The Little Bagel House

These rolls are inspired by the classic Texas Roadhouse rolls, but of course I added sourdough to give them an extra tang, greater depth, and an amazing buttery texture. 

These steakhouse rolls are light, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. They also have a luscious, glossy crust. I like to serve them whenever we have steak dinners or chicken sliders. They’re also amazing slathered with honey butter. 

If you like these rolls, I think you’ll also love my sourdough brioche rolls and my Cheesecake Factory-inspired brown bread rolls. 

Why Use Sourdough in Roadhouse Rolls?

The classic roadhouse rolls are already delicious…but making them with sourdough takes them to the next level.

Sourdough makes these rolls even more tender and yielding. It also creates a rich flavor profile, adding a gentle tanginess that perfectly balances the sweetness of honey. And using sourdough makes these rolls more digestible, unlocking the nutrients in the flour.

Sourdough baking has been around since ancient times(historians think the ancient Egyptians first discovered wild yeast). Baking with sourdough makes me feel connected to simpler times, which is nice in our hyper-online world!

That said, you can also make these rolls using packaged yeast and sourdough discard. I’ll include instructions for both methods.

What Ingredients Do I Need for Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls?

You probably have most of these ingredients on hand already. 

For the dough, you’ll need active sourdough starter (or packaged yeast with sourdough discard). You’ll also need warm milk, sugar, honey, salt, and an egg.

For the egg wash, you’ll need another egg and some water.

What Equipment Do I Need for Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls?

I like to mix my dough in a stand mixer, but you can also do it by hand, using a large mixing bowl. You’ll need a dough cutter to shape your rolls, and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to bake the rolls. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it’ll come in handy for testing whether your rolls are ready, but it’s not essential. That’s all!

How to Make Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls

These rolls aren’t very challenging to make, but you’ll have to plan ahead. Sourdough needs a long, slow rise, and there’s no short cut. Since this dough is enriched with butter and sugar, it takes even longer to ferment.

Of course, if you decide to make these rolls with packaged yeast, the whole process is much quicker.

Here’s how to make the rolls:

Step One: Make the Dough

Mix the warm milk, sourdough, sugar and honey in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Stir until it’s nice and frothy. 

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, start by mixing together the warm milk, yeast, and a tablespoon of sugar. After about five minutes, the mixture should be frothy. At that point, add the remaining sugar, the honey, and the sourdough discard and mix thoroughly.)

Next add the flour, salt, melted butter, and egg to your sourdough mixture, and combine well. 

Step Two: Knead the Dough

Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. This should take about eight to ten minutes. You can do this by hand or use your stand mixer.

Your dough should be soft and supple, but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add flour little by little until the dough becomes cohesive. Be careful, though. Adding too much flour can make your dough dense and heavy, so just add a tablespoon at a time.

Step Three: Bulk Fermentation

Shape your dough into a tight ball, and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and allow it to rise until it increases in size and becomes visibly puffy. My dough takes about three to four hours to rise. Be patient, though. If your kitchen is on the cooler side, your dough might take longer to rise. 

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, this step will take about 45 minutes to an hour. You can expect the dough to double in size.)

Step Four: Shape Your Rolls

Once your dough is risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.

Roll it into a rectangle about a half inch thick, and then cut it into 24 pieces. Shape each piece into a square roll, and then transfer your rolls to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step Five: Second Rise

Cover your rolls and let them rise until they’re doubled in size. This should take about three or four hours…or it could take longer! Be patient with the process.

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, the second rise will take about 30 minutes.)

Step Six: Bake the Rolls

Preheat your oven to 350F. 

Beat an egg with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush each roll with the egg wash. 

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls’ internal temperature reads 195F. Immediately remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. 

Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls

• Give your dough time to rise. Since these rolls are enriched with butter and sugar, the fermentation time will take a few hours longer than your standard sourdough loaf. 
• Don’t rush it! Keep an eye on your dough and check for readiness based on visual cues, rather than going by the clock.
• You’ll know that your rolls are ready to bake when they look nice and puffy. You can test them by pressing them gently with your fingertips. 
• When the dough is ready, it should slowly spring back into place. If the dough springs back too quickly, it is under-proofed. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it is over-proofed. 

How to Store Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls

These rolls keep well, so I like to make a big batch and save some for later.

At room temperature: Let the rolls come down to room temperature, and then store them in a plastic bag or an airtight container. They’ll keep for three or four days on your kitchen counter.

