Texas Roadhouse Rolls

I made these rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner a few weeks ago. We'd made cornbread last year and I think we had biscuits the year before so I was looking for something different. Then, I recalled the Texas Roadhouse copycat rolls we'd made a couple of years ago. I adapted the recipe from Eat Cake For Dinner and they turned out pretty great. So, even though I didn't take a v. complete photo diary (you have to forgive me because Thanksgiving is so hectic), I'm sharing them today.

One thing to note: these rolls freeze beautifully (prior to the second rise). They can also be made the day before and left to do their second rise in the fridge overnight, which is what I did and it worked out wonderfully. They bake up golden brown (once thawed to room temperature) and I can't wait to make these over and over again this winter (especially after my kitchen gets its Christmas gift, which is a stand mixer; yes, I finally caved and ordered one).

Ingredients [yields 1 dozen rolls]:
bread
1¼ cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
3 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
+ 2 tablespoons melted butter

cinnamon butter
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon honey (or golden syrup)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Start by adding milk and butter to a saucepan. Heat up over low until scalding and then remove from the heat and cool to 100F. Stir in honey and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand until foamy.

Whisk in an egg and vanilla extract and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until a clumpy dough forms. Scoop the dough out onto a work surface and knead aggressively until smooth.

Place the dough ball in a bowl, cover, and leave to rise for about an hour until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and roll out into a rectangle, about 1" thick. Cut into squares; I made six cuts to yield 15 rolls.

Place the rolls on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover and leave to rise for one hour.

If you're making these way ahead of time, the whole tray can be placed in the freezer for a few hours, or until the rolls are rock hard. Then, the rolls can be placed in a zip-top bag and left in the freezer for future consumption. To prepare frozen rolls, leave to thaw in the fridge overnight and then out of the fridge for about an hour to come to room temperature prior to baking.

If you're making these the night before, the whole tray can be placed in the fridge (covered) and left to rise overnight. The rolls should come to room temperature (about an hour) before baking.

Bake the rolls at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and fluffy. While the rolls are baking, make cinnamon butter by creaming together softened butter, honey, and cinnamon until smooth.

Brush the tops of the rolls generously with melted butter.

Serve immediately, while they're still warm, with the cinnamon butter. These rolls are light and fluffy and stretchy and subtly sweet and they taste amazing with the cinnamon butter. And, though they take a bit of effort to make, considering I don't have a Texas Roadhouse nearby, it's worth it.

Here's the recipe page: