Ree Drummond's 4-Ingredient Ranch Garlic Rolls Are My New Favorite Pizza Dough Hack

Credit:

Jacob Fox | Food Styling: Annie Probst

Ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce may dominate recipes, restaurant menus, and refrigerator doors in other parts of the country. But if you ask many folks in the Midwest, ranch reigns supreme. Here in Iowa, where I was born and raised, Hidden Valley Ranch is reportedly the most popular condiment.

I’m not one drop surprised by this data, because in the Midwest, ranch is frequently served with pizza, for drizzling on top or dipping the crust. It crowns everything from Wedge Salads and casseroles to burgers and to chicken sandwiches. Ranch is offered as a side with fries, cheese curds, and chicken wings. And it is frequently featured as part of the buzziest foods at the state fair. (Would you dare try Garlic Ranch Pickle Pizza topped with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dust?)

It is such a staple in my neighborhood that I thought I had tried ranch every which way that I could. That is, until Ree Drummond dished up even more inspiration about how to savor the tangy, herbaceous dressing flavors in warm, buttery bread form.

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How to Make Ree Drummond’s Ranch Garlic Rolls

I’ve long since grown out of my picky eater phase, when I subsisted on a steady diet of mac and cheese, chicken tenders and fries, grilled cheese and a lifetime supply of bottled ranch and ketchup. So these days, I’m a sucker for the vibrancy and simplicity of a Homemade Ranch Dressing with fresh parsley and buttermilk when I’m dressing up my salads and side dishes.

Still, I will gladly admit that I frequently reach for a packet of dry ranch dressing mix to incorporate into recipes like party mix and the viral Mississippi Pot Roast (or remixes featuring pork chops, pork roast, and chicken).

A packet of dry ranch seasoning mix is what Ree employs in this quick and easy dinner roll recipe, which originally appeared on the “Teenager-Friendly Food” episode of The Pioneer Woman. Immediately after watching her how-to of this pizza dough hack with ranch dressing mix, I realized this is like a shortcut cinnamon roll, savory-style. I also realized I wanted to recreate this ASAP. And I only needed 4 ingredients to do just that.

Here’s how to make this herb-spiked roll recipe:

Build the butter blend. In a saucepan, add butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley. Stir until the butter is melted, then set this aside.
Prep your dough. Dust a clean surface with a light coating of flour, then roll out pizza dough into a big rectangle. Drizzle about two-thirds of the butter mixture on top and use a pastry brush or clean hands to spread evenly across the dough. Sprinkle a packet of dry ranch seasoning mix on top.
Roll, slice, and bake. Roll the dough tightly and pinch to seal the seam. Use a knife to cut 12 1-inch rolls and pop them into a cast-iron pan with the spirals facing up. Pour the rest of the garlic-herb butter on top. Cover and allow the rolls to rise for 15 to 20 minutes, then bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips For Making Ranch Garlic Rolls

If you, too, are interested in giving this pizza dough hack a try, here are some tips based on my experience with this recipe:

Skip the packet. If you use dry ranch seasoning often, it can be a cost-effective move to ditch the envelopes and make a big batch to store in a jar for up to 6 months. Our Test Kitchen’s Homemade Ranch Seasoning makes 1 ¼ cups—about 7 packets-worth—in 5 minutes flat.
DIY your dough. I’ll continue to hit the “easy” button and outsource the dough prep to my local parlor. Feel free to do the same or reach for refrigerated pizza dough at the supermarket. Feeling ambitious? Here’s how to make Pizza Dough from scratch.
Soften up. Trying to keep the melted garlic-herb butter on the dough can be challenging. Next time, instead of melting it, I plan to soften the butter, mix in the parsley and garlic, and spread it onto dough. This is a similar strategy to our favorite cinnamon roll recipe. Then before letting the rolls rise, place little pats of the rest of the softened butter all around the top of the dough.
Add a dipping sauce. As Papa John’s pizza fans know garlic butter is a delightful dunker. Still, I found myself wishing for a bowl of another sauce on the side. Consider serving these Ranch Garlic Rolls with a bowl of marinara and/or pesto.

The Verdict on Ree’s Ranch Garlic Rolls Recipe

As I pulled Ree’s Ranch Garlic Rolls from the oven, the bubbling butter at the bottom of the pan gave Butter Swim Biscuit vibes. The flavor, though, was more reminiscent of an herbaceous breadstick. (Be still my Pizza Hut-loving heart!)

I agree with Ree fans who declare this “another great recipe from Ree,” and “so delicious!” This truly is like the savory answer to a cinnamon roll, with a couple savvy shortcut ingredients that make it possible to share warm, semi-homemade bread rolls in just 50 minutes. Besides with a sidecar of marinara as a party appetizer, I look forward to recreating these rolls to pair with recipes that beg for carbs to sop up the sauce, like: