These Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls are soft buttery homemade yeast rolls with the signature square shape and that irresistible pull-apart texture. Just $0.18 each and so good served warm with homemade cinnamon honey butter!
My husband absolutely loves Texas Roadhouse and the rolls are always the first thing he talks about! So I figured out how to make them at home and now we have them whenever we want for a fraction of the restaurant price. In a house with 8 kids having a batch of these warm from the oven is one of those moments that makes everyone stop what they are doing and come to the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget Friendly — $4.34 total for 20–24 rolls versus paying restaurant prices every time
- Serve with homemade Texas Roadhouse Butter Recipe for the full restaurant experience at home
- Make ahead and freezer friendly
After 14 years of developing recipes this copycat is one of the most requested on the site!
If you love Texas Roadhouse copycat recipes like this one you will also love our Texas Roadhouse Roadkill Recipe, Texas Roadhouse Grilled Shrimp and Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe. They are all budget-friendly, made with simple ingredients, and the kind of restaurant favorites you can make at home any night of the week.
Ingredients
- Active dry yeast — the leavening agent that makes the rolls light and fluffy. Make sure it is not expired — old yeast is the number one reason homemade rolls fail. Check the date on the packet before you start
- Warm water — used to activate the yeast. Must be warm but not hot — 105–110°F is the sweet spot. Too hot kills the yeast entirely
- Milk — adds richness and a slightly sweet flavor to the dough. Whole milk gives the best result. Warm to the same temperature as the water before adding
- Butter — adds that signature buttery flavor and soft tender texture. Use unsalted and make sure it is softened to room temperature. Reserve extra melted butter for brushing over the hot rolls right out of the oven
- Sugar — feeds the yeast and adds a subtle sweetness that makes these taste like the real Texas Roadhouse rolls. Do not skip or reduce
- Large egg — binds the dough together and adds richness and structure
- Salt — balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors. Essential for good bread flavor
- All purpose flour — the base of the dough. Measure correctly by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off — never scoop directly from the bag as this packs in too much flour and makes the rolls dense
Carrie’s Tip: The temperature of your water and milk matters more than anything else in this recipe — both need to be warm but not hot. Aim for 105–110°F which feels comfortably warm on your wrist. Water that is too hot kills the yeast and your rolls will not rise. Water that is too cold means the yeast never activates properly.
How to Make Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Step 1 – First, get out your stand mixer. Add the ¼ cup warm water and the instant yeast stand mixer fitted with hook attachment. Mix them together and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes . The yeast needs to completely dissolve.
Step 2 – Second, add the warm milk, butter, sugar, eggs and salt to the yeast mixture in the mixing bowl of stand mixer. Mix everything together slightly and use the dough hook. This will take about 1 minute.
Step 3 – Next, gradually add the flour to the bowl. It is best to do this 1 cup at a time and mix after each addition until the mixture forms a soft dough.
Step 4 – Once combined, put the dough in a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is coated in oil before putting the dough inside.
Step 5 – Cover with either plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise. The dough will need about 1 to 2 hours to rise in a warm area and should double in size. Leave the bowl on the counter to rise.
Step 6 – After the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll the dough until it is about 1/2” thick.
Step 7 – Next, cut the dough into rectangle pieces. You want to end up with about 20 to 24 square pieces. I like to use a pizza cutter to cut the squares. It is important for the classic Texas roadhouse square shape.
Step 8 – While you are waiting on the rolls to double in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven is ready, bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes or until the rolls are a light golden brown on top. Use the remaining melted butter to spread on top of the rolls.
Can I Make in a Bread Machine?
Yes — several of our readers have made these rolls successfully in a bread machine.
- Add the warm milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt to the bread machine pan, then add the flour on top.
- Make a small well in the flour and add the yeast, keeping it away from the salt.
- Select the dough cycle and let the machine handle the mixing and first rise.
- Once complete, shape, cut, and bake the rolls exactly as directed in the recipe.
