Butterhorn Recipe – From the ND Restaurant
If you’ve never had a butterhorn – get ready! The well-loved and raved about Butterhorn restaurant in Bismarck, ND closed its doors in June of 2025. Like many people, my heart sank a little. I’d grown to love their soft, buttery butterhorn rolls. The good news? The owners generously shared their recipe as a parting gift but the bad news was that it made more than I wanted to handle for my large family. So I set out to scale it down slightly to make 24 perfect butterhorn rolls. No fuss—just cozy, from-scratch goodness you can bake even on a busy weeknight.
These butterhorns are a hit everywhere I take them. Our church life group went nuts for them and the oohs and aahs around the table made my baking heart so happy. They’re rich, tender, and have that classic crescent shape that feels fancy and so pretty. .
If you’re pouring your heart into homemaking while juggling kids, laundry, and a thousand other things—this recipe is for you. It skips the potato step my family loves in my other crescent rolls, so it’s quicker and still delivers that melt-in-your-mouth texture everyone craves.
Why You’ll Love This Butterhorn Recipe
- Makes a manageable 24 rolls—perfect for family dinners or sharing without leftovers going to waste.
- No fancy equipment required (a stand mixer is nice, but a big bowl and strong arms work too!).
- Freezes beautifully for those “I need rolls in a hurry” moments.
- The buttery shine and soft crumb make them crazy tender and good.
A Few Practical Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- If your kitchen runs cool like mine often does, let the dough rise on top of the fridge, near a sunny window, or inside your oven with the bread proof feature.
- Don’t stress about perfection—these rolls are forgiving. A few uneven crescents still taste amazing once they’re brushed with that extra melted butter.
- Cover the dough with a disposable shower cap or plastic wrap.
- Yeast note: This recipe uses active dry yeast (bloom it in warm water first). You can swap it 1:1 with instant yeast and skip the blooming step—just add it straight to the flour. Either works beautifully and gives the same tender rolls.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Tips
These butterhorn rolls freeze like a dream.
- Bake them fully, cool completely, then tuck into freezer bags. When you’re ready, warm them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. They taste fresh-baked every time.
- You can also make the dough through step 4, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let it come to room temp for 30–45 minutes before shaping and rising.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re baking these for a quiet family supper or to share with your church group, I hope they bring the same smiles and happy sighs they’ve brought to ours. If you make these butterhorns, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Drop a comment below. You’ve got this, mama. Your table is a beautiful place.
Happy baking!
Butterhorn Rolls
Print Recipe
equipment (affiliate links
- kitchen scale for best accuracy
- stand mixer with paddle attachment recommended
- shower caps for 1st rise
Ingredients
For the dough
- ½ c. (120 g.) water warmed to 110°F – for active dry yeast or 120°F for instant yeast
- 2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast or instant yeast (see notes)
- 5⅓ c. (740 g.) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)
- 1 c. (240 g.) milk warmed (110°F)
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ c. (76 g.) salted butter melted
- ½ c. (100 g.) granulated sugar 100g
- 1½ tsp. salt
For shaping and finishing
- ⅓ c. (76 g.) salted butter melted, for brushing
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water and a pinch of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and whisk. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and the yeast is activated.½ c. (120 g.) water2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
- To a stand mixer with a hook attachment, add the flour, warm milk, eggs, melted butter, granulated sugar, salt, and proofed yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until smooth and well combined.5⅓ c. (740 g.) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)1 c. (240 g.) milk3 large eggs⅓ c. (76 g.) salted butter½ c. (100 g.) granulated sugar1½ tsp. salt
- Mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes until a soft dough forms. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky—add flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if it’s too sticky to handle comfortably.
- Cover the dough with a shower cap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest until doubled (about 1 hour).
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion into a circle about 14–16 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick.
- Brush circle lightly with some of the softened or melted butter. Cut the circle into 8 to 12 equal wedges (like pizza slices). Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge tightly toward the pointed tip to form a crescent shape. Place the rolls point-side down on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart for room to rise.⅓ c. (76 g.) salted butter
- Cover the shaped rolls loosely with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45–90 minutes (depending on room temperature).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 10–14 minutes, until golden brown on top. (Thicker or larger rolls may need the full 14 minutes; rotate the sheets halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.)
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush the hot rolls with additional melted butter for extra shine and flavor. Let cool slightly on the pans, then transfer to a wire rack or serve warm.
Notes
- Original Method: The Butterhorn restaurant used to apply the melted butter only to the rolled crescents just before baking. If you want to be super authentic, do not butter the rolled out circle. Just brush the tops of risen rolls with butter and add salt.
- Yeast Note: This recipe uses active dry yeast (proof it first). Swap 1:1 with instant yeast. For instant yeast, make sure your liquids are around 120°F for best results. Instant – you can skip the proofing step—just add it with the flour.
- Overnight Option: Make dough through step 4, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Next day bring to room temp 30–45 minutes before shaping.
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