Name: Easy Bake for Za'atar Rolls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3 cups of All-Purpose Flour; 1 teaspoon of Instant Yeast; 1/4 cup of Olive Oil (can substitute with Vegetable Oil); 1 cup of warm Milk; 1/4 cup of water (may not be needed); 1/4 cup Za'atar; 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil (add only enough so it's like a paste)

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Baked until golden, these easy bake Za’atar Rolls are soft and savory, brushed generously with olive oil and sprinkled with tangy thyme, make the most satisfying breakfast or dinner.

There’s something special about the aroma of fresh bread mixed with olive oil and za’atar — warm, earthy, and full of comfort. when prepared in batches.

Add a cup of sweetened tea on the side, and you have a meal that feels like home.

Why try these rolls?
A Fragrance of Memory
Ingredients
Tools needed
How to Make Za’atar Rolls
Recipe FAQs
Recipe

Why try these rolls?

There’s a quiet kind of barakah in preparing food with your own hands — in kneading, baking, and sharing what you’ve made with love.

Homemade meals slow us down and remind us of Allah’s (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) blessings in the simplest things: flour, water, and time.

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ

And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran (Abraham 14:7)

Therefore, when we prepare meals with intention and gratitude, we choose to bring barakah into our lives. Wholesome meals fill the house with warmth and create scents that live with our children for years. Fragrances develop strong bonds to memories.

Meals made with love bring everyone to the table without needing a reminder. As I bake, I try to remember that every ingredient, every aroma, is a reminder of barakah from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

A Fragrance of Memory

This recipe includes an ingredient that is near and dear to my heart: Za’atar (pronounced ZAH-tar).

This is a blend of herbs: dried thyme, sumac, with salt and toasted sesame seeds. This particular mix is the traditional Lebanese za’atar.
Other Middle Eastern countries will add herbs like marjoram and oregano with different ratios.
The blend is savory and tangy and the addition of sesame seeds provides a nutty flavor that keeps you wanting more.
The smell of za’atar brings home to mind, and back home is a slower pace than the lives we lead here.
It also reminds me of the bakery around the corner from my grandma’s house in the old city. You can always decide you’re having za’atar pastries for breakfast and stop by to order fresh ones.

Ingredients

Za’atar: I use the Lebanese za’atar, call me biased, but it is the best one.

Flour: This recipe has only been tested with all-purpose flour. The resulting dough yields rolls with a balanced texture and softness. In future recipes, I may test a substitute for another type for more nutritional benefits.

Yeast: This is just regular store-bought yeast. When I open a new container, I keep it in the fridge to keep it effective.

Milk (lightly warm — 95°F and 105°F): The warmth of the liquid used when you make any dough matters. It eases kneading, effectively activates and feeds the yeast, and facilitates the incorporation of ingredients.

A complete ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.

Tools needed

Stand Mixer: I love using the stand mixer, especially if I’m making a large batch. Otherwise, you can always do so by hand, performing a series of gentle folds.

How to Make Za’atar Rolls

Step 1: Using a mixer, add the all-purpose flour, yeast, and olive oil, combine them.

Step 2: Add the warmed up milk and mix.

Step 3: Add less than 1/4 cup of water, especially if the dough looks very dry and isn’t coming together. The dough should become soft and can be stretched without breaking apart. (Image 1).

Step 4: Divide the dough into two large balls, lightly oil a sheet pan, and place the balls on it. (Image 2).

Step 5: Cover the pan with a plastic wrap or wet tea-towel to keep moist, and prove for 30 minutes. (Image 3).

Step 6: Prepare the za’atar paste by mixing 1/4 cup za’atar with four tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. (Image 4).

Step 7: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then line a 9″x13″ baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8: Take one of the balls and roll it into a rectangular shape. The thickness shouldn’t be more than 1/4 of an inch. (Image 5).

Step 9: Bring the prepared Za’atar paste and, with a medium spatula, spread the Za’atar paste evenly over the rolled-out dough, starting with the wider side of the dough, leaving a small, clean border on the final edge for sealing (on the long edge of the dough). (Image 6).

Step 10: Roll the dough into the shape of a log. Apply slight pressure as you roll to create a tight spiral in the end. (Image 7).

Step 11: Cut them into 1 to 1.5 inches wide, or to the width you’d like. (Image 8).

💡 TIP: Use a sharp serrated knife or dough cutter and, with a sawing motion, cut, but be sure not to use a chopping knife, which can mush the rolls. (Some olive oil may leak, so keep a paper towel handy by you.

Step 12: Place each roll on the prepped baking sheet. Repeat steps 8-11 with the second ball of dough. (Image 9).

Step 13: Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the swirls are brown on top. (Image 10).

Serve warm for the best experience.

Recipe FAQs

These rolls can be easily stored in an airtight container or ziplock bags.

The rolls can be reheated in a microwave to enjoy with a warm cup of tea or coffee.

✍️ Did you make it? If you loved this recipe on Home with Barakah, let me know how it went by leaving a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you!

Recipe

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