What makes Texas Roadhouse rolls so soft and fluffy?

Three things: the enriched dough (milk, eggs, butter, AND honey — most roll recipes only use one or two enrichers), a long first rise that develops flavor and structure, and brushing with melted butter the instant they come out of the oven. The honey in the dough is the element most copycat recipes skip, and it's what gives the rolls their distinctive mild sweetness.

What cinnamon honey butter does Texas Roadhouse use?

Texas Roadhouse's cinnamon honey butter is whipped unsalted butter with honey, ground cinnamon, and powdered sugar. The chain uses Saigon cinnamon for a stronger, sweeter flavor profile. The key technique is whipping it with an electric mixer until very fluffy and light — it should look almost white. They make and serve it at room temperature so it spreads easily on warm rolls.

Can I make Texas Roadhouse rolls without a stand mixer?

Yes, by hand — but it requires more effort. Add the butter to the dough in pieces while kneading, and knead vigorously on an unfloured surface for 10–12 minutes (longer than by mixer). The dough is ready when it's smooth, slightly tacky, and springs back when you poke it. Don't add extra flour to compensate for stickiness — slightly sticky dough makes softer rolls.

How do I make Texas Roadhouse rolls ahead of time?

Shape the rolls and place them in the pan, then cover tightly and refrigerate before the second rise (up to 16 hours). Morning of serving: pull from the fridge, let rise at room temperature for 45–60 minutes until puffy, then bake as directed. This cold retard also develops more flavor than a quick room-temperature rise.

Can you buy Texas Roadhouse rolls to go?

Yes. Texas Roadhouse sells their rolls by the half-dozen and by the dozen for takeout, and you can order them on their own without buying a meal. Typical pricing is about $2.49 for a half-dozen and $4.99 for a dozen, plus around $1.99 for an 8 oz to-go cup of the cinnamon honey butter — though prices vary by location, so check with your local restaurant. Order by phone or through the Texas Roadhouse website or app for pickup. With dine-in, rolls arrive at the table free and unlimited; the to-go order is the way to get them without sitting down for a meal.

How many calories are in a Texas Roadhouse roll?

Estimates vary because Texas Roadhouse doesn't publish official per-roll nutrition. Most nutrition databases list a plain roll at roughly 220–230 calories (based on a ~57g roll), while lighter estimates put it closer to 150–170. This homemade recipe works out to about 170 calories per roll. Either way, that's before the cinnamon honey butter — one tablespoon of the honey butter adds roughly 70–90 calories, and most people spread on more than a tablespoon. If you're counting calories, account for the butter separately.

Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter

Name: Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 24 rolls
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110F; 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 2 tablespoons honey; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (Kerry Gold or Land O'Lakes); 1/3 cup honey (local raw honey if you can get it); 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon for a stronger, sweeter flavor); 3 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing

These rolls are the reason people go to Texas Roadhouse. Not the steak. Not the ribs. The rolls. They come to the table warm, soft as a cloud, and there is a little cup of cinnamon honey butter that is dangerously good. It is common to see tables demolish two baskets before their entrees arrive. The secret to the texture is a combination of milk, butter, and eggs in the dough — it is essentially a brioche-lite. A meal at Texas Roadhouse averages $18-22 per person. This recipe makes 24 rolls with butter for about $5, and they are legitimately better because they go straight from your oven to the table.

Pro Tips

Room temperature eggs matter. Cold eggs can shock the yeast and slow the rise. Pull them from the fridge 30 minutes before starting, or place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
Do not use bread flour. All-purpose gives these rolls their signature soft, tender crumb. Bread flour has too much gluten and will make them chewy instead of pillowy.
If your rolls are not browning evenly, rotate the pans halfway through baking. Every oven has hot spots.

How TR Rolls Compare to Other Chain Signature Breads

Every major casual-dining chain has a signature bread. Here is how Texas Roadhouse rolls actually compare:

Chain	Bread	Dough Style	What Makes It Distinct	Calories/Serving
Texas Roadhouse	Honey yeast rolls	Enriched (milk + butter + honey + egg)	Honey inside dough AND in the butter; brushed with butter hot out of the oven	~220 per roll
Red Lobster	Cheddar Bay Biscuits	Drop biscuit	No yeast, no rise time; cheddar in the dough + garlic butter on top	~160 per biscuit
Olive Garden	Breadsticks	Lean yeast dough	Yeasted, but leaner dough (less fat); garlic butter and salt finish, no egg or honey	~140 per breadstick
Applebee’s	No signature bread	—	No house bread served	—
Cracker Barrel	Buttermilk biscuits	Biscuit (laminated)	Buttermilk + lard/shortening; flaky layers not soft crumb; no sweetness	~160 per biscuit

The Texas Roadhouse rolls win on softness because of the enriched dough. The Cheddar Bay Biscuits win on convenience (no rise time, ready in 15 minutes from scratch). Olive Garden breadsticks win on simplicity. If you want the closest restaurant experience at home, this recipe beats them all on texture — but it requires the most time investment (roughly 2 hours start to finish including both rises).

Cost Breakdown

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
All-purpose flour	4 cups	$0.60
Whole milk	1 cup	$0.35
Unsalted butter (rolls + finish)	~6 tbsp	$0.75
Unsalted butter (honey butter)	1/2 cup	$1.00
Honey	~2/3 cup total	$1.20
Eggs	2	$0.50
Yeast	1 packet	$0.50
Sugar, cinnamon, vanilla	misc	$0.20
Total		$5.10

Compare to $18+ per person at Texas Roadhouse — these 24 rolls feed a whole table for $5.10

Nutrition

Texas Roadhouse doesn’t publish official per-roll nutrition, so restaurant estimates range from about 150 to 230 calories depending on the source and roll size. This homemade version lands around 170 calories per roll — the dough ingredients total roughly 3,700 calories spread across 24 rolls, plus the finishing butter brush. Add another 70–90 calories per tablespoon of cinnamon honey butter on top; most people use more than one.

Per roll (this homemade recipe, plain): ~170 cal | 3g fat | 31g carbs | 4g protein | 230mg sodium

Texas Roadhouse is a trademark of its owner, used here only to describe the dish this recipe recreates. This is an independent copycat written in our own words — Copycat Spices is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Texas Roadhouse.

Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter

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