The cinnamon honey butter can be served soft or slightly chilled. Whip until lighter in colour; add salt if it tastes flat. If it looks loose, beat it again or chill briefly. Leftover rolls can be split and toasted for breakfast or used as soft sandwich buns.

Make the Rolls Fit the Meal

For a dinner basket, shape smaller portions so each guest can take one or two. For sandwiches, make fewer, larger rolls and bake until the centres are set. A close arrangement in a baking dish gives soft sides that pull apart; a spaced tray gives more crust. Choose based on whether you want tender pull-apart bread or individual browned rolls.

Brush the tops with butter immediately after baking, then let the rolls rest briefly before moving them. This protects the soft surface and lets the crumb settle. Serve cinnamon honey butter at room temperature so it spreads without tearing the bread. If the rolls are part of a savoury meal, offer plain butter too for guests who prefer less sweetness.

Leftovers are easy to refresh. Split a roll and toast it lightly, or warm several under foil in a low oven. Avoid a long microwave reheat, which can make bread rubbery as it cools. A short burst is fine for one roll when served immediately.

Serving for a Crowd

If you are serving a crowd, bake the rolls in two pans rather than crowding a single tray. Similar spacing helps each batch brown evenly, and the second tray can proof while the first bakes. Rotate pans only after the rolls have started to set, and allow a few minutes between batches if your oven loses heat when opened.

Set out cinnamon honey butter in a shallow bowl with a small spreader. It softens quickly near warm bread, so keep a second portion chilled and replenish the table as needed. Label a savoury garlic-butter option separately if you make both versions. The rolls are soft enough to pull apart by hand, making them easy to serve buffet-style without a knife.

For a neat basket, line it with a clean cloth and add rolls just before dinner. Do not seal hot bread in a closed container; trapped steam makes the tops sticky. If baking earlier, rewarm briefly and brush with a little fresh melted butter. Serve the rolls warm but not piping hot so the cinnamon butter spreads smoothly rather than instantly melting away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these exact Texas Roadhouse rolls?

No. This is an independent home recipe inspired by soft restaurant-style rolls and cinnamon honey butter. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Texas Roadhouse.

What makes dinner rolls soft?

An enriched dough, careful kneading, enough rising time, and avoiding excess flour all help. Brushing the tops with melted butter after baking keeps them supple.

Can I use instant yeast?

Yes. Mix instant yeast into flour or dissolve it in warm milk. Check the package directions for your brand.

Why did my dough not rise?

The yeast may be old, the milk too hot, or the room cold. Give dough more time in a warm, draft-free spot and check yeast freshness next time.

Can I make the rolls ahead?

Yes. Shape the dough and refrigerate overnight before the second rise. Let the portions become puffy at room temperature before baking.

How many rolls does it make?

About 15–18, depending on size. Larger portions need a little more oven time.

How do I make cinnamon honey butter?

Beat softened butter with honey, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Optional icing sugar makes it a little sweeter and smoother.

Can I freeze the rolls?

Yes. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw and warm gently. The butter spread can be frozen too, although you may need to re-whip it.

How do I keep rolls soft after baking?

Brush with butter while warm and store airtight once cool. Briefly reheat before serving if needed.

Can I make them without a stand mixer?

Yes. Mix with a spoon and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface.

Recipe Card

Yield: 15–18 rolls

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 1½–2¼ hours rising

Cook time: 15–20 minutes

Total time: About 2½–3½ hours

Category: Bread, side dish

Method: Yeast dough, oven-baked

Cuisine: American-inspired

Ingredients: Use the listed milk, yeast, sugar, egg, butter, salt, flour, and cinnamon honey butter quantities.

Method: Bloom yeast in warm milk. Mix with sugar, egg, butter, salt, and flour, then knead until smooth and elastic. Rise until doubled. Divide and shape, then proof until puffy. Bake at 180°C (160°C fan/350°F) for 15–20 minutes and brush with butter. Beat softened butter with honey, cinnamon, optional icing sugar, and salt.

Notes: Flour absorption varies; add gradually. Refrigerate shaped dough overnight before its second rise for a make-ahead bake. Freeze baked rolls once cool.

Recipe Resources

For more recipe inspiration, browse Allrecipes and Food Network. This home recipe is inspired by a restaurant-style roll and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Texas Roadhouse.