Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls
These soft and buttery homemade cloverleaf rolls are an absolute treat and very versatile. They pair well with any food, sweet or savory. Can be eaten for dinner or for breakfast with some butter and jam.
These cloverleaf rolls are an American bread like a ball made of three sections; more like a pull-apart bun. They are named after the leaf of a clover plant which has three lobes. This is a simple, easy and yet very exotic looking bread. Made with just three small balls of bread into one muffin case that then bakes and becomes one bread. Often people wonder how do you get that shape, but really it’s so easy!!
Did you know that cloverleaf is actually referred to a particular shape, not the recipe? So technically you could take any of your favorite bread recipes and shape it into a cloverleaf roll. Usually, we prefer to use an enriched dough that’s not so bready (if that is even a word) but tastes more soft buttery and just melts in the mouth.
Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe
Childhood Memories
One of my fond memories as a little girl is sitting on the kitchen top corner and helping mom with her work. She’d give me a small piece of dough and I’d happily leave her alone to do her work while I would knead the hell out of that little piece of dough.
Now I often have the same scene in my kitchen with my kids. It’s usually Rhea more than Aadi. She loves to help me when I’m working. And like me, she’s especially attracted to bread dough. She loves the soft silky smoothness of the bread dough when it’s all ready to be baked.
My mom would say – you know a good bread when it just comes out of the oven. The true test is when you see someone take a small bite and then immediately wants to take another. That happens when you have the right balance of the perfect texture on the outside and softness on the inside.
Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes
- All Purpose flour – You can use bread flour if you prefer. And yet, it’s not necessary and this dough is very forgiving and works just fine with all-purpose flour.
- Egg – I love the stability the egg adds to the dough and enriches it.
- Milk – I prefer to use milk instead of water. It not just adds taste but also makes a nice soft crumb bread.
- Sugar – It’s not much so it won’t sweeten the bread. It helps the yeast. Also, it absorbs some of the liquid, slowing the formation of gluten strand. As a result, it makes the enriched dough just perfect.
As I said, these rolls are simple and easy to make. If you organize your work, then the in-between time of waiting does not bother you at all.
Furthermore, you can get the kids involved. They love making these tiny little balls and then get even more excited when the rolls come out of the oven. My kids love these with jam and can eat them just like that. They are so buttery and delicious.
Video -Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls
Recipe – Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls
Useful Tips and Tools
- A small Mixing Bowl or measuring cup to activate the yeast. I prefer to use glass over metal. If the metal is cold it can lower the temperature of the liquid ingredients. Not a big deal. And yet, it’s nice to get the yeast activated quickly and move on with the recipe.
- I like mixing bread dough by hand. It’s quite therapeutic. But bread dough can be difficult to handle. Not just because it needs more kneading but also because it’s often a soft, sticky mess. And yet, keeping the dough soft and sticky is important for good bread baking. So, I highly recommend using a stand mixer Kenwood, kitchen-aidor other brands, it does not matter. Personally, I also have a hand mixer. And yet, I don’t use it for baking bread. Because bread dough is dense compared to cakes. So, it might harm my hand mixer. (recommended read – which stand mixer is good for home bakers)
- Baking bread is a science. So measuring ingredients correctly is important. Also, do not wing the measurements. Use a Measuring Cup for liquid ingredients and Measuring Spoons for dry ingredients.
- A good baking tray is as important to bread baking as it is to other baking Baking Tray. Therefore, buy a good quality baking tray that’s not too thin. The thick ones will prevent the bread from burning on the bottom. Sometimes you can even add a second tray on the bottom to prevent it from getting burnt.
- Every oven works differently. So the baking times are just guidelines. In the case of bread, a hollow sound on the bottom of the bread is a great indication. If the bread bakes too quick or too slow compared to the time given it might be a good idea to check if your oven needs calibration. An oven thermometer is a great little gadget to help keep the oven temperature in check. All you need to do is adjust the temperature accordingly.
Ingredients
For the bread
- Milk – 320 ml (1 1/2 cup)
- Egg – 1 large
- Instant dry yeast – 2 1/2 tsp (1 sachet)
- Sugar – 1 tbsp
- Salt – 1 tbsp
- Melted butter – 60 grams (1/2 stick)
- All-purpose flour – 500 grams + additional 100 grams for kneading
Glaze
- Egg wash – 1 egg with 2 tbsp water
Method
Prepare yeast mixture
- Warm the milk (11o F) and melt the butter.
- In a measuring cup add the milk, yeast and sugar and melted butter.
- Stir well to dissolve the yeast properly then add the egg.
- Combine well and set aside for 5 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the dough
- Add four cups of flour in the mixer bowl with a hook attachment.
- Move the flour around making a hollow in the center.
- Pour in the yeast mixture. Combine the mix well.
- The dough will be soft and sticky do not add more flour.
- Continue to knead for about 3 to 5 minutes adding only as much flour as needed to make a smooth and shiny dough.
- Bring the dough together into a ball.
Prove the dough
- Place in an oiled bowl. Brush some oil on the dough to prevent drying.
- Cover with cling/plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for about an hour or until double in volume.
Form the balls
- Punch down and knead for a few seconds.
- Divide the dough in half, each half in four.
- Make smaller portions – until you are able to make about 2 cm balls.
- Roll the balls.
- Lightly spray two muffin tins with oil.
- Place three balls into each of the cups.
- Cover with a damp kitchen cloth and let rest for about 40 mins until almost double in size.
Bake
- After 40 mins when double in size.
- Preheat oven to 190 C/380 F.
- Brush with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 mins.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes take them off the muffin tins and cool on a wire rack to avoid steam from making them damp.
