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Why I Love Butterhorns
Like so many, my family is super important to me. Over the years, I’ve drawn so much inspiration from my mom and grandmas, and everything they’ve 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.
Butterhorns are soft yeast dinner rolls made by rolling wedges of dough into a crescent shape. My grandma Conrad made them all of the time for family gatherings, and my mom carried on the tradition. They have a tender crumb and just a little bit of sweetness, which means they’re the rolls I always look forward to seeing on the holiday table.
One batch makes 36 soft, buttery rolls, and you can bake and freeze them ahead for a holiday meal.
These homemade rolls make a meal feel special, using ingredients you probably already have. And even though it makes a lot, you’ll definitely need that amount since everyone will be asking for seconds and thirds!
Here’s why you’ll love these, too:
- A soft, rich dough – Milk, butter, and eggs give the rolls their classic, tender texture.
- Butter in every layer – Brushing the dough before rolling adds buttery flavor inside, with another brushing after baking.
- Plenty to share – Each of the three dough circles makes 12 rolls, for 36 total.
- Easy to make ahead – Bake and freeze the rolls, then thaw and warm them before serving.
Butterhorns Ingredients
You’ll probably already have most (if not all!) of these ingredients in your kitchen:
- Whole milk – Whole milk adds lots of richness to the dough. Use a thermometer to check that it’s warm (100°F to 110°F) rather than hot.
- Unsalted butter and salted butter – The unsalted version goes into the dough, while the salted version is used for brushing.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar adds slight sweetness and helps keep the crumb tender.
- Kosher salt – Salt balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery flavor.
- Instant yeast – Add directly with the flour, without a separate proofing step.
- Eggs – Enrich the dough and help to give the rolls structure.
- All-purpose flour – Use all-purpose flour, not self-rising. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid packing in too much.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Butterhorns
There are 5 easy steps to make these crescent rolls:
Step 1: Mix and knead the dough – Add the warm milk, unsalted butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix to combine, about 4-6 minutes. Add the beaten eggs, flour, and instant yeast. Knead the dough for about 6-8 minutes, until smooth and beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be slightly tacky and soft.
Step 2: Let the dough rise – Knead the dough briefly by hand to form a smooth ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Step 3: Shape the rolls – Gently punch down the dough and divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 15-inch circle, brush with some of the melted butter, and cut into 12 wedges. Roll each wedge from the wide edge toward the point, then place point-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 36 rolls.
Step 4: Let the rolls rise again – Loosely cover the pans and let them rise in a warm place until puffy and about doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours. When the rise is almost complete, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 5: Bake and brush with butter – Bake at 350°F for 8-15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden. Rotate pans as needed and remove each as it finishes baking. Brush with the reserved melted butter, let cool slightly, and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the dough slightly tacky – A little stickiness is to be expected. Avoid adding flour just to make the dough completely dry, which can make the rolls heavier.
- Let resistant dough rest – If the dough shrinks back as you roll it, cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes before trying again.
- Watch the dough during both rises – A cool kitchen can slow things down. Use the change in size as your guide rather than moving on just because the time is up.
- Tuck the point underneath! – This is super important and helps to keep the rolls from unrolling as they rise and bake.
- Watch the bottoms, too – Light-colored baking sheets help limit excessive browning. If the bottoms darken before the tops, move the pan farther from the oven’s lower heat source and check frequently.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Once baked, serve warm with a holiday dinner (they’re perfect for Thanksgiving), a bowl of soup, or a little butter and jam.
Storage – Let the baked rolls cool completely, then store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rolls made the day before serving do not need to be frozen.
Make ahead and freeze – Bake the rolls fully, brush with butter as directed, and cool completely. Arrange in a single layer in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag. Once frozen, the rolls can be stacked without crushing them. For holiday prep, make them up to 1 week ahead and thaw at room temperature before serving or warming.
Reheat – The thawed rolls can be served at room temperature. To serve warm, place on a baking sheet, loosely cover with foil, and warm in a 350°F oven for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Active dry yeast can usually replace instant yeast in equal amounts, but it will need to be dissolved in liquid first. I recommend purchasing instant yeast, as it makes the process much easier and will achieve the desired results in this recipe.
Yes. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, then knead by hand until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Kneading by hand will usually take longer than the mixer directions I’ve included, so make sure to follow the dough’s texture.
Note – Some readers have also reported success using a bread machine’s dough cycle. I have not tested this, so make sure to check that this batch fits your machine’s capacity and follow its ingredient-loading instructions, then shape, let rise, and bake the rolls as directed.
The easiest option is to make either one-third or two-thirds of the recipe. It takes a bit of math, but it will be the best way because of the 3 eggs and the 3 balls of dough. Keep the rolls the same size as the full batch and check their doneness rather than halving the baking time.
You’ll want to freeze after baking. For this recipe, bake the rolls, then brush them with butter, and cool completely. Freeze them in a single layer to make sure to keep their soft shape from getting crushed.
This recipe uses a wheat-flour yeast dough. For gluten-free rolls, I recommend a recipe developed specifically for gluten-free flour rather than making a straight flour swap.
More Dough Recipes
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Butterhorns
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to 100°F to 110°F
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted (for brushing)
Instructions
- Mix and knead the dough: Add the milk, butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until the butter and sugar are dissolved, 4-6 minutes. Then, add the beaten eggs, flour, and instant yeast. Using the dough hook, knead the dough on medium speed until it is smooth and beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 6-8 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly tacky.1 cup whole milk, 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 large eggs, 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- Let the dough rise: Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a large, oiled bowl to rise. Cover and put the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Shape the butterhorns: Once risen, punch down the dough and cut it into thirds. Shape each third into a ball and knead out any air bubbles. Roll out each dough ball to a 15-inch circle (about ¼-inch thick) on a lightly 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. Arrange 12 butterhorns per sheet pan. Let the prepared butterhorns rise until they are about doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 8-15 minutes, switching racks and watching carefully to ensure the tops and bottoms are lightly golden but not overbaked. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted salted butter. Let cool slightly and serve warm.6 tablespoons salted butter
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Henry Wortock
These were the best dinner rolls I have ever made! I received rave reviews, even from my Mother-In-Law (who is typically critical!.)
Thanks so much, Kaleb!
Thank you for your great recipe and video! My mom and grandmother made these when I was growing up in the 70s and I have been looking for a recipe that would match my memories. These did not disappoint!
Making these for Christmas. My Aunt Gert always made butter horns for the holidays and I hope they are these. A bit concerned about the 1/2 cup of sugar.
I just made these for Thanksgiving, one of the best things I’ve ever made! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe and knowledge, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours 🤗
Made butterhorn rolls today for Thanksgiving. The grandkids have requested them for every holiday including birthdays. What fun it was to make them with family. Thank you for a wonderful recipe and stellar video.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I’ve made these roll since 2020 and they have become a Thanksgiving staple. Every one loves them. I make them a week before Thanksgiving and freeze them. On thanksgiving morning I take them out to defrost and just before dinner, i put them on a cookie sheet and warm them for 5 mins. they come out wonderful and no knows they were made a week prior.
I watched your mom and you make these rolls. She said they freeze beautifully. If you were to freeze them, do you bake them first?
My granddaughter and I have made these for our Thanksgiving dinner for 3 or 4 years now. We all love these rolls!!! Thanks for sharing
Kaleb, this recipe far exceeds any other I’ve tried, and I’ve tried a lot!
The dough is beautiful to work with, I always use my silicone sheet to roll them on. I loved watching the video with your mom included!
I love your recipes so much & keep coming back to tried & true!
Thank you so much!!!!
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!