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My family is so important to me. I draw so much inspiration from my mom, grandmas and everything they have taught me. The holidays are always a time to cherish those traditional moments and dishes that bring the family together. For me, butterhorns are one of those items. First my grandma, then my mom have always made these for family gatherings. These are soft and light dinner rolls that are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and full of buttery flavor. They have been a family staple for years and I hope they become one for yours as well. I love to bake with mom and having her help me bring you this recipe was such a joy!
These freeze well and can be made one week in advance and frozen in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and warm just before serving. These will definitely need to be passed around for seconds and probably even thirds! Enjoy the holiday season and the warm family memories it brings!
More Dough Recipes
- Beer bread
- Herb cheese biscuits
- Homemade stromboli
- Easy pizza dough
- No-fail dilly bread
- Homemade pizza dough
- Hearty grain bread
Watch how to make these butterhorns:
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Butterhorns
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to 180°F to 185°F
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 pkg) instant yeast
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 4-4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted (for brushing)
Instructions
- Place butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour the scalded milk into the bowl. Mix until the butter and sugar are dissolved, and the mixture cools slightly to 120°F or less, 6 minutes.8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 cup whole milk
- Add beaten eggs to the warm mixture and mix. Add 4 cups flour and the instant yeast. Use the stand mixer (or by hand) and knead the dough until it is smooth and beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 6-8 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl and is tacky, you will need to add more flour, 1-2 tbsp at a time, until smooth.3 large eggs, 4-4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ tsp (1 pkg) instant yeast
- Once the dough clears the side of the mixing bowl and just slightly sticks to the bottom of the mixing bowl, remove the dough and knead a few times by hand on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be slightly tacky but not stick to the board while you are continually kneading.
- Put the dough in a large oiled bowl to rise. Place a damp towel (or plastic wrap) over the bowl to ensure the dough will not dry out. Put the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Once risen, punch down the dough and cut it in thirds. Shape each third into a ball and punch out any air bubbles. Roll out each dough ball to a 15-inch circle (about ¼-inch thick) on a well-floured surface. Brush with melted butter, then cut into 12 triangles, as one would for a pizza. Start by cutting in quarters, then each quarter into three triangles. Take one triangle, stretch the end slightly, then roll up tightly. Pinch the ends to create a seal, then place the pinched end down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the prepared butterhorns raise until they are about doubled in size (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).
- Place into a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 8-15 minutes, switching racks and watching carefully to ensure the tops and bottoms do not overbake but turn lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Let cool but serve warm.6 tbsp unsalted butter
YUM, Kaleb and Jodi! Great video! Jodi, you’re a natural! I make some pretty decent butterhorn rolls, too, but mine aren’t as light as some others I’ve had, so I’ve been considering using a slightly different recipe. Now I know which one to try! My mom was a great teacher, too, so I make mine just about the same way you do. You’re right in saying that they are basically easy to make, but there are some tricks that really help. I’m sure many more people will be willing to try them after watching your video. I’m going to try your recipe next week when I make my rolls for Thanksgiving. Hopefully changing the proportions of the ingredients just a little bit will make my rolls even better and lighter!
Absolutely love this video! Motivated to go bake some butterhorns now…:)
Teach Rachel how to make these, Kaleb! Wow! That is so exciting!
Loved the video! A great teaching skill for beginning bakers.
Kaleb,
Definitely going to have to make these this year!
Thank you for mom’s recipe!
When I saw the video for your mom’s thanksgiving roll recipe, I knew I had to try them. Well today was the day! They are now raising, soon to be in the oven. So far, so good! If it continues to go this well, I’ll be making them from now on. Most of the time put into this recipe is waiting for them to raise. They’re so easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Is this all purpose or self rising
If your recipe uses yeast, you use all purpose flour. Self rising has leveling added, and you don’t need that with the yeast.
If your recipe uses yeast, you use all purpose flour. Self rising has leavening added, and you don’t need that with the yeast.
