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Soft and fluffy, buttery and delicious, these amazing Lion House Rolls have stood the test of time.
Adapted from the famous recipe published by the Lion House Pantry Restaurant in Salt Lake City, these rolls have been a welcome addition to our holiday table since 2010. Over the years I’ve tested and tweaked the recipe and thought it was time to update this old post just in time for the holidays!
Baked in their signature spiral shape, hot and fresh from the oven Lion House Rolls are slathered in melted butter.
I can smell them baking now! Trust me, you’ll be thrilled to serve these light, fluffy, mouthwatering, delicious homemade rolls to your family during the holidays or anytime!
Can you freeze the unbaked rolls?
One of my favorite features about these rolls, is the ability to freeze them before they are baked. After the first rise the dough is rolled out and formed into the desired shape. You can proof the rolls for the second rise, or flash freeze the individual rolls. Place the rolls (not touching) on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen rolls to a large zip lock bag or airtight container and store in the freezer until needed. They’ll keep well for up to 30 days, making these the perfect choice for any gatherings or dinner parties.
Bake some now and freeze some for later.
This recipe makes 36 good sized rolls so you can bake some now and save the others for the holidays. Just saying, you’ll want to try these rolls and make sure they’re perfect for your family too. Personally I never recommend trying a new recipe on the day you need to serve it. Holiday nightmares are not soon forgotten so please make a batch of these ahead of time. Making bread and rolls is not difficult, but it does take a little practice. These are easy stress-free rolls so no worries!
How do you bake the frozen rolls?
When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen rolls 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly cover the rolls with a piece of plastic wrap coated with vegetable spray. It will take about 2 or 2 1/2 hours for the rolls to thaw and rise, depending on how warm your kitchen is. They may not rise quite as much as those that were not frozen, but that’s okay. They’re still puffy and light and so delicious.
How do you get the signature Lion House Roll spiral shape?
The Lion House Bakery published a YouTube video on how to shape and cut the rolls. Check out the video HERE before you start making your own rolls. Don’t worry if every one is not the same size and shape. Nobody will mind. This recipe makes two pans of 18 each for a total of 36 Lion House Rolls. Feel free to skip the spiral shape and make regular round rolls if you prefer.
These Lion House rolls are especially yummy when you unroll one warm from the oven and slather with butter, honey, or honey butter! These have great flavor and a soft squishy texture that is perfect for sopping up gravy.
How do you know when you’ve properly proofed the dough during the first rise?
They key to getting homemade rolls and bread to keep their shape is by properly proofing (or proving) your dough. During the first rise, I use a large plastic storage container like the one linked below so I can tell when the dough has doubled in size. If you’ve watched The Great British Baking Show you know what can happen when you overproof the dough. I can hear Paul Hollywood saying “you’ve overproved the dough” and believe me I’ve done it. If you accidentally overproof the dough and it grows into a monster triple the original size, go ahead and bake the rolls. They’ll taste fine but will deflate and become a little flat while cooling.
How do you know when the rolls have risen enough?
I use my microwave as a proofing oven because it’s free from drafts and stays nice and toasty warm when the task light (underneath) is on. The unbaked rolls proof faster in a warm environment. If proofing at room temperature, the time may vary depending on how warm your kitchen is. Just make sure you watch the dough and use my recipe times as a guideline. I use the knuckle test to tell when my Lion House Rolls are properly proofed and ready to bake. Gently make a small indentation in the dough (at the bottom of a roll) with your finger or knuckle. If the indentation fills in right away, the dough is underproofed and needs more time to rise. If the indentation does not fill in at all, it is overproofed. The rolls are perfectly proofed when the indentation springs back a little bit and does not fill in completely.
These rolls are not difficult to make and are completely worth the effort! I hope you have a memorable meal with these fantastic Lion House Rolls.
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Lion House Rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 36 rolls
Course: Bread
Soft and buttery and oh so good!
