This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
These soft and buttery cloverleaf yeast rolls are the perfect roll for any meal or occasion. You’ll love their pull apart goodness.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Can you guess why they are called buttery yeast rolls? Maybe because they have a bit of butter in them?! Not only do they have butter in the dough but they are then dipped in butter and after they are baked they are brushed in butter. They deserve their name – buttery yeast rolls.
These easy yeast rolls are a slightly denser texture than my light crescent rolls, but all that butter gives them an amazing butter soaked exterior with great flavor. I love making them into cloverleaf rolls because there is more surface area for butter!
Tips for Working with Yeast
- Working with yeast can be a little scary in the beginning but it really is easy when you know the right tips and tricks.
- If you have any questions about working with yeast be sure and check out my post with all my top tips for working with yeast here.
Ingredients Needed for Yeast Rolls
- Active dry yeast
- Sugar
- Milk
- Butter
- Salt
- Eggs
- Flour. I prefer unbleached all purpose flour
How to Make Buttery Yeast Rolls
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- In a small pan heat milk, do not allow to boil and add butter and salt. Turn off heat and allow butter to melt.
- Cool in refrigerator until it comes to room temperature.
- In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water and add 1 tsp sugar. Allow to proof.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat 3 eggs; add 1/3 C sugar.
- Pour cooled milk and yeast mixture to egg mixture.
- Add flour, one cup at a time kneading (using paddle attachment) with mixer constantly. This will be slightly thicker than cake batter.
- Cover batter with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until double, about 1 hour.
- Flour counter top generously or spray it with non stick cooking spray and place dough on floured or sprayed surface (remember the dough will be sticky! Do not add more flour unless it is just too sticky to handle.
- Form dough into small, 1 inch size balls.
- Melt 1/2 C butter and dip each ball into butter before placing in pan. Put three balls into each muffin tin to form cloverleaf rolls and let rise until double.
- Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
High Altitude Baking:
This yeast roll dough is slightly sticky but not too sticky to work with. It has the consistency of thick cake batter. You should be able to handle it with your hands without it sticking to everything. If is too sticky just add more flour. Those of you at high altitudes may need to add some additional flour.
- Grease your muffin tins lightly and then dip each little ball into melted butter and place in the muffin tin (3 to a tin.)
- Allow dough to rise again until rolls are doubled in size.
How to Get Your Dough to Rise Faster
- If your house isn’t 70 degrees F, I recommend preheating your oven to 150 degrees F and then turn it off once it is preheated. Place your pan of yeast rolls into the oven and let them rise until doubled. Just be sure to remove them before you preheat the oven to bake the rolls.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until they are nice and golden brown.
- Remove them from the oven and brush or spread more butter over the top. You can spread it on with a knife or melt the butter and brush it on. It will melt and fill in all the cracks.
And of course you can break this cloverleaf yeast roll roll apart and add even more butter if you’d like! One of my favorite parts of a pull apart roll is pulling each part off and buttering it individually. I think I eat bread so that I can eat butter!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rapid rise yeast instead?
If you use rapid rise yeast, just add yeast directly in with the flour, skip the proofing step. You will still need to add in the 1/4 water. Add in when you add the milk mixture. You can also use 1/4 cup more milk instead of water if you prefer.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Refrigerator Method: Before the last rise, wrap the muffin pan with the rolls formed with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit on the counter for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
Freezer Method: You an also freeze the rolls after you bake them. Let them cool completely and then put them into a large freezer zippered plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible. When ready to serve, allow them to thaw on the counter and then to warm them return them to a hot oven for a few minutes before serving.
I have so many amazing roll recipes on the blog, don’t miss these:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Buttery Yeast Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pkg yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup butter melted for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- In a small pan bring milk to a low boil and add butter and salt. Turn off heat and allow butter to melt. Cool in the refrigerator until it comes to room temperature.
- In a small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water and add 1 tsp sugar. Allow to proof.
- In another larger bowl beat 3 eggs; add 1/3 C sugar and mix together.
- Add cooled milk and yeast to egg mixture.
- Add flour, one cup at a time beating with mixer constantly. This will be slightly thicker than cake batter.
- Cover batter with a towel and allow to rise until double, about 1 hour.
- Flour counter top and place dough on counter. Do not add more flour unless it is just too sticky to handle.
- Form dough into small, 1 inch size balls.
- Melt 1/2 C butter and dip each ball into butter before placing in pan. Put three balls into each muffin tin to form cloverleaf rolls. Let rise until double
- Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown
Tips & Notes:
- If your house isn’t 70 degrees F, I recommend preheating your oven to 150 degrees F and then turn it off once it is preheated. Place your pan of rolls into the oven and let them rise until doubled. Just be sure to remove them before you preheat the oven to bake the rolls.
- If you use rapid rise yeast, just add yeast directly in with the flour, skip the proofing step. You will still need to add in the 1/4 water. Add in when you add the milk mixture. You can also use 1/4 cup more milk instead of water if you prefer.
Nutrition Facts:
Diane Lilleg says
Years ago an elderly lady gave me this recipe–then I lost it! I am pretty sure this is it and am so happy to have found it!
Ramona says
I’ve been looking for a yeast roll recipe that was close to my late mom’s. Yours is pretty close. Thank you
pam says
I will let the dough balls soak a little longer in the butter before dropping them in the muffin tins. There will be no need to butter the rolls after baking.