Wish me luck I’ll going to make butter horn rolls the day before Thanksgiving. Thank you and mom for sharing. God Bless
I have to laugh when it said serving, 1 roll. Nope, it’s more like 5 rolls! Lol.
Really would love to try this recipe. This is my favorite roll. What is the best way to freeze these?
We have always baked them fully, let them cool and they freeze in an even layer. Once frozen you can stack them but if you stack them before frozen they will crush each other!
Hi Kaleb
So I am going to freeze mine to have ready beforehand.
Do you bake, brush butter on roll , cool and freeze ?
I’m thinking brushing butter on after reheating would be the way to go.
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving !
I don’t have a stand mixer.
Can I knead this dough like I do when I make bread?
Of Course, I actually think the texture is usually better when kneaded by hand!
I watched this wonderful video of you and your Mom last night. I am so excited to give them a try. I always make dinner rolls for the holidays. I think it’s time to mix it up and use your recipe. At 70 one should try new things. Thank you both for the recipe and wonderful directions to follow. The love you share with your Mom is beautiful. Happy Holidays to you both.
I can’t wait for you to try them!
Are they good to reheat in the oven the next day
These look delicious! If frozen, do the rolls just need to thaw out on the counter (no reheating necessary)? Thanks for sharing!
The dough is in my oven – proofing right now! Testing for next week!! Cannot wait!
Beautiful. My mother used to make these. How could I have forgotten them??? They were awesome. I’m going to make them this holiday.
Do you think they would be ok to make to last rising and then cover and keep in frig overnight to bake in morning? I’ve done with other recipes wondering if you have.
Hi Kaleb … long time lurker, first time commenter here. I have question about the yeast. I have *never* worked with instant or rapid yeast, just the old fashioned “slow” stuff. If I want to use my preferred yeast (which requires some warm water and a pinch of sugar to activate), are there any alterations that I need to keep in mind when making these on Friday for brunch?
Thanks for sharing this fabulous family recipe! These will be such a Thanksgiving treat for my small family gathering. I loved the video so much…your mom is awesome!
I’m so excited to make these fir my Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed watching you and your Mom make them. I love your videos!!! Thank you for making them
Cheryl Rosner
Kaleb and Jodi,
I’ve just found you in the past two days. I can’t stop watching recipes. Cannot wait to try these next week.
Great videos, fun to watch and learn as well. My husband works in the icu so I prepare everything here at home because he can’t socialize. So thank you for the wonderful interesting classes.
Love this recipe!!!! Never made any kind of dough!!!! You guys make it looks so easy!!! I am definitely making these rolls. Thank you.
I can’t wait to try to make these ahead for next week. My dad is going to love this!
It has yeast…. already has a leavening agent, so it would be all purpose.
Love this!! Thank you for sharing. Working on making them now. They r rising!!! Trial run for thanksgiving.
After watching this video I used your recipe and made them for the first time ever. Delicious!
In your video you said you can freeze the rolls. When in the process do you freeze the rolls?
Freeze them after you bake them.
Can I freeze or refrig the dough the day before and then bake the day we get to eat them? Need details, never ever bread baker here. Thank you
Loved this! Very yummy and easy to do! I love the videos for these recipes as well. Very helpful and fun to watch. Thank you for the rolls!
Hi, Kim. The correct yeast to use is instant yeast (not rapid rise). Enjoy!
Thank you, Kaleb! I enjoyed watching you and your mum make these together! Happy Thanksgiving! ~Shirley
These look amazing! Want to make them but the recipe is a tad too large for me (even with the option to freeze leftovers). Have you done 1/2 a recipe? Can it be done? Concerned on the egg ratio… Let me know what you recommend. Thank you so much!!!
What if I have regular yeast? How do I proof it for this recipe?
I cant wait to try and make these, I love all your videos.
You bring so much joy into my life with your positivity.