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Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls
Homemade Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the bread
- 320 ml Milk
- 1 Egg large
- 2 1/2 tsp Instant dry yeast 1 sachet
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 60 grams Melted butter
- 500 grams All-purpose flour plus an additional 100 grams for kneading
Glaze
- Egg wash - 1 egg with 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Prepare yeast mixture
- Warm the milk (11o F) and melt the butter.
- In a measuring cup add the milk, yeast and sugar and melted butter.
- Stir well to dissolve the yeast properly then add the egg.
- Combine well and set aside for 5 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the dough
- Add four cups flour in the mixer bowl with a hook attachment.
- Move the flour around making a hollow in the center.
- Pour in the yeast mixture. Combine the mix well.
- The dough will be soft and sticky do not add more flour.
- Continue to knead for about 3 to 5 minutes adding only as much flour as needed to make a smooth and shiny dough.
- Bring the dough together into a ball.
Prove the dough
- Place in an oiled bowl. Brush some oil on the dough to prevent drying.
- Cover with cling/plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for about an hour or until double in volume.
Form the balls
- Punch down and knead for a few seconds.
- Divide the dough in half, each half in four.
- Make smaller portions - until you are able to make about 2 cm balls.
- Roll the balls.
- Lightly spray two muffin tins with oil.
- Place three balls into each of the cups.
- Cover with a damp kitchen cloth and let rest for about 40 mins until almost double in size.
Bake
- After 40 mins when double in size.
- Preheat oven to 190 C/380 F.
- Brush with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 mins.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes take them off the muffin tins and cool on a wire rack to avoid steam from making them damp.
Nutrition Information
Don’t forget to read my post –
10 Best Gifts for Bread Bakers.
Gift Guide for Bread Bakers, 10 best gifts for bread bakers,
Do you love baking homemade bread? I do enjoy it very much too!
Feel free to check out my – Slice of Bread – Homemade Bread Collection or see my Recipe Index for a collection of all recipes on this blog.
Love these rolls. Tried them last week – so easy to make and the kids had fun making the balls. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Srinivas. So happy to hear that you have great success with this recipe. Appreciate you coming back to write this feedback. Always love to read feedback.
Rolls are my weakness and those glossy tops are killing me! I want to make these and top them with some whipped cinnamon honey butter. *drools* Will come back to let you know how well they turn out.
Absolutely Britt. You will love these with honey butter too. They are very versatile.
There’s nothing like warm, fresh from the oven pull-apart rolls.
Thank you Kristina. These are not pull apart rolls. These are made individually!!
Clover leaf rolls are such an easy indulgence. I love it all buttery and hot with nothing else! A good bread needs nothing but butter and salt! Great recipe!
Absolutely Rezel. We buy regular salted butter for bread makes a huge difference. Thanks
Such a cute thought of you helping mom prepare the bread. An you are so lucky to have such great kitchen helpers. I wish you could send them my way as I could always use some extra hands in the kitchen. Love the shape of this bread. It is such a fun change.
Thank you Lynn. I love my kitchen helps both of them are very fond of messing around in the kitchen. Thanks.
These rolls look amazing! There’s nothing quite like warm rolls fresh out of the oven…I have to stop myself from slathering them with butter and eating them all!
Thank you Karyl. SO true aint’ nothing like warm fresh bread out of the oven.
I love making rolls – they’re so easy, and everyone is so impressed! Your directions are clear, and everyone who wants will be able to make this classic!
Thank you Anne. Glad you find my directions clear.
I love the cloverleaf approach to rolls! Bread is my ultimate weakness and I would take a soft, buttery roll with jam over dessert almost any day!
Thanks Amy. Just like my son. He loves his buttery rolls with butter and jam.
Veena, these rolls look incredible! I haven’t had a cloverleaf roll in years … but now I HAVE to make these at home! I love the video, too!
Thanks Sara. I love these very much so we make it often.
The texture of these rolls looks fantastic! I love those glossy tops. These would be so perfect added to a bread basket for a spring brunch. Beautiful!
Absolutely Amanda. These would make a perfect addition to a spring brunch fruit basket.
What lovely rolls! I have always thought cloverleaf rolls were special and so fun to eat!
They do look lovely and are so delicious.
These look lovely. I love the sheen on top of each roll – just beautiful!
Thank you Jen.
How glossy are these rolls?! They look just delicious. I’d love one with some melted butter on top!
Thank you Dominique – These are definitely delicious.
I’ve never seen these before, but they look so pretty and rich! Thanks for sharing, will be giving them a go!
Thank you so much Carrie. They sure are pretty and rich.
I saw this Cloverleaf rolls on instagram and I want to try it. Thanks for the info!
Thank you Tanya. Let me know what you think – I make them a lot because my kids love them.
I have never made bread ever before in my life until today. The pictures you post look so tempting and you make everything look so easy.
I am amazing at how talented you are.. I just saw your cake blog. I’m absoulutely amazed at your creations.
I wish you all the success. Keep posting more recipes.. Will definitely try and let you know.
Natasha
Thank you so much Natasha. So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and had great success with baking bread for the first time. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always wonderful to hear back from those who have tried my recipe. Thank you !
Made this a few times and it came out soooooooo good. Then I made a variation and added sun dried raisins. It was gone before the morning. Next time I will try with chocolate chips. Thing is I don’t make small rolls but two breads, one nice large one that lasts the week and one smaller one for the weekend. The best recipe on the net. Thank you Veena
Thank you so much Karen. This bread recipe is so versatile ! So happy to hear that you are having fun exploring and creating different variations of this. Appreciate you coming back to write this feedback – always makes my day when I here such positive feedback.