In the freezer: Let your rolls come down to room temperature and then freeze in an airtight bag or container. They should last for up to three months.

You can also freeze your rolls before baking them. After the first rise, shape the rolls and then flash freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring them to a plastic bag. They’ll keep for up to three months.

When you’re ready to bake them, remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature. Then give them three to four hours to proof before you bake them.

Variations on Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls

There are so many different ways to personalize these rolls. Here are some of my favorite twists:

• Brush the rolls with honey butter after baking 

• Brush the rolls with a garlic herb topping 

• Replace 25% of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, for a nuttier bun 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn’t my rolls rise? 

There are a few possibilities. Your sourdough starter might be too young, or it might not be active enough to rise this enriched dough. Your house could also be cold, which would slow down the fermentation process.

Make sure your starter is healthy, and extend the rise time if your house is cold. It’s so important to be patient when baking with sourdough.

What makes these Roadhouse rolls? 

Texas roadhouse rolls have a distinctive sweetness and a soft crumb. These rolls do too! They have plenty of honey and butter to give them the classic sweet, luscious steakhouse roll flavor. Using sourdough also gives them an extra depth and tang.

Print Pin

Sourdough Roadhouse Rolls – Soft & Fluffy

Course Appetizer, Bread

Keyword bread rolls, dinner rolls, sourdough, sourdough discard

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 rolls

Calories 122kcal

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 240 ml milk warmed to 110F
• 85 g honey
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 28 g melted unsalted butter plus extra for brushing
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 9 g salt
• 500 g all-purpose flour
• 100 g active sourdough starter
• OR 7g 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast and 100g (1/2 cup) sourdough discard)
• For the egg wash:
• 1 egg
• 15 g water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Step One: Make the Dough

• Mix the warm milk, sourdough, sugar and honey in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Stir until it’s nice and frothy.
• (Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, start by mixing together the warm milk, yeast, and a tablespoon of sugar. After about five minutes, the mixture should be frothy. At that point, add the remaining sugar, the honey, and the sourdough discard and mix thoroughly.)
• Next add the flour, salt, melted butter, and egg to your sourdough mixture, and combine well.

Step Two: Knead the Dough

• Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. This should take about eight to ten minutes. You can do this by hand or use your stand mixer.
• Your dough should be soft and supple, but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add flour little by little until the dough becomes cohesive. Be careful, though. Adding too much flour can make your dough dense and heavy, so just add a tablespoon at a time.

Step Three: Bulk Fermentation

• Shape your dough into a smooth ball, and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has increased by about 50–75% in size and looks noticeably puffy. At around 75–80°F, this usually takes 3–4 hours, but the timing will vary depending on your kitchen temperature and starter strength. Review my fermentation chart below for approximate timings.
• (Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, this step will take about 45 minutes to an hour. You can expect the dough to double in size.)

Step Four: Shape Your Rolls

• Once your dough is risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
• Roll it into a rectangle about a half inch thick, and then cut it into 24 pieces. Shape each piece into a square roll, and then transfer your rolls to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step Five: Second Rise

• Cover the rolls and let them rise until they are noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size. At around 75–80°F, this usually takes 3–4 hours, but it may take longer in a cooler kitchen. Gently press one roll with your fingertip. If the dough slowly springs back and leaves a slight indentation, the rolls are ready to bake. Review my fermentation chart below for approximate timings.
• (Note: If you’re using packaged yeast and sourdough discard, the second rise will take about 30 minutes.)

Step Six: Bake the Rolls

• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Beat an egg with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush each roll with the egg wash.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls’ internal temperature reads 195F. Immediately remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.
Fermentation tip: Sourdough fermentation times are estimates, not guarantees. Your dough may ferment faster or slower depending on your kitchen temperature, starter strength, and dough temperature. When in doubt, watch the dough rather than the clock.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Fermentation Chart

The fermentation times in this chart are a general guideline based on this specific recipe and the dough temperature listed. Sourdough fermentation can vary quite a bit depending on factors like the temperature of your dough, the strength and maturity of your starter, the temperature of your kitchen, and the flour you use.

For the most accurate timing, take the temperature of your dough immediately after kneading/mixing and use that temperature to find the closest range on the chart. From there, use the dough itself as your guide rather than relying solely on the clock. Your dough may be ready sooner or may need more time than the chart suggests.

Tip: Dough temperature can change throughout fermentation, so if your kitchen is significantly warmer or cooler than the temperature used for this chart, expect your fermentation time to change as well.