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See 5 recipes Download free cookbookHoney Butter Buttermilk Cloverleaf Rolls
Buttermilk Cloverleaf Rolls
Soft, pull-apart buttermilk rolls baked in a muffin tin and brushed with warm honey butter. Their tender crumb and lightly burnished tops make them a welcoming homemade bread for a traditional family dinner.
Prep Time:130 minCook Time:18 minTotal Time:148 minServings:12Difficulty:Medium
Cloverleaf rolls turn a simple enriched dough into a basket of bread that feels made for passing around the table. Three small dough balls nestle into each muffin cup, creating a handsome top and soft sections that pull apart easily.
Buttermilk gives these rolls a gentle tang and a tender crumb without making them heavy. A modest amount of honey rounds out the dough, while the final honey-butter glaze adds shine and just enough sweetness to complement a savory dinner.
These rolls are especially useful beside pot roast because their feathery interiors catch every bit of gravy. Their restrained flavor also sits comfortably alongside green beans and leaves room for nostalgic desserts at the end of the meal.
Serve the rolls warm in a cloth-lined basket for a relaxed, multigenerational supper. Leftovers stay soft when wrapped well and can be reheated briefly, making them a practical bread to bake earlier in the day.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories:238 kcal
Protein:6 g
Carbs:37 g
Fat:7 g
Directions
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1
Warm the buttermilk in a small saucepan over low heat until it reaches 105–110°F; it may look slightly separated, which is normal. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the honey and the yeast. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until a creamy foam forms on the surface.
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2
Whisk the egg and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter into the yeast mixture. Add 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, then stir with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy, moist dough forms.
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3
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, adding only enough of the remaining flour to keep it from sticking. The finished dough should feel supple and slightly tacky and spring back slowly when pressed.
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4
Grease a clean bowl with the softened butter. Shape the dough into a ball, turn it in the bowl to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60–75 minutes, until doubled in size.
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5
Brush a standard 12-cup muffin tin with some of the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into 36 equal pieces, about 1 ounce each. Roll each piece against the work surface under a cupped hand to form a smooth ball.
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6
Place three dough balls, seam sides down, in each muffin cup. Cover the pan loosely and let the rolls rise for 35–45 minutes, until puffy and the dough crowns just above the rims. During the last 15 minutes, heat the oven to 375°F.
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7
Brush the risen rolls lightly with the rest of the reserved melted butter. Bake for 17–19 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are deep golden and the center of a roll registers about 190°F.
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8
Stir the glaze honey and melted butter together. Immediately brush the hot rolls with the honey butter, allowing it to settle into the cloverleaf seams.
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9
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a thin knife and transfer the rolls to a basket or rack. Serve warm, or cool completely before wrapping for later reheating.
Ingredients
- Whole Buttermilk:1 1/4 cups
- Honey:3 tablespoons
- Active Dry Yeast:2 1/4 teaspoons
- Large Egg:1
- Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled:5 tablespoons
- All-Purpose Flour:4 cups
- Fine Sea Salt:1 1/2 teaspoons
- Unsalted Butter, Softened:1 tablespoon
- Honey for the Glaze:1 tablespoon
- Unsalted Butter for the Glaze, Melted:1 tablespoon
Tips & Notes
- If the kitchen is cool, let the covered dough rise in an unheated oven with only the oven light switched on.
- For evenly sized rolls, weigh the dough and divide the total weight by 36 before shaping.
- Reheat wrapped rolls in a 300°F oven for about 8 minutes, then brush with a little extra butter if desired.
