Toasted Pecan and Thyme Dinner Rolls

Words by Emily Schuermann / Photos by Rachel Waters

Makes 1 dozen rolls

Ingredients

• 240 milliliters cup milk

• 4.5 grams fresh thyme leaves (or 0.5 grams dried crushed thyme)

• 10 grams instant dry yeast

• 40 grams granulated sugar

• 42 grams salted butter, softened 

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 380 grams all-purpose flour

• 45 grams toasted pecans, roughly chopped

• 10 grams kosher salt

• 25 grams sugar (reserved for the bottom of the baking pan)

• 60 milliliters heavy whipping cream (reserved for the bottom of the baking pan)

• 30 grams melted butter (for the top of the rolls)

• Flaky salt (for the top of the rolls)

METHOD

Begin by placing the milk and thyme leaves in a saucepan and warming to a temperature of 115°-120°. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar allowing them to rest for 1-2 minutes. Then add the butter, egg, ⅔ of the flour, pecans, and salt. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on to the lowest speed setting. Once the flour starts to incorporate into the dough, increase the speed to medium. Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough slightly pulls away from the sides of the bowl (knead dough in the mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes to achieve this texture). The dough mixture should still be slightly sticky and soft.*

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased medium-sized bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 9”x13” baking pan. Sprinkle the bottom of the baking pan with the reserved sugar and heavy whipping cream. 

Turn the dough out onto a nonstick dough mat or the countertop. Using a digital scale, weigh the dough to the tenth of an ounce and then divide the total weight by 12 (this should be roughly 2.5 ounces) per roll. Cut and weigh out 12 equal portions of dough and form them into balls. Place the dough balls in the prepared baking pan in 3 rows of four, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 365°. Bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned, or until the center of the centermost roll reaches an internal temperature of 200°.

Remove rolls from the oven and brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Serve the rolls warm, or cool on a wire cooling rack. Once cooled completely, cover with foil and place in an oversized zipper-top bag for up to 3 days. The rolls can be frozen for up to one month.

Note **You might need to add more or less flour until the dough reaches the desired consistency, so have some extra flour on hand.