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Brown Butter Sage Dinner Rolls

Brown butter sage dinner rolls with soft, pull-apart centers and crispy sage leaves on top. This yeast dough is activated in warm milk, baked until golden, then brushed with a browned butter garlic glaze.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
rising 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 22 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For dough
  • 0.75 cup whole milk
  • 2.25 tsp instant yeast
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly browned
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 cup all-purpose flour
For brown butter sage glaze
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 16 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 garlic minced
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the butter and start the dough
  1. Brown 1/2 cup butter and cool it slightly until it smells nutty and turns golden-brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat.
  2. Activate the yeast in warm milk by whisking in the sugar, browned butter, and eggs until smooth and the mixture looks foamy at the edges, 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Knead in the flour and salt until a smooth dough forms, kneading for 8 minutes until elastic and cohesive.
First rise and shape
  1. Rise the dough for 1 hour in a greased area until doubled in size, then divide into 12 equal balls.
  2. Place the 12 balls in a greased 9x13 dish in a single layer, leaving small gaps for expansion.
  3. Rise again for 30 to 40 minutes until puffy and touching, while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake and glaze
  1. Bake the rolls for 18 to 22 minutes at 375°F until golden-brown on top.
  2. Brown the remaining butter for the sage glaze, then fry the sage leaves in the browned butter until crisp and fragrant.
  3. Brush the warm rolls generously with the sage brown butter and press the crispy sage leaves onto the top of each roll, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt to finish.

Notes

Pro tip: For the best sage crunch and butter flavor, bake the rolls until just golden, then glaze while warm so the crispy sage adheres. Store rolls covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; rewarm in a 325°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Freezing is yes—freeze baked rolls (un-glazed if possible) for up to 2 months and rewarm from thawed. For a lighter swap, replace half the butter with neutral oil or plant-based baking stick for a slightly less rich flavor.