I thought I knew what good dinner rolls were until I tried making brioche at home. Those pillowy soft rolls from the bakery? They’ve got nothing on homemade brioche that’s still warm from the oven.
The secret is in the butter—lots of it—and a little patience while the dough comes together. These sage honey butter rolls take regular brioche up a notch with fresh herbs and a sweet drizzle that makes your kitchen smell like fall. They’re richer than your typical dinner roll, but not so fancy that you can’t serve them on a Tuesday night.
Why You’ll Love These Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls
- Quick homemade bread – These rolls come together in under an hour, so you can enjoy fresh, warm brioche without spending all day in the kitchen.
- Rich, buttery flavor – The combination of honey and butter creates an irresistibly sweet and savory taste that makes these rolls perfect for any meal.
- Impressive presentation – The sage leaves and flaky sea salt on top make these rolls look like they came from a fancy bakery, but they’re surprisingly easy to make at home.
- Perfect for special occasions – Whether it’s Thanksgiving dinner or a casual weekend brunch, these rolls add a touch of elegance to any table.
- Simple ingredients – You probably already have most of these pantry staples at home, making this an accessible recipe for any home baker.
What Kind of Flour Should I Use?
All-purpose flour is perfect for these brioche rolls and will give you that soft, pillowy texture you’re looking for. You don’t need to hunt down fancy bread flour or anything special – regular all-purpose from your pantry will do the job beautifully. If you only have bread flour on hand, that works too, though your rolls might be slightly more chewy than tender. The key is to measure your flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off, since too much flour can make your rolls dense instead of light and fluffy.
Options for Substitutions
While brioche is pretty specific about certain ingredients, there are still some swaps you can make:
- All-purpose flour: Bread flour actually works better here since it has more protein, which helps create that rich, tender texture brioche is known for. If you only have all-purpose, that’s fine too.
- Instant yeast: You can use active dry yeast instead – just use the same amount but dissolve it in the warm milk first and let it foam for about 5 minutes before adding to the flour.
- Whole milk: Heavy cream or half-and-half will make even richer rolls, while 2% milk works in a pinch. Avoid skim milk as it won’t give you that tender crumb.
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine – just add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. The butter really needs to be at room temperature though, so plan ahead or soften it gently in the microwave.
- Fresh sage: If you don’t have fresh sage, try fresh thyme or rosemary instead. Dried herbs won’t give you the same flavor punch, so it’s better to skip the herb altogether than use dried.
- Honey: Maple syrup or brown sugar can replace the honey, but honey really gives these rolls their special flavor, so try to stick with it if possible.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making brioche rolls is rushing the process – this dough needs time to develop properly, so don’t skip the long rises even if you’re tempted to speed things up.
Another common error is adding too much flour too quickly, which can result in dense, heavy rolls instead of the light, buttery texture you’re after – add flour gradually until the dough is just slightly sticky but manageable.
Temperature matters more than you might think: if your milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast, and if your butter and eggs are cold from the fridge, they won’t incorporate smoothly into the dough.
Finally, resist the urge to overbake these rolls – they should be golden brown on top but still soft to the touch, and remember that the sage leaves can burn quickly, so keep an eye on them during the last few minutes of baking.
What to Serve With Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls?
These buttery, herb-kissed rolls are perfect alongside a cozy fall dinner – think roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, or a hearty beef stew where you can soak up all those good juices. They also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table, pairing beautifully with turkey and all the traditional sides. For a lighter meal, try them with a warm butternut squash soup or a simple arugula salad with roasted pears and walnuts. The sweet honey and earthy sage flavors also work wonderfully with a cheese and charcuterie board for a more casual gathering.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These brioche rolls are best enjoyed within 2-3 days of baking. Store them in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature to keep that soft, pillowy texture. If you want to keep them longer, pop them in the fridge for up to a week, though they might lose a bit of their fluffy charm.
