Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

You know that moment when a basket of warm, buttery rolls hits your table at Texas Roadhouse, and suddenly your dinner plans vanish under a mountain of carbs? Yeah same. For years, I tried to find a homemade version that didn’t just look like them but actually delivered that fluffy, slightly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth bite.

Jump to Recipe

So I got obsessed. After testing dough variations, proofing tricks, and more than a few flops, I finally landed on this: the best copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls recipe you’ll ever make. No fluff (well, except the rolls). Just honest, restaurant-worthy results with a side of cinnamon honey butter that might just outdo the original.

Here’s what you’ll get in this recipe:

• Foolproof instructions, even if you’ve never baked with yeast
• A trick to speed up rising when your kitchen is freezing
• How to make them ahead, freeze, or even customize the flavor

Let’s turn your kitchen into the best table in town.

Why These Rolls Are Worth the Hype

Let’s be honest, there are hundreds of roll recipes online. So why this one?

Because it doesn’t just resemble Texas Roadhouse rolls. It replicates them in the way that actually matters: pillowy-soft, just-sweet-enough, brushed-with-butter perfection that makes you forget there’s a main course waiting.

Here’s what sets these rolls apart:

• Enriched Dough = Soft, Tender Texture
  The combo of warm milk, butter, sugar, and egg gives the dough richness you can taste. It’s the kind of bite that springs back when you touch it, but melts in your mouth when you eat it.
• Sweet but Not Dessert-Sweet
  Just enough sugar to echo the original, balanced so they pair with anything from steak to jam.
• Brush-of-Butter Finish
  This one’s essential. Brushing the tops right out of the oven gives that restaurant-style gloss and flavor punch.
• Cinnamon Honey Butter Bonus
  We’re not stopping at “just the rolls.” I’ll show you how to whip up the iconic spread in under 5 minutes.

These rolls aren’t just good for homemade. They’re “wait, you made these?!” level.

Who Will Love This Recipe?

• Home bakers looking for a crowd-pleaser
• Anyone who’s ever asked for a second basket of Texas Roadhouse rolls
• Holiday hosts wanting that show-stopping side
• Parents with kids who suddenly turn into bread monsters at dinner

Can I make these without a stand mixer?

Yes! While a stand mixer makes the kneading easier, this dough is absolutely workable by hand. You’ll just need a little extra elbow grease and 5–8 more minutes of kneading.

The Essential Ingredients (And Why They Matter)

This isn’t a long grocery list just the right mix of everyday staples working together to create something bakery-level delicious. Here’s what you’ll need, plus a quick breakdown of why each one counts.

Can I Use Instant Yeast Instead?

Absolutely. Skip the proofing step and mix it straight in with the dry ingredients. Just know your rise time might be a bit faster, so keep an eye on your dough.

What You’ll Need to Make These Rolls (Nothing Fancy, Promise)

This recipe doesn’t require a professional kitchen—just a few tools that make the process smoother (and your cleanup shorter). Here’s what to gather before you start:

Basic Tools

• Mixing Bowls – One small (for proofing yeast), one large (for dough).
• Stand Mixer with Dough Hook – Speeds up the kneading, but you can absolutely knead by hand.
• Pastry Brush – For that buttery finish.
• Rolling Pin – To shape the dough evenly.
• Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter – Makes clean, consistent cuts.
• Baking Sheets – Preferably rimless or with silicone mats for even browning.
• Clean Dish Towel – For covering the dough during rising.

Don’t Have a Stand Mixer?

No worries. Just prep for an extra 5–8 minutes of hand-kneading. It’s a solid arm workout and oddly satisfying kneading dough has serious stress-relief vibes.

How to Make Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls (Step-by-Step)

Baking with yeast can sound intimidating, but don’t worry—I’ve broken the process down into foolproof steps. Take it one phase at a time and you’ll be pulling golden, fluffy rolls out of your oven in no time.

Step 1: Activate the Yeast

In a small bowl, warm the milk to 105–110°F (lukewarm to the touch). Stir in the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes—when it’s ready, the mixture will look foamy and smell a little like beer.

Quick Check: If nothing happens, your yeast may be expired or the milk was too hot/cold. Don’t move forward—start over with fresh yeast.

Step 2: Make the Dough

Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand). Add:

• Room-temperature butter
• Egg
• Salt
• 2 cups of flour

Mix on medium speed (or with a wooden spoon) until it becomes a smooth, sticky batter.

Gradually add the remaining flour (½ cup at a time) while mixing, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a soft ball. It should feel tacky but not sticky—add more flour only if needed.

By Hand? Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Step 3: First Rise

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Turn it once to coat, then cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Cold Kitchen Hack: Preheat your oven to 200°F for a few minutes, turn it off, then place the bowl inside with the door closed.

Step 4: Shape the Rolls

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Let it rest for 5 minutes (this helps it relax so it’s easier to roll out).

Roll into a 12×8-inch rectangle, about ½-inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into 24–30 even squares.

Pro Tip: Even-ish is fine—perfection is overrated. Just aim for similar sizes so they bake evenly.

Place the squares onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. Cover again with a towel and let rise a second time for 45–60 minutes.

Step 5: Bake and Finish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have puffed up, bake them for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them generously with melted butter. If you’re not already drooling, you will be now.

Make the Cinnamon Honey Butter (Because You Know You Want To)

You can absolutely enjoy these rolls on their own but if you’re after that experience, you need the cinnamon honey butter. It’s creamy, sweet, spiced just right, and takes 5 minutes max. Bonus: it’s wildly good on pancakes, toast, and honestly, a spoon.

Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (optional, but balances sweetness)

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Beat with a hand mixer (or whip by hand) until fluffy and fully blended.
3. Taste and adjust: more cinnamon if you like spice, or more honey if you prefer it sweeter.
4. Serve at room temperature so it spreads easily.

Storage Tip: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temp before serving again.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Totally. Use a dairy-free butter alternative (like Earth Balance). It won’t taste the same, but it still hits all the sweet, spiced, creamy notes.

What to Serve with Texas Roadhouse Rolls

These rolls are so good, they’ve been known to disappear before dinner hits the table. But if you’re planning a full meal (or just want excuses to make them regularly), here are some perfect pairings.

Classic Steakhouse Vibes

• Ribeye or sirloin steak with garlic herb butter
• Loaded mashed potatoes
• Grilled asparagus or green beans

Cozy Comfort Food

• Creamy chicken noodle soup
• Beef stew or pot roast
• Chili with a cinnamon butter roll on the side? Don’t knock it till you try it.

Holiday Hero

• Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table
• Glazed ham, roasted turkey, or herby pork loin
• Cranberry sauce + cinnamon butter = wild but weirdly good

Family-Friendly Favorites

• Sliders: split rolls and stuff with pulled pork or BBQ chicken
• Breakfast sandwich base (egg + sausage + maple syrup—trust)
• Kid-approved as-is with butter and jam

Make it a Meal: These rolls are the ultimate sidekick, but they can hold their own as the main event. Serve them warm in a basket with three dipping butters (cinnamon honey, garlic herb, and spicy maple) and let everyone snack.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Rolls (Without Losing That Fresh-Baked Magic)

If you somehow have leftovers (or you’re planning go you), here’s how to keep these rolls tasting bakery-fresh even days later.

Short-Term Storage (Room Temp)

• Let rolls cool completely before storing.
• Wrap tightly in foil or place in an airtight container.
• Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Reheat in a warm oven (300°F for 5–7 min) or a few seconds in the microwave with a damp paper towel to bring back softness.

Avoid the fridge — it dries them out faster than you think.

Freezing Rolls (Baked or Unbaked)

To Freeze After Baking:

1. Let the rolls cool completely.
2. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 1–2 hours until firm.
3. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
4. Store up to 3 months.

To Freeze Before Baking:

1. Shape the rolls and freeze before the second rise.
2. When ready to bake, thaw at room temp for a few hours, let rise, then bake as usual.

Reheating Frozen Rolls

• From frozen, wrap in foil and bake at 325°F for 10–15 minutes.
• Or microwave in 15-second bursts with a slightly damp towel over the top.

Pro Tip: Always re-butter after reheating. It revives the flavor and helps recreate that just-out-of-the-oven vibe.

Can I make the dough in advance and refrigerate?

Yes! After the first rise, punch it down, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, shape, rise again, and bake as usual. The cold dough may need a bit more time to rise.

Want to Switch It Up? Try These Roll Variations

Once you’ve mastered the classic, the real fun begins. These rolls are a perfect base for all kinds of twists—savory, sweet, even meal-ready. Here are a few ways to make them your own.

Savory Add-Ins

• Cheddar & Chive Rolls
  Fold ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar and 2 tbsp chopped chives into the dough before the first rise. Serve warm with garlic butter.
• Garlic Herb Rolls
  Mix 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp Italian seasoning into the dough. Finish with a brush of garlic butter after baking.

Sweet Twists

• Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
  Roll dough into a rectangle, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar before cutting, and twist each roll slightly before baking.
• Orange Honey Glaze
  Add 1 tsp orange zest to the cinnamon butter and drizzle with warm honey after baking.

Slider-Ready

• Mini Sliders
  Cut rolls smaller (30–36 pieces) for perfect party sliders. Try stuffing them with pulled pork, chicken salad, or ham & Swiss.
• Stuffed Breakfast Rolls
  Wrap small scoops of scrambled eggs and cooked bacon or sausage into the dough before baking. Kid-approved brunch hack.

Amelia

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Fluffy, buttery dinner rolls just like the ones from Texas Roadhouse, made entirely from scratch and topped with homemade cinnamon honey butter. Perfect for holidays, family dinners, or whenever a carb craving hits.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Rising Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 24 rolls

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 325

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough Ingredients

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm milk 105–110°F
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading

Finishing

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, for brushing

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Stand mixer with dough hook
• Baking Sheets
• Rolling Pin
• Pastry brush
• Pizza cutter or sharp knife
• Clean dish towel

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, stir sugar into warm milk. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine yeast mixture, butter, egg, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Mix until smooth.
3. Gradually add the remaining flour until a soft dough forms. Knead on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes until dough is tacky but not sticky.
4. Transfer to a greased bowl, turn to coat, cover with a dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45–60 minutes.
5. Punch down the dough, let rest 5 minutes, then roll out to a 12×8″ rectangle about 1/2″ thick. Cut into 24–30 even squares.
6. Place rolls on prepared baking sheets, cover, and let rise again for 45–60 minutes until doubled.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter immediately.

Notes

For best results, don’t skip the second rise—it gives the rolls their signature fluff. You can refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise. Bring to room temperature before shaping and continuing.

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Conclusion

Let’s pause for a second: you just turned out a basket of buttery, golden, restaurant-worthy dinner rolls. At home. Without a bread machine. That’s no small win.

Whether you served them alongside steak, paired them with a bowl of soup, or (no judgment) ate three before dinner even started, these rolls hit a nostalgic, comfort-food sweet spot. And that cinnamon honey butter? Yeah… It’s not gonna last long in your fridge.

Now that you’ve mastered the classic, don’t stop there. Try a twist, bake a batch for a friend, or double up and freeze some for later. And if your kitchen smelled just like the restaurant while they baked? You did it right.

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