It’s hard to resist these pillow-soft and buttery Cloverleaf Rolls. These are made with milk dough which has an unbelievably soft and cloud-like texture. You’ll love the delicious layers when you pull the 3 clover leaves apart.
Homemade Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls is the perfect side for your holiday table and they always get compliments even when they’re competing with the Christmas Prime Rib or Thanksgiving Roast Turkey. After all, you definitely need a roll to soak up the Turkey Gravy.
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There’s something so comforting about home-baked bread from Focaccia Bread to Banana Bread and even Pita Bread. If you love a warm and ultra-soft dinner roll, this recipe is a must-try!
Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make these clover rolls.
Cloverleaf Rolls Video Tutorial
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What is Milk Bread?
Milk bread is white bread that is made with milk, egg, and butter to form a tender crumb with a rich buttery flavor. Milk bread has the most satisfying texture and it’s easy to make, which is why it’s our preferred dough for making cloverleaf rolls.
Ingredients for Cloverleaf Rolls
- Water – start with warm filtered water (110-115˚F) to activate your yeast
- Active dry yeast – you’ll need 1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp of yeast
- Milk – use warm low fat milk (whole milk will also work)
- Butter – either melted and cooled or very soft butter
- Granulated sugar – feeds the yeast to make the rolls rise beautifully
- Egg – use a large, room temperature egg
- Salt – we use fine sea salt
- Bread Flour – has a higher protein content to produce a softer bread. Also, make sure to measure flour correctly.
Common Questions
This recipe works best with active dry yeast and that is the yeast we recommend. Instant yeast will work, but it will speed up the rising process and the texture won’t be quite the same.
Yes, dinner rolls are freezer friendly and if you freeze them the day they are baked, they will taste fresher when they are thawed. See instructions for freezing in the “make-ahead” section below.
It’s best to use bread flour because of its higher protein content which helps to develop the gluten in the dough, resulting in a softer dinner roll.
Make-Ahead
- Overnight rolls – Once you have placed the oiled plastic wrap over the pan of dinner rolls, set the pan in the refrigerator overnight. A couple of hours before baking, remove the rolls from the refrigerator, let them come to room temperature and rise until visibly puffed, then butter and bake as directed.
- Freezing – Baked dinner rolls freeze really well. Let them cool to room temperature then transfer to a freezer safe zip bag, remove any excess air, and freeze for up to 2 months. If you freeze them the same day they are baked, they will taste fresh when thawed.
Tips for Making the Best Dinner Rolls
- Check the yeast – the reason for initially mixing the yeast with 3 Tbsp of warm water is to activate the yeast as well as to make sure it is still working. If you don’t see a foamy layer on your mixture after 7 minutes or so, you should buy new yeast and start over.
- Ingredient temperatures – make sure your liquid ingredients are warm when added (between 110-115˚F) for the dough to rise properly. Colder ingredients will take longer to get the yeast working.
- Proofing – proof dough in a warm place that is at least 75˚F but not more than 110˚F (high heat will kill your yeast). Putting it in the oven with the light on works well. Also, you can microwave a damp kitchen towel for a minute then turn it off and place the bowl of dough inside the warm microwave. The warm steamy environment is ideal for dough proofing.
Serve with
Sometimes all you need is to spread on Cranberry Sauce or whipped Honey Butter, but if you’re looking to pair this with a meal, here are our favorite recipes to serve with dinner rolls:
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Creamy Tomato Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Golden, puffed, buttery, and super soft – these Cloverleaf Rolls will be the talk of your holiday table.
Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Cloverleaf Rolls:
- 3 Tbsp warm water, (115˚F)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, (1 packet yeast)
- 1 cup low-fat milk, warm (105-110˚F)
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted or very soft, plus more for the pan
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (add an extra 1/4 cup if needed)
For the Topping:
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided, melted
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 3 Tbsp very warm water (115˚F). Sprinkle the top with 1 packet of yeast, whisk to combine, and let rest uncovered for 7 minutes until foamy on top.
- Add warm milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt. Whisk until blended, then gradually whisk in 2 cups of flour then switch to the dough hook attachment and add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour in thirds, letting it incorporate with each addition. Add more flour a little bit at a time until the dough feels moist to the touch, but it shouldn’t stick to clean/dry fingertips.
