This garlic parmesan skillet rolls recipe uses a cast iron skillet to make fluffy yeast rolls coated in garlic-herb butter and a parmesan topping. They're a cheesy, garlicky, buttery, and savory side that can be paired with any pasta dish, meat, or even salad! There's nothing as tasty and comforting as homemade dinner rolls, and these garlic parmesan skillet rolls are pillowy soft, and full of flavor!

If you're a fan of this rolls recipe, you've got to try out my pull apart garlic bread or homemade pizza dough focaccia! These skillet rolls are the perfect accompaniment to baked pasta dishes like my creamy buffalo chicken lasagna rolls, or my giant stuffed cheese shells. Looking to round out a holiday dinner? These rolls go perfectly with a showstopper butter basted turkey, twice baked mashed potatoes, and of course homemade stuffing! For the ultimate garlic experience, spread roasted garlic butter on these rolls!
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👩🏽🍳Why This Recipe Works
- Easy Recipe: This recipe requires little equipment and uses simple ingredients that you're likely to find already sitting in your pantry at home!
- Full of Flavor: The combination of garlic, butter, parmesan cheese, sugar, and chopped parsley takes ordinary dinner rolls and turns them into a cheesy, savory masterpiece.
- Beginner friendly: If you are just beginning to dabble in making baked goods such as breads ad rolls, this recipe is a great place to start! Simple techniques and easy ingredients make for great results, even for novice bakers!
🥘Ingredients
- Active dry yeast: I prefer to use regular yeast as opposed to instant or rapid-rise yeast. I find that allowing the yeast time to activate gives a deeper yeast flavor to the rolls.
- Granulated sugar: Adding a touch of sugar works great for balancing out the garlic butter's saltiness without adding an overwhelming sweetness. The yeast also feeds off of the sugar, which helps it activate better/faster.
- Fresh garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic for the most potent garlic flavor. Pre-minced garlic tends to be more muted in flavor and can be a little bit metallic. As garlic is one of the key elements of these rolls, I recommend taking the time to freshly mince it for the best results.
- Flat leaf parsley: Flat leaf parsley adds a bright earthiness to the garlic butter topping. I recommend using flat leaf over curly parsley as the grassiness cuts through the richness of the butter.
- Salted butter: Using salted butter gives you another opportunity to keep the rolls well-seasoned and savory in flavor. Therefore, you won't need to add additional salt to the garlic butter topping.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
📖Substitutions
- Granulated sugar: Honey will work well in place of granulated sugar.
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter will work fine, but be sure to add additional salt to compensate and keep everything seasoned.
- Parmesan cheese: Substitute with pecorino romano cheese or mozzarella cheese in place of parmesan cheese.
- Flat leaf parsley: Substitute with curly parsley or Italian seasoning mix if you do not want to use fresh herbs.
🔪Variations
- Make it herby: Incorporate other herbs like fresh dill or chives for a more herbaceous flavor profile.
- Honey Yeast Rolls: Go the sweeter route and mix honey in the dough and coat your rolls in honey butter.
- Savory Seed Rolls: Top your homemade rolls with fennel, black sesame, poppy, sesame, flax, and sunflower seeds to add more savory flavor and crunchier texture.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Warm the milk - Lightly warm the milk in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, until lukewarm and the chill is gone.
Prep the garlic, parsley & parm - Using a garlic press or a sharp knife, mince the fresh garlic. Finely chop the parsley, and grate the parmesan cheese.
Add the lukewarm water, milk, sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the yeast activate and foam up for 7-10 minutes. [photo 2]
While the yeast is activating, mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and set aside. [photo 1]
Once the yeast has started to froth and form bubbles in the mixing bowl, add the softened butter and egg to the mixing bowl. Using the dough hook, lightly agitate the butter and egg to break them apart into the liquid. The mixture will look separated - this is normal. [photo 3]
Next, add the dry ingredient mixture to the stand mixer, and knead using the dough hook attachment for 3-5 minutes. If your dough appears to be too dry, slowly add in some of the extra water until the dough is soft and has come together into a ball. [photo 4]
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and place the bowl in a warm space. Allow the dough to rise for 35-40 minutes.