Tips for Success
- Check your yeast before starting. If the yeast does not foam after 10–15 minutes in warm water it is dead and the rolls will not rise — always start with fresh unexpired yeast
- Do not skip either rise. Both the first and second rise are essential for the soft pillowy texture — rushing either one results in dense rolls that do not have that signature pull-apart quality
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off — never scoop directly from the bag. Too much flour is the second most common reason homemade rolls turn out dense and heavy
- Use a pizza cutter for the squares. A pizza cutter gives you clean even cuts that hold their shape through the second rise and baking — a knife tends to drag and seal the edges
- Butter immediately out of the oven. Brushing with melted butter the moment the rolls come out of the oven gives you that glossy golden exterior that makes them look and taste exactly like the restaurant version
- Do not overbake. These rolls should be just lightly golden on top — they continue to cook slightly as they cool and overbaking makes them dry instead of soft and pillowy
- If your kitchen is cold and the dough is rising slowly, try one of these: heat your oven to 200°F for 2 minutes, then turn it off and place the covered dough inside with the door closed; or place a tray of just-boiled water on a low oven rack and set the covered dough on the rack above it.
- Not sure if the dough has risen enough? Press a finger gently into the dough. If the indentation slowly springs back, it’s ready. If it springs back instantly, it needs more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it’s over-risen.
Variations and Substitutions
- Brush with garlic butter instead of plain butter for a savory garlic roll version
- Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the butter for a sweet-salty finish
- Use bread flour instead of all purpose for a slightly chewier more structured roll
- Make mini rolls by cutting into smaller squares — reduce bake time to 10–12 minutes
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the dough for extra sweetness that makes them taste even more like the restaurant version
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Room Temperature
- Wrap in foil or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days
Freezer
- Place cooled rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 325°F oven for 8–10 minutes
Reheating
- Microwave individual rolls for 15–20 seconds or warm in a 325°F oven covered with foil for 8–10 minutes. Brush with fresh melted butter after reheating for the best result
Frequently Asked Questions
The yeast was expired or the water was too hot — always check the yeast expiration date and use water between 105–110°F to activate it properly.
Roll the dough to ½ inch thickness and use a pizza cutter to cut clean even squares — a knife tends to drag and seal the edges which prevents the rolls from rising properly.
Yes — there are a few ways to do this. You can refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise, as noted above. You can also bake the rolls slightly early (about 12 minutes, before they brown), let them cool completely without buttering them, then finish baking for a few minutes just before serving. Or, shape and cut the rolls, then freeze them unbaked on a tray before the second rise — thaw and let them complete their rise before baking whenever you’re ready.
No — you can knead the dough by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. A stand mixer just makes it significantly faster and easier.
More Easy Roll Recipes
These Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls have solved the problem of my husband wanting restaurant rolls every week — soft buttery and just $0.18 each we make them at home anytime we want for a fraction of the price.
After 14 years of developing recipes I know that a great copycat comes down to technique not fancy ingredients and these rolls prove it every single time. If you make them leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing whether your family could tell they were homemade or thought they came straight from the restaurant!
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- ¼ cup Warm Water
- 1 cup Milk room temperature
- 6 Tbsp Butter melted and divided
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 1 Large Egg room temperature
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 ½ – 4 cups Flour
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine warm water and active dry yeast. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes until the yeast dissolves.
- Add milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt to the mixer. Mix using the dough hook for about 1 minute until combined.
- Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until a soft dough forms. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let rise for 1–2 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick.
- Cut into 20–24 squares using a pizza cutter.
- Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray and place the dough squares at least 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until light golden brown.
- Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter, let cool slightly, and serve.
I made these in my bread machine. Put the ingredients in the usual order for a bread machine….yeast on top of the flour away from the salt .I made them round and used them for buns. They freeze well..
What can one use in if don’t have stand mixer and/or would the process be?
You could use a hand mixer.
Look forward to making
Judith – I hope you enjoy it!
I made this recipe in my bread machine and it was wonderful! Fast easy and tasty.
Amazing! I cut the recipe serving size in half but this was very easy and taste is amazing. Fluffy with a nice buttery taste. I will definitely try again !
Do you use self-rising or all purpose flour?
I used all purpose flour in this recipe.