makes twenty-four rolls 
1 am convinced those canned “pop-n-bake” biscuits are the adult equivalent of a jack-in-the-box—I used to jump every single time I opened one of the darn things. But my fear of exploding biscuits isn’t the only reason I abandoned the rolls of cardboard-wrapped dough in favor of this recipe. These buttery homemade crescents have a softer, fluffier texture, not to mention that they’re missing that lovely chemical aftertaste I’ve always noticed in the canned variety. I serve these on special occasions and the addition of fresh herbs makes them even more extraordinary. (If you don’t have fresh herbs handy, substitute 2 tablespoons dried herbs instead.)
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup warm water (95–110°F)
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup whole milk
⅓ cup sugar, preferably organic whole cane sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup chopped fresh herbs (my favorites are rosemary, thyme, and parsley)
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat ⅓ cup of the butter, the milk, sugar, and salt, stirring until the butter is just barely melted. Cool for 5 minutes, then stir into the yeast mixture. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
Mix in the flour ½ to 1 cup at a time just until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Place in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch round.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Brush each round with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and sprinkle with half the herbs. Cut each round into 12 wedges and roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end and pinching the pointed end in place to keep it from unrolling while it bakes. Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Brush the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.