Oatmeal Dinner Rolls w/Honey Butter

This dinner roll recipe was given to me by a very good friend. She got the original recipe from a magazine, but tweaked it a bit to her liking. She said this one recipe alone was worth all the years she paid to subscribe to the magazine - lol. Anyway, I don’t know how she tweaked the recipe, but it’s perfect. The rolls are soft, billowy, and just slightly sweet like a good dinner roll should be. We especially like to eat them while they’re still warm, slathered with homemade honey butter.

Disclaimer: My photos for this post aren’t as sharp as usual. I had been messing with my camera settings one evening and completely forgot to reset them during this shoot the next day. Normally I would reshoot the photos, but I had been promising this recipe to my newsletter subscribers for a couple of months, and now that we’re eating low-carb, I probably won’t make it again until next year so, against my better judgement, I’m posting them as-is because I know many of my blog visitors find step-by-step photos helpful. Thanks for understanding!

This amazing roll recipe starts with old fashioned oats….

As well as salt, butter, and brown sugar.

The oats are cooked in boiling water for a full minute…

I love watching oats plump up as they cook.

Then the oat mixture is removed from the heat so the salt, butter, and brown sugar can be stirred in.

Set the oatmeal mixture aside for now.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water and instant yeast (bread machine or quick/rapid-rise yeast can be substituted).

Add the oatmeal mixture to the bowl…

Stir to combine.

Next add the first portion of all purpose flour.

Using the dough hook, mix until it’s almost fully incorporated.

Add the remaining addition of flour and mix until combined.

After the 2nd mixing, the dough should look like this.

Continue kneading for 6 minutes until the dough looks like this. Place dough in a covered, oiled bowl and allow to rise for 1 hour (this is an excellent time to pull out your bread proofing box - otherwise, place in a warm, draft-free place).

Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each into a dinner roll using a cupped hand (fingers curved down towards your work surface). Place the rolls evenly on an oiled quarter sheet pan; cover with oiled plastic wrap and rise for 45-60 additional minutes, then bake until golden brown. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/3HhfWXZ

• instant yeast https://amzn.to/3GGrZgE

• bread machine yeast https://amzn.to/3gFFSkp

• quick/rapid-rise yeast https://amzn.to/3Jo9PlB

• bread proofing box https://amzn.to/3svSmkc

• instant read thermometer https://amzn.to/2VCVKLG

• stand mixer https://amzn.to/3BleoKv

• quarter sheet pan https://amzn.to/2WentiN

• pastry brush https://amzn.to/2GS8bek

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Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

makes 12 dinner rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon table salt

• 3 tablespoons warm water (105-115F)

• 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (aka bread machine, quick, or rapid rise yeast)

• 2 1/2 - 3 cups all purpose flour

• optional: melted butter

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil; add quick cooking oats and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 full minute, then remove from heat.

2. Stir in butter, brown sugar, and salt; set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 tablespoons warm water, yeast, and oatmeal mixture; stir to combine.

4. Using the dough hook, add 1 1/2 cups of flour and knead on speed 2 stir until combined.

5. Turn off the mixer and add another 1 cup of flour; turn mixer on speed 2 and knead for 6 minutes (dough should clean the sides of the bowl after the flour is fully incorporated - if not, slowly add up to 1/2 cup more flour).

6. Remove bowl from stand mixer and remove dough hook from dough; cover bowl and allow dough to rise until it doubles, about 1 hour.

7. Divide dough into 12 equal portions and shape each into a roll; place rolls on a greased quarter sheet pan, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and rest for 30 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

9. Bake rolls, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.

10. Optional: brush tops with melted butter after removing from oven.

Note

• Rolls can be formed and frozen before baking. Thaw/rise on counter for 4 hours, then bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Honey Butter

makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

• 4 tablespoons your favorite honey

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

Directions

1. Place the butter, honey, and vanilla bean paste in a small mixing bowl and whip until combined with a hand mixer.

Notes

• Honey butter can be made ahead and frozen. Wrap well in double layer of plastic wrap for up to 3 months (or in vacuum sealed bag for longer).