Thank you
Making these tonight! They are rising in the oven now! Looking awesome
I just took the pan out of the oven. The bottoms are much more browned than the tops, I hope they are baked enough…
Thanks, these will definitely be on our holiday table! Wishing y’all a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving.
Hello Kaleb,
Just discovered you today and loved your mother/son video. I immediately made the butterhorns and they came out perfectly. I made the dough in my bread maker as I always do, and then, as I always do, took it out for rising, shaping and baking. They were moist, flaky and crispy. (I didn’t butter them when they came out of the oven because I like the crispiness). I put half of dough in fridge to make the rest tomorrow. My new favorite roll! Thanks! BTW instant and rapid rise yeast are the same.
Made them for Thanksgiving, soft, warm, luscious. I used King Arthur bread flour, regular yeast as I did not have instant on hand. Just cooled some of the milk and added 2 tsp of sugar to bloom the yeast. Worked fine. Will definitely make them again.
Made them for Thanksgiving, soft, warm, luscious. I used King Arthur bread flour, regular yeast as I did not have instant on hand. Just cooled some of the milk and added 2 tsp of sugar to bloom the yeast. Worked fine. Will definitely make them again.
I made these yesterday for the first time and they are sooo delicious! Just like I remember from my teenage years. My mom bought rolls every Thanksgiving from an elderly lady in our town.
I also have a question. Wonder how this dough would work for cinnamon rolls?
I made these a few weeks ago now I’m making it again but this time I’m going to divide dough in half and coat with butter and roll them into 2 bread loaves. I’ll let you know what happend they are just about done rising. One I may unincorporate some garlic in 🤷 who knows.
Made these and the family loved them. Going to try them with cinnamon and sugar next!
Easy to make wonderful butter flavour
Hello Mr Guide,
Just watched the video for the butter horns and
Loved it. You and your Mom are so cute together. I have not made your butter horns, but I will. They look easy. Of course, pros like you made it look easy. I will try.
Make these for the second time today but with a twist. I made half of them into cinnamon rolls, so tasty.
We love your videos, thank you ☺️
Loved the video with your mom. I’ve been baking them ever since, and I switched them around as you suggested. I made cinnamon buns, and they are my husband’s favourite. I can’t get over how beautiful the dough texture is.
Thank you to you both for sharing this gem❣️
Thanks to you and your mom for making this great tutorial! As you suggested I tried Cinnamon Buns, and my husband loves them. I marvel each time at how beautiful and light the dough is. Thank you both for sharing this gem.
Hi Kaleb,
I enjoy watching your videos and how you love to cook. We also have a farm and you remind me of my oldest son that lives in Washington. I live in Texas so we don’t get to cook together as much as we used to when he was at home. I enjoy hearing about your family and especially your Grandmothers. They have taught you well. Good luck in all you do and continued success with the videos. By the way, these butterhorns look delicious!
Laurie Coogler
Shepherd, TX
Hi Caleb, love your recipes. I love to watchbyour videos. I have a question about freezing the butterhorns. Do you bake them first or freeze them raw?
I love watching your videos.
I just watched the video of you and your Mom ~ heart melting ❤️
Thank you for sharing the love ❤️
Happy Holidays
Sara
I’m so lucky to call her mom!
Hi!
Have you tried brushing them with butter and putting shaved German chocolate in them? MMMMMM.
I was so excited to try and make these after watching you cook with your mum. I’ve never heard of them (I’m Australian) but I gave it my best and did 12 plain, 12 with raspberry jam and 12 with cinnamon sugar. Loved by the whole family!! Thanks so much. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Hi, love butterhorns! You said in the video you heat the oven and then turn it off and let them rise in the oven. What do you heat the oven to and how long do you wait?
