Za'atar Pull-Apart Rolls

Pull-apart and monkey breads don't have to be sweet! This simple homemade dough is dipped in za'atar (a delicious Middle Eastern herb mix) and baked in a muffin tin. Great served with labneh, olives, and fresh mint for brunch!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 244 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ⅔ cup warm whole milk (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))
• ½ cup za'atar, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let stand until mixture is foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Beat milk mixture on low speed. Add 1 cup flour, beating just until combined. Add melted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/2 cup flour; beat until combined. Beat in eggs. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups flour and salt. Beat until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Step 4

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray; add dough. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Punch dough down gently. Pinch off 36 small pieces of dough and roll into balls.

Step 6

Whisk 6 tablespoons za'atar and 1/3 cup olive oil together in a bowl. Immerse dough balls in oil mixture to coat all sides. Arrange 3 dough balls in each muffin cup. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons za'atar over dough.

Step 7

Cover muffin tin loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let rise until dough balls puff up over the rim of the tin, about 25 minutes.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven until puffed up and golden, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Lift out of the pan and cool briefly on a wire rack, about 5 minutes more.