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Salted Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls. These light, airy, buttery rolls are perfectly salted and so delicious, with salty-sweet sage honey butter swirled throughout each roll. Serve these soft brioche rolls warm right out of the oven with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt. These are quick and simple dinner rolls made using flour, salt, instant yeast, honey, eggs, butter, and sage. Made in under two hours with very little fuss! The perfect rolls for all of your upcoming holiday dinner parties.
If there’s one dish that’s always on my holiday table, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, it’s a dinner roll. My family wouldn’t have it any other way, especially my mom. There’s nothing she loves more than a soft roll with her meal.
For Thanksgiving, Mom always asks for something like a crescent roll or soft brioche. If she had to pick, it would be a brioche roll all the way. And for Christmas, it’s always a candy cane bagel with extra butter on top!
She really loves her rolls, you guys.
For Thanksgiving this year, there will be just a small group here in Colorado, so I really wanted to create a dinner that I know we’ll all love. This meant I had to come up with sides that my mom would be so excited about. I knew a brioche roll would be her favorite.
And you all, these actually turned out better than I’d envisioned. I used instant yeast, which I haven’t done in forever. I was so surprised with how well it worked and how easy and quick it is to use!
I’m so excited for you all to have this recipe. If you enjoy my honey butter Parker House Rolls, please try these. I think they’re even better! Nothing beats an eggy brioche!
Here are the details
Ingredients
- flour
- instant yeast
- salt
- honey
- whole eggs + an egg yolk
- salted butter
- fresh sage
Special Tools
These rolls are easiest when you have a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. The mixer can do all the work for you! If you don’t have a mixer, you can knead the dough with your hands instead. You’ll just have to use a little more arm strength!
Steps
Step 1: make the brioche dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all the dry ingredients: flour, instant yeast, and salt. Then add in the honey and 3 large eggs. It’s best if the eggs are at room temperature.
What’s so nice about using instant yeast is that it allows you to skip the first rise and go almost directly to baking.
Mix the dough with the dough hook until it forms a smooth ball. Now cover the bowl and let the dough rest 15 minutes.
Step 2: make the honey butter
While the dough is resting, make the sage honey butter. Take those fresh sage leaves and fry them up in a skillet with a pat of butter. Get them crispy.
Once the leaves are fried, remove them from the skillet and chop them. Mix the chopped sage with salted, softened butter and honey.
Step 3: roll the dough out
Now, we can immediately move on to rolling out the dough.
On a floured counter, divide the dough in half, roll each half into a square, spread the sage butter on top, and cut each square into 6 long strips. Roll the dough up into a tight coil, like a cinnamon roll.
Arrange each roll seam side facing down in a 9×9 inch square baking dish.
Step 4: brush the rolls and let them rest
Next, beat 1 egg yolk with a splash of water. This is called an egg wash, and it creates a beautiful golden crust over each roll.
Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash, then let the rolls sit for another 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. They should get a little poufy and double in size.
Step 5: bake the rolls!
The final step is baking. These only take around 25 minutes, so they bake up fast!
As they bake, you’ll smell that wonderful smell of baking bread in the air—sweet honey, a touch of sage, and this eggy smell that I can’t quite explain but is wonderful. So cozy and perfect for this time of year.
Serve
As you can guess, I recommend serving these warm from the oven. You can also make them ahead of time and warm them up before you serve. The idea is that when you spread butter over each roll, it will quickly melt.
And I always serve these with extra flaked salt. Not only is it pretty, but it’s delightful with the sweet and savory mix of the sage honey butter. They’re SO GOOD every time. I mean, how can anything swirled with salted honey butter be bad? It just can’t.
Make these for Thanksgiving. They’re perfect for soaking up all that gravy and then eating for breakfast the next morning. I know you and your guests will love them!
Looking for other holiday bread recipes? Try these.
Salted Honey Butter Parker House Rolls
Perfect Popovers with Cranberry Butter
Pull-Apart Garlic Butter Bread Wreath
Salted Rosemary Popovers with Honey Butter
Parmesan Popovers with Crispy Sage Garlic Butter
Lastly, if you make these Salted Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Sage Honey Butter Brioche Rolls
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 292 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- flaky sea salt
Sage Honey Butter
- 12 sage leaves
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, honey, 3 whole eggs, and 6 tablespoons of butter. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add a 1/4 cup of flour at a time. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. 2. To make the sage honey butter. Fry the sage leaves with 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet set over medium heat. Remove from the pan and chop the leaves. Combine 6 tablespoons of butter and honey together in a small bowl. Mix in the fried sage and a good pinch of sea salt. 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 4. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half to a 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick. Brush each square with honey butter, saving any leftover butter for serving. Cut each square of dough into 6 strips. Roll each strip into a coil (see above photo) and arrange seam side down in the prepared baking dish.5. Brush the rolls with the beaten egg yolk. Cover the dish and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes until puffy.6. Bake the rolls for 22-25 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining honey butter. Pull them apart to serve warm with flaky sea salt.
