Some recipes do use soda with butter milk....lots do not.
But the lack of salt is strange....would be flat tasting to me..I think it would need at least 1 1/2 tsps of salt....2 would be better.
Where'd you get the recipe?
Linda C

Sheepishly, she says, the recipe was on Cooks.com

I'll add salt. I used unsatled butter, so what, 2 1/4 tsp?

I have orders next week. I am looking for a non-standard yeast roll recipe for Thanksgiving. Buttermilk bread is okay, but the recipe I have is kind of dry. Adding butter (there was no oil or butter in the recipe I've used in the past) improved it. Just wondered about adding eggs. The family's roll recipe uses eggs and more sugar than is usually in loaf bread. This is the only recipe I could find with eggs. We will eat this batch either way. :)

Thanks, Linda!

I think 2 tsps of salt should be enough...taste the dough and see what you think

How about this recipe:
I like to make them in the mornings for a breakfast roll too.
I usually double the recipe using only 1/3 cup sugar in the doubled recipe.
If you keep the dough for a week, punch it down every day or so.
They are a great roll.
Buttermilk Refrigerator Rolls
1 Package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup melted butter
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
2 cups buttermilk
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir in butter
Combine dry ingredients; add to yeast mixture along with buttermilk.
Stir well. Turn dough out on a floured surface, knead gently a few times and shape into a ball. Place in greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Keeps for one week.
Break off a soft ball sized lump of dough and roll into a circle about 1/4" thick. Cut into pie shaped wedges and roll up from the wider edge into crescent shapes. You do not have to let them rise again.
Bake on greased baking sheet at 400 for 8-10 minutes
I'm glad you liked the rolls Emily. I'm about to make 300 of them for an upcoming event. I should have mentioned that the dough is very sticky after stirring. I scrape it onto my board and very gently knead in another 1/2 to 1 cup more flour. Just firm enough to handle. The flour is coating the outside of the gluten ball. Later, when punched down, I use enough flour to roll them out..it's actually more of a streching the ball into a flattish round. I try not to disturb the gluten sack. I do roll a bit, however.
I'm not explaining it very well, but bread doughs can be managed by using flour on the outside and not incorporating it into the dough itself. This makes a lighter roll.

Or these...just what we need at Thanksgiving...more butter but they are very VERY good.
Julie Trussler's Butter Brite Rolls
2 pkg dry yeast 3 eggs
1/2 c warm water 1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. milk 4-6 cups flour
1/2csugar 1 1/2 c. butter softened

Disolve yeast in warm water and add 1 t sugar and let rest until proofed. Add sugar milk and salt and beat in 3c flour , add eggs and another cup of flour and mix very well. Add enough more flour to make a soft dough and refrigerate 15 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 15 X 20 rectangle. Spread bottom 2/3 of the rectangle with 1/2 c of butter and fold top 1/3 over middle 1/3 and bottom 1/3 over all. Fold each end to the center and fold one more time. Refrigerate 30 minutes and repeat buttering and folding 2 more times. Refrigerate overnight ( Julie says.....but a couple of hours is enough)
Makes crescent rolls dinner rolls and sweet rolls. Bake 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes depending on size.

These are not yeast rolls...but very good.
New England Biscuits with Cranberries and Rosemary
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Place the mixture in a large bowl. Stir in the cranberries, rosemary and buttermilk. Mix well. The dough will be sticky. Transfer to a floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough 10 times or until smooth. Pat into a round about ½ inch thick. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out biscuits and place on the prepared pan. Gather the scraps and repeat until all the dough is used. Brush the biscuit tops with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

They all look good. I may make the New England Biscuits with Cranberries and Rosemary for OUR Thanksgiving diner.

Just an FYI....but 2 T of minced fresh rosemary is a lot...I cut way back...it got a little "piney"...

Cotehele - here's the recipe I use (I make the dough in the bread machine simply because I have a bum wrist).

HEAVENLY ROLLS FOR BREAD MACHINE

1 cup milk
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups bread flour
1 cup wheat flour OR use all bread flour
2-1/2 tsp. yeast

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place all ingredients in your bread machine in the order recommended and use the dough cycle.

Remove the dough from the machine when cycle is complete. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface.

Divide and shape into 24 smooth round rolls.

Place the rolls about 3/4-inch apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Cover the dough with a cloth and allow it to double in a warm place.

Bake for about 18 minutes. Brush with butter or a mixture of butter and honey while still warm from the oven.

You may also freeze the shaped dough before baking it, then allow to thaw in refrigerator overnight and then remove from refrigerator and let stand covered about 45 minutes until doubled.

Pat, make ahead and freeze unbaked would be a big help. Thanks, it the recipe looks good!