These Homemade Buttered Rosemary and Sea Salt bread rolls are baked in a cast-iron skillet, then doused with melted butter, chopped rosemary and a little sea salt. These can be ready in less than hour, and they are tender and so addictive!
Oh, how I love my cast iron skillet! Baking bread rolls in a cast-iron skillet is a game changer. So are these rolls!
With a Kitchen Aid Stand mixer, I can have bread dough mixed together and rising in the oven (as an incubator) in fifteen minutes! For real. I didn’t photograph how to make the dough, because…well, I was so intent on surprising my husband with these dinner rolls that I didn’t want to stop to photograph. I started these at 4:00pm. I literally mixed the yeast, added the rest of the flour and let the dough hook mix all of this together in five minutes.
I have a trick that works well for me– I turn the oven on to WARM and preheat to 200 F. Then I turn it off. 45 minutes later, my dough has doubled. I like to use plastic buckets, with a lid, that I’ve seen at restaurant supply stores. Otherwise, an oiled bowl and plastic wrap works well, too. My recipe is part white flour and part whole wheat. It’s delicious and, so far, it’s my favorite bread roll.
Now that the dough is made, it’s time to shape them into nine rolls, cover them up with a clean cloth (of course) …
and let them double for another thirty minutes–
Yeah… like that…
These took less than 20 minutes to double, after the first rise. For the next step…
I have lots of rosemary in our yard. You need a sprig or two. You also want sea salt. Not table salt. Kosher salt will do, but this sea salt is perfect.
Pull off the rosemary, from each stem, and chop it…
I melted half a stick of butter and brushed it on. Gently! You don’t want to deflate the dough!
Oh yeah. See the puddle of melted butter? This is gettin’ good. It’s now a little after 5pm. Husband is home. Soup’s on and this is going to be the perfect way to enjoy it.
So, now, the chopped rosemary is evenly sprinkled on top…
Now, for some salt… nice and even. Not too much!
Sea Salt and Rosemary are a beautiful pairing…
So one more step…
Just a little more butter gets dabbed onto the rosemary. I preheated the oven to 375F.
20 minutes later, these were golden and smelling so good! I had to brush more butter on top. That just seemed right to me.
The rolls are beautifully browned, and they smell so good.
Oh, these are going to be something I make on a regular basis. 5:30pm arrived and the bread was ready to be tasted…
Tender, buttery and the rosemary and sea salt takes these to a higher level!
TASTING NOTES: My husband gave these five stars. He doesn’t do that so easily. I could eat these every day. Maybe I will! These are so easy to make. Honest.
NOTE: I buy my vital wheat gluten online at King Arthur Flour. It helps whole grain based dough to rise better.
Homemade Buttered Rosemary and Sea Salt Skillet Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water 105°F to 110°F
- 1 pkg bread machine yeast or instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup milk just to scalding hot (do not simmer or boil)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour dough will be somewhat sticky, but the less you use, the lighter the rolls
- 1 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten optional
- 2 tablespoons butter melted, for brushing
Garnish:
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt not table salt!
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes until mixture foams up.If using instant yeast, there is no need to dissolve it in the water and sugar. Just add to the dry ingredients.
- Heat milk in microwave (or in small saucepan on stove top)
- Add sugar, butter, salt to hot milk and stir until butter is melted. Cool to 105°F to 110°F.
- Pour milk mixture into bowl of stand mixer.
- Add the yeast mixture; egg and mix together.
- Mix in all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten (if using), beating to form a soft dough. Knead with mixer for 5 minutes, adding extra flour, if needed.
- Place dough in warm oiled or buttered bowl, turning greased side up. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place* until doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes.
- NOTE: I preheat the oven on WARM and then immediately turn it off. My dough rises in 45 minutes. I use bread machine fast-acting yeast.
- Gently, press dough down and hand-knead for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface.
- Divide dough into 9 pieces and shape into round rolls. Place them, into a seasoned and lightly oiled cast iron skillet.
- Cover with a clean cloth & let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 20 minutes. (I return them to the oven, until it’s time to preheat it for baking).
- OPTIONAL: Melt 1/2 stick of butter, and brush all over the rolls– gently, so you don’t deflate them. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt & rosemary.
- Bake at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
- Brush tops of rolls with additional melted butter, while they are hot!
- MY TOUCH: brush with additional melted butter and inhale the aroma in the kitchen….heavenly!
Notes
Nutrition
These look like the most luscious dinner rolls I have ever seen. Been wanting to try my hand at bread and roll recipes. But do tell, where do you find 'vital wheat gluten'. I so want to make these your way! Thanks for the beautiful pictures, we do eat with our eyes as they say!
Debby, these rolls look absolutely delicious. There is nothing like a good yeast roll. I love your method of 'proofing' them in a warm oven… brilliant idea. I can't wait to try them. Thanks
Deb,
What beautiful perfect dinner rolls!
I love my cast iron skillet and don't use it enough.
I finally ordered PW cookbook, since every blogger seems to love it! I have to see what all the buzz is about.
I can smell those rolls from NJ!
Boy do those ever look delish! Looks like the perfect thing to have with a steaming bowl of soup!
This could be the entire meal! They look heavenly and I can imagine the wonderful aroma in kitchen! I tackled yeast seriously for a first time last year….I have been waiting for cool weather to jump back on the train! I must try these.
