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These fresh dinner rolls are soft, flaky, buttery, and SO easy to make by hand with pantry staples. Don’t be surprised when they steal the show at the dinner table!
We love these yeasted rolls warm from the oven, smothered with butter next to a Thanksgiving turkey. They’re the perfect holiday side for sopping up everything from gravy to cranberry sauce!
When I think of the holidays, it’s not the turkey that comes to mind, the vegetable sides, or even the desserts. Nope. The first thing that transports me mentally to the holiday table is a big bowl of fresh-from-the-oven, homemade dinner rolls. This is the only dinner rolls recipe you’ll need (speaking from experience). It makes a batch of perfectly fluffy, pillow-soft bread rolls that you can pair with any meal. I bake them any chance I get!
Why I Love This Dinner Rolls Recipe
- Soft inside, golden outside. Tearing into one of these rolls is like a little squeeze of heaven. The inside is sweet-scented and flaky, while the outside is buttery and golden. The house smells like a bakery while they’re in the oven!
- Holiday-worthy. These classic dinner rolls look great on a holiday table. They’re a staple at our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, perfect for sopping up leftover gravy.
- Easy dough. You can make fresh rolls with just a few pantry staples, including butter, eggs, and flour.
- Short rises. These are yeasted rolls, so the dough will need time to rise. But this recipe keeps it short, with only an hour for the first rise, and 30 minutes for the second. If you’re a beginner when it comes to bread baking, this is the perfect recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These easy dinner rolls call for what’s called rich dough. This means that there’s more fat in the dough compared to lean dough recipes (like the kind you’d use for crustier, chewier skillet bread).
The rich dough for these rolls needs only 7 ingredients, so each one counts. I’ve included some notes here. Scroll down to the recipe card below the post for a printable list with the full recipe details.
- Milk – Warmed to 110ºF (no warmer than that, though, or it’ll kill the yeast). I recommend using whole milk.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or brown sugar both work here.
- Yeast – This recipe calls for active dry yeast. Check the expiration date on the packet to be sure you’re using fresh yeast.
- Egg – I use one large egg at room temperature.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter. Take the butter out ahead of time so that it comes to room temperature.
- Flour – You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour in this recipe. All-purpose flour is best for a light, fluffy bread roll. Bread flour produces a chewier roll.
How to Make Dinner Rolls
Making homemade dinner rolls is super simple and (relatively) quick. I say relatively because, in the case of this recipe, you can have them on the table in a couple of hours. Most of it is rising time, and the dough comes together easily enough. Let’s get started.
- Activate the yeast. Start by dissolving a spoonful of sugar into warm milk, then add the yeast. Leave it to sit and activate. It should start to foam after 5-10 minutes.
- Mix the dough. Meanwhile, beat an egg with the rest of the sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt. Stir in the yeast mixture. Finally, you’ll mix in the flour, a little at a time, until you have a soft dough.
- Knead the dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes to get it smooth and elastic. If it’s a bit sticky, sprinkle in a little flour along the way.
- Let it rise. Leave the dough to rise in a greased bowl covered with a dishcloth, in a warm location. This usually takes about an hour.
How to Shape Dinner Rolls
There’s more than one way to shape a dinner roll. You can divide and shape this dough into balls, knotted rolls, or twisted rolls. You can even shape it to make hot dog buns, which also use rich dough. For now, here’s how to shape a classic round roll like the ones pictured:
- Divide the rolls. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into a dozen even-sized balls. Grease a baking dish with butter and arrange the dough balls inside. Let the rolls rise somewhere warm again before you bake them. They’ll double in size!
- Bake. After 30 minutes, the rolls should be doubled in size. Bake them in a 375ºF oven for 15-20 minutes until they’re puffed and golden. Brush the rolls with melted butter right as they come out of the oven, let them cool a bit, and enjoy.
Make-Ahead
As far as yeasted bread recipes go, these 1-hour dinner rolls are quick to rise. That being said, to get a head start on your bread rolls, you can prepare the dough the day before, let it rise, and shape the balls as directed. Once they’re in the baking dish, cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them into the fridge. Take the rolls out 2-3 hours ahead of time and leave them to rise somewhere warm before baking.