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water 105° – 110°F
- ⅔ cup nonfat dry milk
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (room temperature, plus ⅓ cup additional melted butter for brushing on dough and baked rolls)
- 1 egg room temperature
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the work surface
Instructions
- If using a stand mixer, fit with the paddle attachment. Combine the water and dry milk in the mixing bowl and blend until dissolved. Add the yeast, sugar, salt, ⅓ cup of room temperature butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Blend on low speed until all ingredients are moist. Increase the speed to medium and mix for two minutes.
- Add 2 more cups of flour and blend on low until ingredients are moist. Increase the speed to medium and mix for two more minutes. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour, ½ cup at a time and mix until combined. Once moistened, change to the dough hook and mix until the dough is smooth and starting to hold together. The dough will be loose and sticky and will not clean the sides of the bowl.
- Scrape out the dough with a rubber spatula into a well oiled bowl or container. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm location free from drafts until the dough is doubled in size. (I use my microwave with the task light on.) This may take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
- Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Gently deflate the dough by pressing down with your palm. Turn out the dough onto a well floured, clean work surface.
- Cut the dough in half. Don’t knead the dough and try not to fold over. Cover the remaining dough until needed.
- Working with half the dough, gently press or roll out to a little larger than an 8x18-inch rectangle, about ½-inch thick. Brush the dough with melted butter. Cut the dough in half lengthwise using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Cut each half into 18 (2x4-inch) pieces. Pull one end of a piece of dough and stretch it out a little. Starting on the thinner end you pulled, roll up into spirals with the butter on the inside. (See video linked in notes) Place the rolls about 2-inches apart on the prepared pan with the thicker end piece facing down, all going in the same direction. At this point you can flash freeze the rolls for baking at a later time. See NOTES for freezing.
- Lightly cover the rolls with a sprayed/greased piece of plastic wrap and place in a warm location until doubled in size, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. To check for proper rise, gently press an area around the bottom of one roll with a finger or knuckle. If the indentation springs back a little and does not fill in completely the rolls are ready to bake.
- Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the rolls or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately brush hot rolls with melted butter. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Prep time does not include rise time.
Click HERE to watch the video on how to form the spiral rolls.
How to freeze rolls:
- The original recipe from the Lion House Cookbook noted that if you plan to freeze the rolls, you should double the yeast.
- After shaping the rolls place them (not touching) on a waxed paper or parchment lined baking sheet. Place the unbaked rolls in the freezer and freeze until firm. Once firm, place the rolls in a large zip lock bag or airtight container and keep frozen for up to 4 weeks.
- Place frozen rolls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap coated with vegetable cooking spray. Place the rolls in a warm place until the rolls rise and are doubled in size. This will take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Bake according to the directions above.
Nutrition
Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Here’s a few more recipes you might also like:
Parker House Rolls
Homemade Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
FEATURED COOKBOOK- SRFD’s favorite bread book:
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*Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Thanks for supporting SRFD!
SRFD’s Essential Kitchen Tool for making bread and rolls:
Take the guess work out of proofing your dough on the first rise! This 4-quart container is perfect for measuring bread doughs. Use a rubber band to mark where the dough should be when it doubles in size. Easy peasy!
*Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Thanks for supporting SRFD!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Tricia
Originally published November 2010, updated October 2018
Julie G
These baked beautifully! I was tempted to add a bit more flour to the slightly sticky dough but restrained myself based on your instructions. After the first rise the dough was very easy to work with. I made 24 rolls this morning. Froze 18 of them for a later date. The other 6 were left in the fridge loosely covered with plastic wrap on a parchment lined baking sheet. I took them out of the fridge about an hour before baking to rise perfectly. Super soft, buttery and just delicious. I’ll make them Thanksgiving morning and refrigerate to bake later in the day. Love this recipe!
Tricia Buice
I’m thrilled you liked the rolls Julie. Our whole family loves them and I enjoy making them. Thanks again for taking the time to let us know how they turned out for you. Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us this year! Sounds like you’re getting ready. Thank you so much!
handmade by amalia
The rolls look so yummy and perfect for a weekend brunch. Thanks for sharing!
Amalia
xo
Tricia Buice
Thank you Amalia!