You may have outdone PW with this one, Deb 😉 Home-made bread dough is the best! And aren't u a lucky gal to have tons of rosemary on hand whenever u want! Love Ree's recipes, and am marking this for my list.
oh i printed this recipe up too and forgot to make them, you are driving me wild again with your great pics! they look delish~
These look so buttery and delicious!! I want the fluffy one right in the middle ;D
I buy my vital wheat gluten online at King Arthur Flour. I've noticed that it really helps my whole wheat bread to rise higher.
Congratulations, Debby ~ on a perfect roll! I too, make mine homemade AND swear by vital wheat gluten. PW Cooks was the first blog I was invited to read and I was totally sucked in…don't have her cookbook and would love to have it…
Those rolls are making me drool! 😉
Wow, that is drop-dead-gorgeous!! I mean seriously, I want to tear into them with a passion right now. Glad to hear PW's book is good…can't wait to get a copy 🙂
Your pictures look so good! Only thing is, where's the recipe for the dough?
I am going to HAVE to make these. mmmmmm………..
Oh these look so good!! I need to give these a try. I haven't made the homemade stock yet – but I will! I used your tip on freezing bacon – perfect!
It has been awhile since I checked out your blog (unfortunately life has gotten in the way of my aspirations!) but it looks FABULOUS! I love the layout! I just printed this recipe and this week we are going to have it…they look so good I could eat the picture.
I was in love with this recipe as soon as I saw it and I am EVEN MORE in love with it now!
Thank you for including your own bread recipe, I am definitely doing it your way!
I am going to a PW booksigning soon and can't wait.
To view the recipe, scroll down to the bottom. If you are receiving my blog via FEEDBURNER, then you need to JUMP to my blogsite to view it.
I saw these last week on her blog and they looked so good. I might have to add a little garlic to the topping too. That would be so good!
I know what your surprise is and i'm so jealous.
WOW! Your blog makes me think Im actually eating what you post! Awesome job.
YUM! Just went to my mom's house and borrowed her cast iron skillet. Can't wait to make these – they look so delish!!
I saw those rolls on her site, now that you took the plunge I must also! I have a proof feature on my new oven, love it! Those rolls look so good, your hubby is a lucky man!
These are really gorgeous. While I have a similar recipe, I want to give these a try.
The look amazng! I just got some Himalayan sea salt from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com and I think it would taste amazing sprinkled on these rolls. I'm doing a test run and then making them for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing!
Oh these are gorgeously beautiful, seriously. I am trying these soon. I ama huge fan of PW also. Where is vital wheat gluten located ? In the supermarket?
I don't think I have ever seen a Roll look so good and that is the truth!! They are a perfect addition to any dinner!!
Gin
i don't know if dinner rolls could look any prettier than yours. the rosemary adds that special touch! stunning!
I love Ree! She has such wonderful recipes and takes the most fantastic pictures.
Your rolls look so darned good!!!
Your bread photos seriously fall into the food-porn catagory…how delicious!!! I make a ton of bread, but I've never made bread in my cast iron pan..will have to try that.
Dear Debby – you are a master-chef! I can't stop looking at your amazing dinner rolls – they are so beautiful and so yummy looking. xxx
They look delicious. I have to get the vital wheat gluten though so they turn out like yours. Also, I think I may have an old cast iron skillet in the garage…I have to dig through stuff, but these will be perfect for Thanksgiving Dinner!!!
Don't get me wrong, I love the Pioneer Woman's blog but – she is really the Sandra Lee of the blogosphere. She often takes processed food shortcuts that aren't so healthy. I just want to say good for you going the extra mile and making healthy homemade rolls instead of using processed food. The rolls are gorgeous!! Now I want to make them!!
Oh my! Pioneer Woman doesn't even come close to Sandra Lee's processed food recipes! I think, the majority of Ree's recipes don't use a lot of processed foods– I don't use any kind of cake mixes or canned soup mixes, and I don't think I've spotted PW using them, either. I was a little surprised that PW used frozen bread dough, because rolls are so easy to make, I think.
I have to say, though, that the roll recipe I used here really is one of my very favorites of all time.
Thanks for sending these beautiful rolls to YeastSpotting. Rosemary and salt — great combination!
Your rolls just came out of the oven and I gave you all the credit on my blog today. Thank you so much.
oh, my GOSH! Debby, you've converted me. I plan to make these rolls from scratch per your inspiration. My house is usually too cold in the wintertime to get dough to rise, so I'll use your trick.
Thanks!
Debby,
Your rolls look divine. I've tried Ree's with the frozen dough and now want to try yours. I noticed that you call for whole wheat flour in the ingredient list, but call it whole wheat *pastry* flour in the directions. I have both types but want to know which one to use.
I'm making these today, so if you get this message, would you comment today? Thanks so much!
Ooops! thank you for pointing that out! I used whole wheat flour. The vital wheat gluten isn't required, but it helps the bread to have a better rise.
Thanks for your very prompt reply 🙂
Whole wheat flour it is!
Diane
I can't imagine anyone's mouth NOT watering by viewing your gorgeous pictures! I LOOOOVE homemade rolls…love the fragrance in my kitchen when they're baking…love to eat them warm….love to share them with others. Certainly have to try these soon – thanks for sharing! MMMM!
Oh Debby, I guess I'm not alone in being awed by these rolls, your photo is stunning! I have always wanted to master the art of the dinner roll, and I guess I need to get started with this recipe, thanks!
Okay…cool weather is here…I have company coming for dinner on Thursday. These rolls will be on the table!
Has anyone tried making the dough in a bread machine?
I see no reason why you can’t mix the dough in a bread machine. I’d still bake them in a skillet or a pan.