Add warm water, warm milk, 1/2 c. softened butter, honey, and eggs to a bowl of a stand mixer*. Add 5 c. flour and salt. Add yeast to the center. Affix mixer with dough hook. Mix on speed 1 for 5-7 minutes or until dough ball forms and cleans the sides of the bowl. Note: add more flour, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, if the dough is too sticky and doesn’t form a ball.
Do not remove dough from bowl. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and allow to rise 45 minutes. Turn mixer to speed 1 again to punch the dough down. Turn dough out onto a cutting surface. Divide dough evenly in 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and place in 2 greased 13X9 pans (12 in each). Cover again with towel. Let rise 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Bake buns 20-25 minutes at 350 or until golden. Reserve 12 buns for another use (wrap tightly in plastic and freeze, if desired). Brush remaining buns with remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and sprinkle with garlic powder.