Susan
I have a favorite roll recipe for the holidays but I think I’m going to need to switch it up this year with these 🙂 Loved watching the video and my mouth is watering at these pillowy, soft rolls! Delicious!
Tricia Buice
These rolls are delicious Susan – hope you enjoy them too!
Jeff the Chef
I love to make fresh rolls for holiday dinners, but it’s difficult to manage. I don’t know why I never thought about freezing them. By the way, what is a task light? Do you mean the light that shines down from the microwave onto the stovetop? Or do you mean you leave the door ajar so the light inside the microwave stays on? Your rolls look fantastic, by the way.
Tricia Buice
Hi Jeff. The task light is made into the bottom of microwaves and shines down on the stovetop to illuminate the work area. When left on for long periods of time, the inside of the microwave stays warm. I often soften butter for recipes in the microwave and always proof my bread and rolls there too. It’s free from drafts and you don’t have to cover the rolls with plastic wrap. Thanks for the great question and good luck!
Liz
These are fabulous rolls!! Perfect for the holidays. I love all your tips—especially to check if the bread is proofed! Genius!
Larry
They sure do look good and it’s just about impossible to beat fresh hot rolls.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Larry – I agree!
angiesrecipes
So soft and fluffy…I would love to snack this all day long! Can’t resist homemade bread at all!!!
Tricia Buice
Me too Angie! Soft buttery rolls are irresistible. Thanks so much 😉
Gerlinde
It’s going to be a special Christmas for this year because my niece and her husband are visiting from Germany and these rolls are perfect since I can make them ahead. Pinned!
Tricia Buice
How exciting Gerlinde – I know you will enjoy entertaining and feeding your special visitors. Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer
Once the breadbasket got to me, I wouldn’t worry about anything else on the table. Oh my goodness, they look amazing and the photos are spectacular!
Tricia Buice
Me too Chris – bread knows me by name and calls often 🙂 Thank you so much!
sue | the view from great island
Your photos are incredible Tricia, I can’t decide which one to pin first! I’ve gotten such an education about bread and rolls through your recipes, I love all the classics you’ve done. I think these look absolutely brilliant!
Tricia Buice
You are so sweet Sue – thank you! You’ve made my day 😉
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
In my world, the dinner rolls are always the best part of the holiday meal, so I’m loving this luscious buns! Great for soup season, too!
Tricia Buice
Me too Jennifer – and leftover turkey on homemade rolls with a dab of mayonnaise is what I dream about!
Erin R.
These really are wonderful. I have been making them for a year or two and everyone loves the rich, slightly sweet and ultra-soft rolls for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I live in Salt Lake and have eaten these at the actual Lion House, and this recipe really is just like the ones at the restaurant. Yours are beautiful, Tricia. Well done!
Mary
Hey Tricia,<br />I have these ready to go in the oven and I just realized that the directions say to cook the rolls at 375. However, in the directions for the freezer rolls, the temp is 350 degrees. Is that correct?<br />Just curious. I have a tray in the freezer for Thursday as well. 😉 <br />Thanks!<br />Mary
The Slow Roasted Italian
These look amazing. I have been searching for a great dinner roll for our Thanksgiving. I am making these this weekend for sure!!! Thanks Tricia!
Cajunlicious
Tricia, these look great!
thecompletecookbook
Tricia, what an amazing find! Can't wait to try these rolls – I love the way your roll them up too.<br />:-) Mandy
Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow
Oh, these look fabulous!! There is not much to compare to the smell of baking bread and the taste served warm from the oven with a little slathering of butter! Thank you for this one, Tricia! blessings ~ tanna
Donna
Could Instant Yeast be used instead of Active Dry Yeast??
Tricia Buice
Yes Donna. You can just add the yeast instead of doing the blooming stage. Enjoy!
Mary
These look perfect! I've been looking at roll recipes for next week. I haven't made them before either. I would LOVE to make them in advance and freeze them. How many rolls did this recipe make? I think I'll make these today and see how it goes. Thanks!!