My gluten free Dinner Roll recipe is sure fun to play with! I could not help but try turning that standard dinner roll into something with a crunchy exterior. The coating bakes up crunchy, slightly salty, and absolutely yummy. They come together pretty easy and the aroma wafting around the kitchen while they bake is mouthwatering! Baking these gluten free parmesan rolls in a muffin tin provides extra crispy edges which is the added texture your taste buds are gonna love! See notes for a baking variation.
Why These Rolls Are Next Level
The original Gluten Free Dinner Roll is already a crowd favorite on its own – but then I thought, what happens if we dip each one in butter and roll it in a parmesan panko coating before baking? The answer is: you get a tasty roll with a soft, fluffy interior and a crunchy, slightly salty, garlicky exterior that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. These will disappear so fast, so I’d suggest making double batch and don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The Dinner Roll Dough You Already Know
The Mashed Potato Magic, One More Time
Same foundational Gluten Free Dinner Roll dough, with mashed potatoes keeping things soft and pillowy inside even as the outside crisps up beautifully. That texture contrast is exactly what makes these rolls so delicious. If the dinner roll recipe is already in your rotation, you are more than halfway there.
The Parmesan Panko Coating
The Butter Dip That Makes It All Stick
Each dough ball gets dipped in melted butter first so that the panko and parmesan cling to it and also what helps the coating brown so beautifully in the oven. Let the excess butter drip off before rolling in the mixture so it is not too thick. A light brush of extra butter on top before baking doesn’t hurt either.
Garlic, Herb, and Cheese Variations for these g/f garlic parmesan rolls
The base coating is GF panko, shredded parmesan, garlic powder, and fresh basil – simple and absolutely delicious. Swap the basil for rosemary or thyme if that is what you have. If you have a favorite Garlic Blend use that in place of the garlic powder and it bumps up the flavor another notch. The parmesan can be swapped for manchego or pecorino for a slightly sharper bite.
The Muffin Tin Method
The Kitchen Shears Trick
Once the coated dough balls are in the muffin tin, use kitchen shears to make three deep cuts in the top of each one – one down the center and one on each side. This step might seem unnecessary, but it takes seconds and it’s what gives these rolls their gorgeous, bakery-worthy texture on top. The cuts open up as the dough rises and bakes, creating those beautiful pull-apart petals with even more crispy surface area.
Prefer a Baking Dish?
The muffin tin gives you the maximum crispy edge experience since each roll is surrounded on the sides, but you can absolutely bake these in a greased baking dish in the style of standard dinner rolls. The coating still bakes up beautifully – just know you will get a slightly softer exterior on the sides where the rolls touch each other.
When to put these gluten free garlic parmesan rolls on the table.
These gluten free parmesan rolls are a natural at holiday dinners, Sunday suppers alongside pasta or soup, and any gathering where you want a side dish that gets people talking. They are also genuinely great as an appetizer with a little extra butter for dipping. Serving them warm right out of the oven is also a great way to kick off any dinner party, just sayin!
Gluten Free Garlic Parmesan Rolls
Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes20
minutesone roll so many ways to enjoy!
Ingredients
1 whole batch Gluten Free Dinner Roll recipe
1 cup GF Panko Breadcrumbs
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Fresh Basil, finely chopped (or herb of choice)
2 tsp Garlic Powder (or Garlic Blend of choice)
1/2 cup Salted Butter, melted and slightly cooled (plus additional as needed – can sub ghee or vegan butter as needed)
Directions
- Prepare two muffin tins by coating with avocado spray or oil, set asdie.
- Place panko, parmesan, basil, and garlic in a bowl. Fluff to combine. Place melted butter in another bowl. Set both aside.
- Make dinner roll dough as directed and divide into 24 equal balls.
- Dip each dough ball into the butter, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in the panko mixture to coat. Place in the prepared muffin tin. Brush tops with additional melted butter if desired.
- Using kitchen shears, make three deep cuts in each dough ball – one in the middle and one on each side.
- Cover with plastic and let rise 20 minutes in a warm spot.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden.
- Cool slightly in the muffin tin for 3-4 minutes, then remove and enjoy warm!
Notes
- You can also bake these in large baking dishes like standard dinner rolls if you prefer – prepare the baking dish by spraying with avocado oil. The muffin tin approach gives more crispy edges! The kitchen shears cuts in each ball allow the rolls to bake up beautifully with gorgeous texture on top. Best served warm!