Notes
To Make Ahead: prepare the rolls through step 4. Do not let the rolls rise at room temp. Cover the rolls and place in the fridge (up to overnight). When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake as directed.
To Prepare and Freeze: assemble the rolls through step 5, then cover the pan and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the rolls overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours. Once thawed, bake as directed.
To Bake and Freeze: bake the rolls as directed and let cool completely. Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and warm before serving.
To Use Active Dry Yeast: Mix 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast with the warm milk and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy on top. Add the flour and follow the directions as listed for the remainder of the recipe.
This post was originally published on November 12, 2024
These are absolutely amazing! Perfectly soft and doughy inside with a beautiful brown top. Everyone LOVED them and these will now be a staple in our house for any holiday dinner. And every moment in-between. My super picky 7yr old just asked me to make them for today just because.
Hey Kristen,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your thoughts, so happy it worked for you!
Have a great Thanksgiving!
I love this recipe! If I wanna double the recipe are there any measurements that would need to stay the same or do i double everything?
Thanks so much, Marcilla!! I would double all of the ingredients:)
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Hi! I’m planning on making these today and then putting them in the fridge to bake off tomorrow. What’s the maximum amount of time that they can be in the refrigerator before baking? Can it be longer than 24 hours?
Hi Jen,
Thanks for choosing to make this recipe! They will be perfectly fine to make today and keep in the fridge until tomorrow:)
I hope you love these rolls. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Hello! I don’t have a stand mixer with dough hook, can you give instructions how to make for those without? Thank you!
Hi Lou,
You can mix with a wooden spoon and knead by hand until you have a smooth dough ball.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I plan on making these and driving to my relatives house on thanksgiving. What is the best way to re-heat them so they are warm before dinner?
Hi Samantha,
I would cover with foil and warm on low in the oven for 15 minutes. I hope you love this recipe!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m making these the night before Thanksgiving but I have to transport them to my family’s house (a/b a 30 minute drive). Which make ahead strategy would work best for me? Thank you!
Hey Marian,
I would just use the make ahead instructions and either bake them at home or at your family member’s house:)
I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
Rolls did not come out brown like the photo more pale and they lacked the fluffyness shown. Not sure what I did wrong could have needed for time to rise?? No sure.
Hi Marissa,
Very sorry to hear this! How long did you bake for? Was there anything you adjusted? Did the dough rise properly? Let me know:)
Recipe was great. Given the precision of baking, do you recommend 3 1/2 or 4 cups of flour? Have you published the recipe anywhere in grams? 🙂
Thanks so much, Tom!! I like to start with 3 1/2 cups of flour and slowly add more if needed. You can covert the recipe to metrics under the ingredient list. I hope this helps!
Can I make this with active dry yeast?
Hi Madelyn,
You bet, you will just need to proof the yeast first. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
I made these and they were great. Maybe cut back a bit on the amount of honey sage butter inside (it got a bit messy). 🤷♂️. They took a bit longer to make I found.
Question: I’m making them a few hours ahead for a Friendsgiving. If I used a small portion of the flour/water in the recipe to make a TANGZHONG, would it help keep them fresh/soft/fluffy when reheating later in the day?
Hey James,
I am so glad you loved these! Thank you for this great feedback!!
In regard to your question, I’m not sure what you are asking. Can you clarify for me so I can make sure to help.
Thank you!
Can you use powdered sage instead of sage leaves?
Hi Jose,
I think sage leaves are best here, but powdered sage should be okay for you to use.
Please let me know if you give this recipe a try!
I made these last year and they were a huge hit! I want to double the recipe this year – what size baking dish would you recommend for that?
Hey Susie,
Awesome!! So glad to hear everyone enjoyed these rolls last year! I would double and use a 9×13 baking pan.
Happy Holidays!
Could you make these ahead of time & refrigerate or freeze before baking?
Hi Jenni,
You bet! You can follow any of the make ahead instructions written above:)
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I’m not a baker, so this was a little intimidating. BUT, it really isn’t a difficult recipe at all and oh so delicious! Thank you for providing steps to make and freeze because that’s what I did. I baked 6 tonight (8×8 pan) and prepped 6 and froze for Thanksgiving day. I’ll have plenty to do that day, so defrosting them the night before and popping them in the oven that morning is perfect! Thank you!
Hey Julie,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, I am so glad to hear it turned out well for you!
Just made them on a practice run in anticipation of Friendsgiving. They’re delish. Had a little trouble crisping the fresh sage leaves though and they took a bit longer to bake than anticipated. Got them 195F in about 30 mins.
I’m taking them to the party so I don’t think I can bake them there. Will bake in advance. What temp and time do you recommend for heating them up?
Hey James,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was a hit. I would just warm on low for 15 minutes. Have the best week!
Hi Tieghan…I tried making these w/ Cup-4-Cup gluten free flour…knew it was a long shot that they’d turn out. The dough was sooooo easy to work with, but it didn’t rise. Any suggestions?
Hey Kathy,
Awesome!! For the rise, I would choose a super warm spot in your kitchen, you could even turn the oven on and let the bowl sit on top of the warm oven. I hope this helps!