While the dough is rising, mix together the melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley, and set aside.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down using your hand and transfer the dough ball to a cutting board. Portion the dough into 16 even-sized pieces, and roll each portion into a ball. Preheat the oven to 375°F. [photos 5&6]
Pour a quarter of the butter mixture on the bottom of a cast iron skillet. Arrange the dough balls in the skillet with some space in between each ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and let the rolls rise for another 25-30 minutes. [photo 7]
Once the rolls have risen in the skillet, drizzle with half of the remaining butter mixture, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the cooked rolls from the oven once the tops are golden brown, and brush with the remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle the tops with the grated parmesan, and serve. [photo 8]
💭 Expert TipS
Give the yeast time to activate: Giving your yeast time to activate will also give you the opportunity to ensure that your yeast is still good to use. If it does not foam, it could have gone bad and will not give you a light, fluffy dough as a result.
Allow the mixer to knead the dough: Allow your mixer to knead the dough for a few minutes before you let the dough rest. This will ensure that the dough is nice and smooth and will rise nicely!
Keep the dough in a warm place: I recommend putting your mixing bowl into the oven with the light on. This will create a warm environment for the yeast to get to work and help the dough rise.
🍽 Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead Instructions
- You can freeze or refrigerate your parmesan garlic rolls before baking. Just let them completely thaw (for 2 hours if frozen) before popping them in the oven to bake.
- To save for later after baking, let the rolls cool once out of the oven. Store in a bag or airtight container (without butter added) at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Storing Leftovers
- These rolls will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days.
- They're best kept at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Allow your rolls to cool before placing them in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to a month.
⭐ Recipe FAQs
Many factors can cause dough not to rise. The most common factors are old/dead yeast, yeast that's too hot, the room is too cold, or simply not allowing it enough time to rise.
Any kind of pasta would taste fantastic with these parmesan skillet rolls, as well as a variety of soups, salads, and meats like chicken, beef, and pork.
Not at all! Although it is much easier to mix your dough with a stand mixer, it is not required. You can use your hands to knead the dough — just be sure not to add too much extra flour.
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Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls {Yeast Dough!}
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Room temperature water
- 1 cup Whole milk warmed to room temperature
- ¼ cup Salted butter softened
- 1 Large egg
- 4 ½ cups All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon Sea salt
- 2 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ cup Water
Garlic Butter Topping
- ½ cup Salted butter melted
- 4 cloves Garlic finely minced
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 tablespoon Flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the lukewarm water, milk, sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the yeast activate and foam up for 7-10 minutes.2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar, ¼ cup Room temperature water, 1 cup Whole milk
- While the yeast is activating, mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and set aside.4 ½ cups All purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Garlic powder, ½ tablespoon Sea salt, 2 teaspoon Baking soda
- Once the yeast has started to froth and form bubbles in the mixing bowl, add the softened butter and egg to the mixing bowl. Using the dough hook, lightly agitate the butter and egg to break them apart into the liquid. The mixture will look separated - this is normal.¼ cup Salted butter, 1 Large egg
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the stand mixer, and knead using the dough hook attachment for 3-5 minutes. If your dough appears to be too dry, slowly add in some of the extra water until the dough is soft and has come together into a ball.¼ cup Water
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and place the bowl in a warm space. Allow the dough to rise for 35-40 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, mix together the melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley, and set aside.½ cup Salted butter, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 tablespoon Flat leaf parsley
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down using your hand and transfer the dough ball to a cutting board. Portion the dough into 16 even-sized pieces, and roll each portion into a ball. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Pour a quarter of the butter mixture on the bottom of a cast iron skillet. Arrange the dough balls in the skillet with some space in between each ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and let the rolls rise for another 25-30 minutes.
- Once the rolls have risen in the skillet, drizzle with half of the remaining butter mixture, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the cooked rolls from the oven once the tops are golden brown, and brush with the remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle the tops with the grated parmesan, and serve.¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Give the yeast time to activate: Giving your yeast time to activate will also give you the opportunity to ensure that your yeast is still good to use. If it does not foam, it could have gone bad and will not give you a light, fluffy dough as a result.
- Allow the mixer to knead the dough: Allow your mixer to knead the dough for a few minutes before you let the dough rest. This will ensure that the dough is nice and smooth and will rise nicely!
- Keep the dough in a warm place: I recommend putting your mixing bowl into the oven with the light on. This will create a warm environment for the yeast to get to work and help the dough rise.
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