In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together the whole milk, melted butter, and sugar. Microwave the mixture for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture reaches between 105-110 degrees. If it’s gotten too hot, allow the mixture to cool on the counter for several minutes. Once the mixture is at the correct temperature, stir in the yeast and dried herbs. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes or so, or until it starts to foam and bubble, indicating that the yeast has bloomed.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add your salt, pepper, and 2 3/4 cups flour. Once your yeast mixture has bloomed, pour it into the flour mixture. Stir until combined using the dough hook on your mixer. The dough should be soft, but should pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour if needed slowly until the dough pulls away from the sides, but don't overdo it.

Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes with the dough hook attachment on medium speed. The dough will become smooth and stretchy during this process- give it the full kneading time! Cover with plastic wrap. For the first rise, you want the dough to just double in size, so keep a close eye on it. For me, this only takes about 20-25 minutes, however it’s best to base your rise time mainly on the actual size of the dough, so that is just a guideline.

Once the dough has risen, you can grease a 9x13 inch pan generously, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Divide your dough into 12 even sections- start by cutting your dough in half, and in half again, and so forth until you’ve reached your even 12. Roll each section of dough into a ball, tucking any corners underneath so you end up with a smooth top.

Place the rolls evenly spaced in your baking pan- there should be room between each roll for rising, with 4 by 3 rolls on your pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and rise until your oven is preheated, or about 15-20 more minutes, until the dough has just slightly puffed all over. Brush the tops of your rolls generously with the whole milk, and optionally sprinkle the tops with coarse salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Optionally, brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve warm!