• Instant yeast, bread machine yeast, and quick/rapid-rise yeast can be used interchangeably.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Here’s an absolutely delicious and super easy tart featuring stunning heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. A quick word of advice, the frozen puff pastry needs to thaw in the fridge overnight so plan ahead.

Start with delicious of heirloom tomatoes. Choose a variety of differing colors and sizes.

You’ll also need a savory cream cheese spread (or Boursin cheese) and a package of frozen puff pastry that’s been allowed to thaw in the refrigerator overnight (don’t be temped to skip this step).

Unfold the thawed pastry and press the folds flat. Use a pastry docker (or fork) to poke holes over the pastry.

You’ll be able to fit 1 and 2/3 sheets of puff pastry dough on one half sheet pan (reserve the remaining 1/3 sheet of puff pastry for another use). Place the 2 pieces of pastry together and use a little water and your fingers to press the seam together to make one large sheet of puff pastry. Pop in the fridge to chill while you prepare your tomatoes.

Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices using a serrated knife (or tomato knife); set aside. Don’t worry if the juice and seeds fall out of the cut tomatoes.

Stir the savory cream cheese (or Boursin) to soften. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly all over the chilled pastry, leaving a thin border around the edges.

Arrange the sliced tomatoes artfully over the cream cheese layer. It’s ok to overlap slightly, but not too much. I like to place the largest slices on first, then fill in with the smaller ones. DO NOT salt the tomatoes yet (we’ll do that after baking). Brush the tomatoes with garlic oil (or extra virgin olive oil) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown around the edges.

Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours). Brush the entire tart, including the pastry, with a little more garlic oil.

Just before serving, sprinkle tomatoes with fleur de sel (or flaked sea salt), freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil leaves. Cut with a sharp knife and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• frozen puff pastry https://amzn.to/3HHzIwg

• Boursin https://amzn.to/3Lr64xp

• garlic oil https://amzn.to/3oGrqgp

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3JkoiyI

• parchment sheets https://amzn.to/3gE2HFh

• tomato knife https://amzn.to/2XYZdSx

• offset spatula https://amzn.to/3sxrkcd

• dough docker https://amzn.to/3LnNm9X

• pastry brush https://amzn.to/3Jo67Zd

• fleur de sel (French sea salt) https://amzn.to/2Le4iEP

• my favorite oil sprayer https://amzn.to/3LswsHa

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Heiroom Tomato Tart

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

• 8 ounces onion and chive cream cheese spread (or Boursin), room temperature

• 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors and sizes (the more, the better)

• garlic infused olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil), for drizzling

• fleur de sel (French sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 10-20 fresh basil leaves (depending on their size)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F, place rack in center position, and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Unfold the first puff pastry sheet onto the parchment paper and gently press with a rolling pin to flatten fold lines (keep in mind, the sheet pan will hold 1 and 2/3 sheets of puff pastry side-by-side).

3. Repeat with the 2nd puff pastry sheet (trim away 1/3 of the 2nd pastry sheet and reserve for another use); place both pastry sheets as close together as possible without overlapping and use water to gently glue and press the two pieces to gather to form one large pastry sheet.

4. Use a fork or dough docker to poke holes over the surface of the puff pastry; place sheet pan in fridge to allow the pastry to chill while you prepare the tomatoes.

5. Slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices (a variety of colors and diameters look very nice on the tart (don’t worry if the seeds and jelly fall out of the slices).

6. Remove puff pastry from refrigerator; stir the onion and chive cream cheese to soften and use an offset spatula to spread an even layer all over the prepared puff pastry, leaving a thin border around the edges.

7. Artfully arrange the tomatoes slices on the tart - slight overlapping is okay, but try to keep a single layer for the most part (I like to start with the largest slices, then fill in with smaller ones).

8. Brush or spray tomato slices with oil just before placing the tart in the hot oven; bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry edges puff nicely and turn golden brown.

9. Remove tart from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours).

10. Just before serving, brush entire tart with a little more oil (tomatoes and pastry), sprinkle tomatoes with fleur de sel (French sea salt), freshly ground black pepper, and top with fresh basil leaves (don't add basil while tart is warm, it will wilt and discolor).

11. Slice with a sharp knife and serve.