Looks so yummy love watching you and your mama I hope you have a great holiday
I am really happy to have this recipe the video brings so much memory when I was in the kitchen with my mom thanks so much ❤️
Help! Pretty experienced breadmaker here… I made your butterhorn recipe and made rolls with the dough …. they were very dry…I know the butterhorns have additional melted butter in them, so should I not make rolls out of this recipe? I did put butter on top when they came out of the oven… and they tasted amazing, but…
Just wondering if the butterhorns can be made ahead of time and heated up on a low temperature when needed?
Every time I’ve made these, they turn out great. My family loves them! Thanks for a great recipe.
Made with my granddaughter. These are perfect every time! Lovely recipe for a tender roll. YUM
If freezing them, would you freeze the butter horns before the last rise or after they rise?
Kaleb, just watched your butterhorn rolls video. Your mom is so great. I’m not clear on freezing. Do you cook before you freeze? Really want to make ahead for Thanksgiving
Nice to meet u! Thanks for the help and recipes!! Love watching your shows.
Could the butterhorns be frozen before the final rise, unbaked then thawed to raise? Thank you
I watched your Facebook video with your Mom making these. So fun! You mentioned you can freeze these before baking. At what point in the process do you freeze and how does that affect baking time?
Made this with my daughter, we loved it. I didn’t butter the dough after rolling it and my rolls didn’t come apart. Saw this tip somewhere else. These are delicious, thanks for sharing.
I’ve made these a few times and they are THE BEST rolls. My son (25 so not a kiddo) ate 6 of them. I now send them to him a few times a year.
The BEST!!!!
These were the sooo soft and fluffy. I’ve never had good luck with bread but these turned out amazing! This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Do you freeze before baking or after baking? I am making these ahead for Thanksgiving.
Thank you!
Cathy
I froze them after baking and it they turned out lovely!
I made this recipe last year and it was the hit of the meal! My granddaughter came over to help me. We are making it a tradition! Not only are we making butterhorns but we are making the pumpkin ice box cake as well. Happy thanksgiving Kaleb to you and your family!
Do you have to freeze them if you make them the night before serving?
First trying these and we loved them!! I normally make Parker rolls but the video got me to trying something different. Love the traditions shared with your family!
I love your recipes and I am new to making bread I don’t have rapid rise yeast. So my question is, it took A lot of effort to roll them out. What did I do wrong? The rolls were, are delicious but I feel like I made an error some where?
My mom used to make these at holidays, too. I had lost the recipe! Love this recipe. The only thing I would change is to use egg wash on top before you bake them and they get a beautiful golden color! Thanks. Our Christmas Day will be complete with these rolls! Brings back memories! ❤️
Hi, I love to watch you and your recipes! I make your butter horns. They are wonderful. I have a recipe from my mom, who got it from her mom. Your recipe is almost the same one. They are fantastic!! Thanks for the great recipes!! Family recipes are the best! I’m going to try your lemon pie for Easter!
Can I refrigerate the rolls before baking & bake the next day?
I love watching you and your mom baking together. I followed your video to the letter and the rolls came out soft and flaky. My family will love these at the Thanksgiving table!
OMG, I am in heaven! I made these tonight to see if they would turn out good for Thanksgiving, and let me just say, this is the best I’ve ever had. They were so soft, and the taste was amazing! I was worried, because I live at high altitude, but they turned out perfect! Thank you for such a great recipe, I will never make another roll recipe again. No need to look anywhere else with this recipe!
My mom made crescent rolls (butterhorns) for the holidays that I LOVED.
I would fill up on them, and not have room to eat anything else. She got a bit fed up dealing with yeast and her recipe wasn’t always reliable. I told her I would try to find a better one, and found Kaleb’s family recipe. This is ABSOLUTELY worth the time to make, and it is very nice dough to handle. They taste GREAT and will be on our menu for Christmas dinner. The youtube video Kaleb posted with his mom is very helpful.
Never successfully made any type of bread until this recipe!! The video describes how to do it perfectly!! They are delicious and dangerous! I ate 3 before I knew it!! Thanks Kaleb and your wonderful Mom!