Onion and Sage Dinner Rolls

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These soft, buttery onion and sage dinner rolls packed with golden, caramelized onions and fresh sage are the perfect side for a cozy dinner or holiday feast.

Prep Time1

Cook Time35

Rising Time2

Total Time3 35

Course: Baking

Cuisine: American

Servings: dinner rolls

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Alison Wiebe

Ingredients

2 large onions diced
5 tablespoon butter divided
1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra
2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage divided
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus extra
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup water warm
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
¾ cup milk warm
1 egg

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a skillet over medium heat combine 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil. Add the onions along with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté the onions over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to caramelize. The onions are done when they are golden in colour and have reduced to about half the size in volume. Set aside one-third of the caramelized onions to top the dinner rolls later. Transfer the remaining two-thirds of the onions to a plate, spreading out to allow them to cool while you prepare the yeast.
Warm the water to between 105°F and 115°F. Add the sugar and yeast. Stir briefly and then set aside for the yeast to activate. When the yeast is bubbly and risen, after about 5 minutes, proceed with the recipe.
In a small skillet or saucepan heat 2 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage and allow to cook briefly. When the sage is fragrant but hasn't browned, remove from the heat. Transfer the butter and sage to a small bowl, using a spatula to scrape out as much of the butter as possible.
In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, onion powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm milk, sage butter, and the cooled onions. Stir in the yeast and add the dry ingredients.
Mix using the dough hook, until the dough starts to come together. Scrape down the sides occasionally to encourage the dough to come together. The dough will be sticky and won't form a ball immediately. Continue scraping down the sides while mixing, adding flour a little at a time to encourage a ball to form. Once the dough seems to be holding together as a ball you can stop adding flour. See my bread making tips earlier in this post.
Continue mixing with a dough hook on low speed for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy, scraping down the sides occasionally to prevent sticking. After mixing, scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. The dough will feel a little sticky due to the onions. Lightly knead a couple of times on the counter to bring it together into a smooth ball.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Rub a little oil on top of the dough. Cover with cling film or a tea towel and then set in a warm place to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until double in size.
Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet, or 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and set aside. Punch the dough down to deflate. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. Arrange the rolls in the pan. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over each roll. The egg wash will give a shiny, golden crust. Spoon the remaining onions over the dinner rolls, spreading them evenly over each roll. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and fully cooked. Check the rolls occasionally to make sure the onions don't get too dark. If they are beginning to brown before the rolls are done, tent the rolls with foil and continue baking.
To serve, top the warm dinner rolls with more melted sage butter. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoon butter in a small skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves. Use a pastry brush to carefully brush the sage butter over the dinner rolls being careful not to scrape off the onions. Cool briefly before serving. Enjoy!

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