Author: Soft, buttery, and extra fluffy, these homemade cloverleaf dinner rolls are the perfect complement to any dinner or holiday meal! Whether you are using einkorn flour or any other all-purpose wheat, this is a tried-and-true recipe you’ll want to make every year. You can make these in advance, as cloverleaf rolls freeze beautifully and can be thawed and warmed for the big day.
During the holidays, I like to do everything I can to enjoy the day with my family. For me, that means making most of the food in advance! Whether it’s making and freezing mashed potatoes, pre-frying onion toppers, or just having a few pie crusts in the freezer, anything I can do to reduce the amount of time I’m standing in the kitchen is welcomed!
These dinner rolls are on my list of favorite make-ahead holiday recipes, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as we do!
Homemade Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
Soft and golden, cloverleaf rolls have been a holiday favorite in America for more than a century! Their three-petaled shape, baked in muffin tins, made them both practical and beautiful. They truly are a symbol of abundance and hospitality that continue to grace our holiday tables today!
Made with milk, butter, and eggs, these dinner rolls are rich and fluffy and perfect for loading up with all your favorite holiday dishes! This recipe makes 24 cloverleaf rolls and can be doubled if desired.
Ingredients
There is a printable recipe card at the end of the post that includes the full measurements for each ingredient. However, I want to quickly cover each one, as well as any variations or substitutions that may be available!
- Flour – All-purpose flour is called for in this recipe. We use all-purpose einkorn flour, but you can use any modern AP flour you prefer. The measurements for einkorn versus other modern wheat is going to be slightly different, and those measurements are both included in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of the post.
- Salt – A high-quality sea salt will yield the best results, but use what you have.
- Yeast – This recipe uses instant yeast.
- Milk – We use whole milk, but you can use any kind of milk you want, even almond milk! Just make sure it is unflavored and unsweetened.
- Butter – Salted and unsalted butter work perfectly in this recipe, so use what you have on hand. There is butter in the dough, and it is used for basting the dough before baking as well.
- Sugar – Both granulated and liquid sweeteners will work well without modification. It is just used for flavor, not for enhancing the yeast, so you can even use your favorite alternative sugar!
- Egg – Used to strengthen the dough, this can be omitted or replaced with 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt.
How to Make Cloverleaf Rolls
Growing up, going to the local diner with my grandparents, cloverleaf rolls always seemed so fancy to me! It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I finally tried them for myself. And yes, they do take a little bit more time to roll the dough, but only a few minutes! It’s worth that tiny bit of extra effort to enjoy the beautiful results!
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, place 2 cups of flour, salt, and yeast.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and milk, stir until well combined. Heat to 105 -115°F.
- Slowly pour the milk mix over the flour in the mixer. Mix on low with the whisk attachment. Add the egg and mix briefly.
- Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Once flour is well combined, switch to a dough hook and mix on low for 10 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover tightly with a plate or cling wrap. Allow to rise for 1 ½ hours.
- Remove dough from bowl, place on floured surface, and divide into 24 equal portions. Then cut each portion into 3 equal pieces.
- Grease 2 12-cavity muffin tins. Roll each small portion into a ball. Place 3 balls (side-by-side) into each cavity and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to rise an additional 1 ½ hours.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Once baked, brush with melted butter. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Serve warm, or cool fully and freeze.
Making These Cloverleaf Rolls in Advance
If you’re like me and want to make these in advance, the process is very simple!
- Bake the rolls as normal and allow them to cool fully.
- Store the rolls in gallon Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- The night before you want to enjoy these rolls, remove the bag from the freezer and place it on the counter. Keep the bags closed until you are ready to warm them up.
- Place the rolls on a baking tray and place the baking tray in a cold oven. Set the oven to 350°F, and once it is up to temperature, remove the rolls and serve.
Even More Holiday Recipes
Fill your holiday table with tried-and-true homemade recipes this year!
Cloverleaf Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose einkorn flour, 540g or 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 packet instant yeast 2 ¼ tsp
- 1 ½ cup lukewarm milk
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup melted butter for basting rolls after baking
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, place 2 cups of flour, salt, and yeast.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and milk, stir until well combined. Heat to 105 -115°F.
- Slowly pour the milk mix over the flour in the mixer. Mix on low with the whisk attachment. Add the egg and mix briefly.
- Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Once flour is well combined, switch to a dough hook and mix on low for 10 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover tightly with a plate or cling wrap. Allow to rise for 1 ½ hours.
- Remove dough from bowl, place on floured surface, and divide into 24 equal portions. Then cut each portion into 3 equal pieces.
- Grease 2 12-cavity muffin tins. Roll each small portion into a ball. Place 3 balls (side-by-side) into each cavity and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to rise an additional 1 ½ hours.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Once baked, brush with melted butter. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Serve warm, or cool fully and freeze.
Notes
Making These Cloverleaf Rolls in Advance
If you’re like me and want to make these in advance, the process is very simple!- Bake the rolls as normal and allow them to cool fully.
- Store the rolls in gallon Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- The night before you want to enjoy these rolls, remove the bag from the freezer and place it on the counter. Keep the bags closed until you are ready to warm them up.
- Place the rolls on a baking tray and place the baking tray in a cold oven. Set the oven to 350°F, and once it is up to temperature, remove the rolls and serve.
Nutrition
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