Recipe Tips for Yeasted Rolls
- Use warm (not hot) milk. You want the temperature of the milk around 110ºF, and not much higher. If the milk is too hot, it risks killing the yeast.
- Use fresh yeast. Make these rolls with fresh yeast, as expired yeast will prevent the dough from rising. Check the expiration dates! If you add the yeast to the warm milk/sugar mixture and it doesn’t start foaming after 10 minutes, you’ll need to discard it and start over with fresh yeast.
- Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour will yield dense, heavy rolls. The best way to accurately measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, spoon the flour from the bag into the measuring cup and level it off afterward. Never scoop directly from the bag.
- Add more flavor. Play around with adding shredded cheese (parmesan, cheddar), minced garlic, and fresh herbs (thyme, minced rosemary) to the dough. Fold in add-ins while kneading. You can also flavor the melted butter that gets brushed over the baked rolls, see my orange-glazed dinner rolls.
- Use them for more than just dinner! Dinner rolls are great for making sliders, breakfast sandwiches, or even mini meatball subs with oven-baked meatballs. They’re also great at lunch dunked in a bowl of cozy chicken soup with a side of salad. Why limit these rolls to just the holidays and dinner parties? 😉
Serving Suggestions
Soft dinner rolls are best served warm from the oven, spread with honey butter (or regular butter). They’re pretty much a slam dunk with any and every meal, but I especially love them at the holidays. I’ll serve these rolls with roast spatchcock turkey or a Christmas ham, alongside more festive side dishes like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
Homemade dinner rolls are also the perfect everyday side dish for chili, hearty stew, and saucy dishes like braised pork shoulder or beef bourguignon. Those fluffy insides were made for sopping up flavor!
How to Store and Freeze Dinner Rolls
- Store. Store the baked rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll last for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Wrap the rolls in foil and reheat them in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes, or until they’re warmed through.
- Freeze. These dinner rolls freeze beautifully. Make sure they’re completely cool, and then stash them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months.
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Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
- 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar, divided
- 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 to 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, for greasing the rolls
Instructions
- Prepare the yeast mixture. In a small bowl, combine the warmed milk and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the milk mixture. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes or until frothy. This indicates that the yeast is active.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, sea salt, and softened butter to the egg. Mix well with a fork, until fully combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the frothy yeast mixture to the egg mixture. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition (with a wooden spoon or with hands). Continue until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
- First rise. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape the rolls. Punch down the risen dough to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball by rolling it on a clean surface. Place the dough balls on a lightly buttered 9×13-inch baking dish (for 12 portions).
- Second Rise. Cover the shaped rolls with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let them rise again in a warm, draft-free place for about 20-30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Once the buns come out of the oven, brush them generously with melted butter. Let them cool slightly on a wire rack to allow the flavors to settle.
- Serve. Serve warm, and enjoy the soft, buttery goodness with your favorite spread or a side of honey butter. These rolls are perfect for any meal.
Equipment
Notes
- To freeze. These rolls freeze beautifully. After baking and cooling, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. To reheat, wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
- Mix ins. For added flavor, try mixing in fresh herbs, minced garlic, or shredded cheese into the dough. These simple additions can enhance the taste and give the rolls a delicious twist.
- Milk temperature. Make sure the milk is warm but not too hot (about 110°F). If it’s too hot, it could kill the yeast, which would prevent the dough from rising.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can these be frozen after being shaped, then unthaw, rise and bake? I do that with cinnamon rolls and they are great! So nice to serve freshly baked rolls!
Hi! Yes, after the dough has risen, shape it into rolls. Then, arrange the rolls on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen rolls on a greased baking sheet or pan, cover loosely, and let them thaw and rise at room temperature.
Thank you, I’ll be doing this for Thanksgiving!!
Can these be made in a bread maker and then baked in the oven?
Hi! You could add the ingredients to the bread maker according to the machine’s instructions (usually wet ingredients first, then dry, with yeast on top). Set the machine to the ‘dough’ cycle, then take the dough out, shape the rolls, and proceed with the second rise as the recipe states. After that, bake them in the oven as directed. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes!