Pass the butter: 19 great recipes for biscuits, rolls and dinner breads

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Yes, these are a time investment. And totally worth it. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Two words of advice: Make plenty. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Buttermilk biscuits and burnt orange honey butter

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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These need plenty of chilling and standing time, so they’re great for making ahead of time, before company arrives. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Why is this called monkey bread? Cause you want to make like a monkey and rip it apart? (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Look past the funny name. These rich rolls will be a hit at your table. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

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But you’ll still go ape for it. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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This recipe, adapted from Gourmet magazine, calls for an optional addition of cranberries. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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These popovers are infused with a touch of lemon and a bite of cheese, and then are lightly dusted with powdered sugar. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Sage adds a depth of flavor. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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These rolls can be prepared up to three days in advance, or weeks in advance and frozen. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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These biscuits are so named because they are so light and fluffy. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Gently flavored with orange zest and lightly sweetened with sugar, these dinner rolls are shaped like a cinnamon roll and baked in muffin tins. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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This cornbread is made with cheese and chopped chiles, and then finished off with a drizzle of honey. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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These rolls are made with raisins and a touch of honey. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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These biscuits are crisp and golden on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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These are rich and buttery. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Can’t you just taste the salt? (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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These biscuits continue to be one of the most popular recipes to come out of the L.A. Times Test Kitchen. Try them, and you’ll know why. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

By Rene Lynch

Sept. 14, 2013 7 AM PT

You know what really makes a Sunday dinner special? Family and friends, of course. But I’m talking about what’s on the plate -- not who’s around it!

Sunday supper sparkles when served alongside freshly baked breads such as biscuits, rolls or dinner breads. With lots and lots of butter.

Take a spin through this photo gallery for a look at 19 of the greatest biscuit and dinner bread recipes to come out of the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen.

PHOTOS: 19 great recipes for biscuits, rolls and dinner breads

Try them and you’ll see that we’re not bragging. It’s the truth!

Some are slightly sweet -- but not too sweet, like these irresistibly flaky orange dinner rolls or these boulou, made with raisins and a touch of honey.

We’ve got lots and lots of biscuits, including angel biscuits (they’re light and airy), and three kinds of buttermilk biscuits, including buttermilk biscuits with burnt orange honey butter. Of course we included the recipe for maple-bacon biscuits, which continues to be one of the most requested recipes in L.A. Times Test Kitchen history.

If corn bread is your thing, we’ve got one that is sweetened with honey, and another one that’s perfumed with sage.

Some will take your guests by surprise, like these savory caraway crosses, pretzel rolls or Poopsie’s creamy corn cakes.

And you’d better believe we’re bringing the ooey, gooey, buttery garlic with these savory dinner rolls, olive oil and thyme monkey bread, and this garlic bread that won rave reviews from the entire L.A. Times Food staff. (And by rave reviews, I mean we were fighting over who would get the last piece!)

As you click through photo gallery, use the captions tab to find recipes. You might want to keep some of these recipes handy. As you head into fall and winter, and cooler weather and heartier fare, they’ll fit right in at your dinner table.

No matter what night of the week it is.

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