Onion Rolls
Rich, tender, and flavorful, these pull-apart onion rolls will become your new favorite thing.
These pull-apart rolls are my basic recipe, with the addition of onions. I use caramelized onions instead of the raw ones because these have better flavor and are more tender.Â
You can enjoy these alone, use them to make sliders, or serve them with a bowl of pasta!
How To Perfect The Dough
This dough is easy to make and requires only simple ingredients, but this does not mean you can just mix it up and still expect the magic to happen. When making any type of dough, remember that dough likes to be cozy.
Warmth is the key to getting a good rise, so start with water that is the right temperature and find a warm place in the house for the dough to rise.
If your house is on the cold side like mine, here is a tip: heat a mug of water in a microwave for 2-3 minutes, so the inside of the microwave is nice and steamy. Then, place the bowl of dough inside. It does the trick every time!
How To Prepare The Onions
Onions for the onion rolls have to be chopped finely. Once the onions are chopped, toss them on an unheated skillet, and coat with oil.
At this point, you can remove around 2-3 tbsp of the fresh onions and use them to cover the rolls.
You can cook your onions until just tender, or cook them until almost caramelized. I love the caramelized onions, but they will not work for this as they will simply fall apart.
For these rolls, you do need to have structure so they can get through the baking. The onions will continue to cook in the oven, so caramelized ones may just dissolve or overcook.
How To Fill The Rolls
The important thing to keep in mind when filling the rolls is to keep the onion mixture from touching any area of the dough that will be used to attach to itself.
When enclosing the dough, you need the dough to stick to itself. The onion mixture is oily, and any oil touching the dough will prevent it from sticking and making a nice ball of dough.
How To Shape The Rolls
The easiest way to shape the rolls is to divide the dough into equal portions. Gently roll each in a ball and flatten them between your palms or just roll them out a bit with a rolling pin.
Place the cooked onions on one part of the dough, fold the sides, and just roll the dough into a ball. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and onions.Â
You can fill and shape your rolls however you want. Many people like onion pockets, that is just rolling the dough flat, filling it with the onions, and folding it over so the onions are inside.Â
My Tips For Perfect Onion Rolls
Keep your ingredients at room temperature; this is something that is a bit controversial in the baking community.
I generally do not follow this rule when baking cakes and muffins because my ingredients behave the same, cold or at room temperature.
Still, when talking about dough, adding cold ingredients like eggs will lower the temperature of the dough and could cause the dough to require an even longer time to rise.Â
For that more pull-apart feeling, you can bake your rolls in a smaller pan. I baked mine in a 9-inch pan, but you can use an 8-inch pan.
Onion Rolls
Preparation time: 20 minutes + inactive time
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 9 rollsÂ
Ingredients
For the rolls:
- ¾ cup water, lukewarm
- 1 tsp yeast
- 2 cups flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- ½ tsp salt
For the onion filling:
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ tbsp olive or plain oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
1. Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Cover the yeast and let it stand for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk in eggs and oil.
4. Fold in flour and salt.
5. Stir until the dough comes together.
6. Transfer the dough to a floured kitchen surface and knead until smooth.
7. Cover the bowl with a plastic foil and place in a warm spot, to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
8. In the meantime, prepare the onions. In a skillet combine onions, oil, and salt. Cook the onions, stirring for 8-10 minutes, until almost caramelized. Reserve 2 tbsp of the onion for topping.Â
9. Once your dough has doubled in size, divide it into 12 portions.
10. Flatten each portion between your hands, and place some of the onion mixture. I go with 1 tsp.Â
11. Fold the sides of dough over the onion, and roll up the dough into a ball.Â
12. Arrange the dough balls into a 9-inch pan, lined with parchment paper.
13. Top the rolls with reserved onion and let them rise for another 30 minutes.Â
14. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes.Â
15. Serve and enjoy!
Onion Rolls
Fluffy and buttery rolls filled and topped with flavorful onions!
Ingredients
For the rolls:
- ¾ cup water, lukewarm
- 1 tsp yeast
- 2 cups flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- ½ tsp salt
For the onion filling:
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ tbsp olive or plain oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
- Cover the yeast and let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Whisk in eggs and oil. Fold in flour and salt.
- Stir until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a floured kitchen surface and knead until smooth. Cover the bowl with a plastic foil and place in a warm spot, to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- In the meantime, prepare the onions. In a skillet combine onions, oil, and salt. Cook the onions, stirring for 8-10 minutes, until almost caramelized. Reserve 2 tbsp of the onion for topping.
- Once your dough has doubled in size, divide it into 12 portions. Flatten each portion between your hands, and place some of the onion mixture. I go with 1 tsp.
- Fold the sides of dough over the onion, and roll up the dough into a ball.
- Arrange the dough balls into a 9-inch pan, lined with parchment paper.
- Top the rolls with reserved onion and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes.
