Salted Honey Butter Buns

      Tessa's Recipe Overview

      TASTE: A delightful mix of sweet and salty, perfectly balanced.

      TEXTURE: Extremely soft and tender!

      EASE: The dough is a bit sticky before the initial rise, but subsequently, it's a pleasure to handle.

      WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: I prepared 30 of these rolls for 19 guests at Thanksgiving, and they disappeared in just 10 minutes. A definite success.

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      I can't stress enough how entirely enamored I am with this recipe. After multiple rounds of testing, I made it four additional times for various events and gatherings.

      I served it to friends during a BBQ night with brisket and creamed corn, and again at Thanksgiving. Note to self: plan for a triple batch next year! I also made it for breakfast sandwiches (absolutely fantastic!).

      It always satisfies. I’ve got a few baked dinner rolls stashed in my freezer for the next craving. I know they won't be around for long!

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      Sprinkle of Science

      **Key Ingredient Insights**

      Whole Milk: The fat in whole milk provides important richness to these rolls. Here are a couple of substitution ideas:

      1 cup + 2 tablespoons of 2% milk plus 2 tablespoons of half-and-half

      1 cup + 3 tablespoons of 2% milk plus 1 tablespoon of heavy cream

      Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter, but if you only have salted, reduce the salt in the recipe to 1 ¼ teaspoons.

      Eggs: Crucial for creating rich, tender, and golden brown rolls. I haven't found a suitable alternative.

      Honey: The star ingredient! It adds sweetness to the dough and feeds the yeast, which is especially helpful for such a rich dough that would otherwise slow down yeast activity. The final touch: brush melted butter and honey onto the rolls right after baking for a beautiful glossy finish.

      Instant Yeast: Since this dough is very enriched, instant yeast speeds up the rising times. Even so, anticipate each rise to take around 90 minutes. You can use active dry yeast in equal measure instead of instant yeast, but be aware your dough will take even longer to rise. Make sure your milk and butter mixture is around 115-120°F to activate the yeast in either case!

      Salt: I prefer the taste of sea salt in the dough, but table salt works too. Avoid kosher salt due to its coarser granules, which won’t dissolve easily, and the inconsistent saltiness in different brands. I also finish these rolls with flaky sea salt, like Maldon!

      Bread Flour: I know it may not be a pantry staple, but it’s essential for developing gluten in these rolls, helping the dough rise tall and bake up fluffy. I like King Arthur flour.

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      **How to Make (Step by Step)**

      1. Heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Cool the mixture to about 115-120°F before adding it to the yeast. If it’s too hot, the yeast will die; if too cold, the dough will take a long time to rise.

      2. Combine the ingredients. Start with the wet ones, then add half the flour until a shaggy mass forms. Gradually mix in the remaining flour to avoid a flour cloud in your kitchen!

      3. Knead the dough. Given that it's a sticky dough, using a stand mixer with a dough hook is helpful. Knead on medium-low speed for at least 10 minutes until a soft, smooth, and elastic dough forms. The dough will be somewhat sticky.

      4. First rise. Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl. To manage the stickiness, use a flexible plastic bench scraper. Cover tightly and let it rise in a warm location until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours.

      5. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. You can eyeball this, or use a scale by weighing the entire dough mass and dividing it by 15. Each piece will weigh about 80 grams, depending on added flour.

      6. Shape each piece into a tight ball by pulling pieces of dough to a central point and pinching it to create surface tension. Roll each ball on an unfloured surface and place them seam side down in the prepared pan. If shaped too loosely, the rolls might end up flat.

      7. Second rise. Cover and allow the shaped dough to rise until puffy and about doubled in size, roughly 1 hour to 90 minutes.

      8. Bake. Brush with egg wash and bake at 375°F for 20-22 minutes until golden brown.

      9. Top with honey butter. As soon as they are out of the oven, brush with a mixture of melted butter and honey, then sprinkle with flaky