Freeze: You can absolutely freeze these beauties! Wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. I like to freeze some right after they cool so I always have homemade rolls ready for dinner parties or when I’m craving something special.
Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-from-the-oven magic, wrap the rolls in foil and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. If they’re frozen, let them thaw at room temperature first, then warm them up. A quick brush with melted butter after warming makes them taste like you just baked them!
| Preparation Time | 15-30 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 22-25 minutes |
| Total Time | 37-55 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3000-3400
- Protein: 55-65 g
- Fat: 130-150 g
- Carbohydrates: 410-450 g
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 3 tbsp honey
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
For egg wash:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
For the sage honey butter:
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp honey
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- Flaky sea salt, to taste
Step 1: Make the Dough
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 3 tbsp honey
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and salt.
Add the warm milk, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 large eggs, and 6 tablespoons of softened salted butter.
Using the dough hook, mix everything together until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4–5 minutes.
If the dough is too sticky, add up to 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it becomes soft and workable.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
I find allowing the dough to rest longer gives the rolls a softer texture.
Step 2: Make the Sage Honey Butter
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp honey
- flaky sea salt, to taste
While the dough rests, prepare the sage honey butter.
In a skillet over medium heat, fry the sage leaves with 1 tablespoon of softened salted butter until crispy, about 1–2 minutes.
Remove the fried sage leaves from the pan and chop them finely.
In a small bowl, mix together 6 tablespoons of softened salted butter and 3 tablespoons of honey, then stir in the chopped fried sage and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.
This aromatic butter is what gives the rolls their unique flavor—I like to taste the sage butter at this stage to make sure it’s well-seasoned.
Step 3: Prepare the Baking Dish and Shape the Rolls
- dough from Step 1
- sage honey butter from Step 2
- extra all-purpose flour for dusting, as needed
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Once the dough has rested, punch it down to release excess air and divide it in half.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick.
Brush each square with the sage honey butter from Step 2, reserving any leftover butter for serving.
Cut each square into 6 strips and roll each strip into a coil.
Arrange the coils seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
If you want perfectly even coils, try to cut the strips as evenly as possible.
Step 4: Egg Wash and Second Rise
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water.
Brush the tops of the dough coils with the egg wash to help them brown beautifully in the oven.
Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes, until they appear puffy.
Step 5: Bake and Finish the Rolls
- sage honey butter from Step 2
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 22–25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and immediately brush the warm rolls with any remaining sage honey butter from Step 2.
Pull them apart to serve and finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
For extra flavor, I like to serve these rolls warm so the honey butter soaks in perfectly.
Perfect Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 3 tbsp honey
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
For egg wash:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
For the sage honey butter:
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp honey
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 large eggs, and 6 tablespoons of softened salted butter. Using the dough hook, mix everything together until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4–5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add up to 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it becomes soft and workable. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour. I find allowing the dough to rest longer gives the rolls a softer texture.
- While the dough rests, prepare the sage honey butter. In a skillet over medium heat, fry the sage leaves with 1 tablespoon of softened salted butter until crispy, about 1–2 minutes. Remove the fried sage leaves from the pan and chop them finely. In a small bowl, mix together 6 tablespoons of softened salted butter and 3 tablespoons of honey, then stir in the chopped fried sage and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. This aromatic butter is what gives the rolls their unique flavor—I like to taste the sage butter at this stage to make sure it's well-seasoned.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Once the dough has rested, punch it down to release excess air and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick. Brush each square with the sage honey butter from Step 2, reserving any leftover butter for serving. Cut each square into 6 strips and roll each strip into a coil. Arrange the coils seam side down in the prepared baking dish. If you want perfectly even coils, try to cut the strips as evenly as possible.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the dough coils with the egg wash to help them brown beautifully in the oven. Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes, until they appear puffy.
- Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 22–25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the warm rolls with any remaining sage honey butter from Step 2. Pull them apart to serve and finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired. For extra flavor, I like to serve these rolls warm so the honey butter soaks in perfectly.