- Knead 10 minutes on speed 2 of a stand mixer, or knead by hand. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it kneads and will be smooth and elastic.
- Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (90-100˚F) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume.
- Transfer dough to a smooth, clean work surface. You should not need any additional flour at this point. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces then divide each piece of dough into 3 small pieces. Cup your hand over each of the small pieces and roll over work surface to form a ball. Butter a 12-count muffin pan and place 3 little balls of dough into each muffin cup.
- Oil a sheet of plastic wrap and place the oiled side loosely over the rolls. Let rest in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until visibly puffed. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425˚F with a rack in the center.
- Once rolls have risen, brush the tops with 2 Tbsp melted butter and bake in a preheated oven at 425˚F for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as they are out of the oven, brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes and serve warm.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Can I use the paddle instead of the dough hook. I just realized I don’t have one.
You could use the paddle attachment to start mixing your ingredients and them knead this by hand.
I used paddle attachment and it worked fine. Didn’t do any additional kneading either. Just transferred dough to a glass bowl to rise for tje first 1-2 hours. Then continued as per recipe.
Made them yesterday for our family tree decorating day and they were perfect. So much so I made another batch today with my homemade soup. The balance I will freeze. Thank you Natasha – one of the easiest recipes yet.
You’re welcome! We’re glad you all enjoyed these rolls!
I cant seem to get the dough to leave the mixer bowl side. It seems to remain sticky no matter how long I knead it. Any suggestions?
Hi Brenda! Did you make any substitutions? I would look over the recipe again and make sure you are measuring everything correctly. You may need to use a little more flour to help.
I noticed someone commented they don’t have a stand mixer. Have you considered giving tips to those that don’t? Stand mixers aren’t necessary to make bread. Just a thought.
Made them for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. A big hit!
I’m so glad to hear that!
These look amazing as do all your creations😊. I am wondering how to make the dough ahead of time. Thinking of making for thanksgiving… can the dough be made the day before?
Hi Lori, I recommend checking out the Make-Ahead section of the recipe notes. We address whether freezing or overnight roll tips. I hope this is helpful!
Hi Natasha!!! I make these rolls twice a week they are delicious and easy to make. My children love them. I have a question though, I was trying to figure out how I can make these rolls sweet? So I added a pinch more sugar but I have this itch to add apricot preserves in the Center of them…. Or cinnamon- anything fall vibes lol! I was going to make The apple cinnamon pull apart bread but I chickened out. Please let me know thanks.
Hi Renee, I’m so glad this was a hit with your family! I haven’t tried making these as sweet rolls myself to advise on the steps of the process, but that sounds delicious! Thank you for that suggestion. If you try making it into a sweet roll, I’d love to know how you like that.
Love your recipes so delicious, I’ve tried a few & they turned out great. Love your bubbly personality, it looks like you have fun while you are cooking. A pleasant experience 😊👍🏼
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Denise! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes! You’re so nice!
My MIL always made the Best Rolls! She used Lard!! I know, right, but they were the best!
Hi I made the cloverleaf rolls and they got very large but they turned out very good but I think I would use reg flour instead. And what was the printing app attached to this site I have a corrupt laptop now and have too bring in it to be clean up. She better check this out before she gets in trouble.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, June! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! I made these a couple days back, and my kids and I devoured it! Took some over to my cousins for her kids, she loved it and so did her kids. Her husband snuck one of them as a late night snack and he couldn’t believe they were homemade! They were perfection! I want to make some for my husband now, am I able to use self rising flour? Only because I finished all my bread flour from the last batch. Thank you and thank you for always sharing such incredible recipes!!!!
Hi Renee, thank you for the review and feedback. So glad you enjoy my recipes.
Is there a way to make these cloverleaf rolls without a stand mixer?
Hi Donna, you can knead the dough by hand without a stand mixer. Do everything in a large mixing bowl and then knead by hand. It’s just a little more effort but will work fine.
Thank you. I love all your recipes and can’t wait for a yummy cookbook!
You’re welcome, Donna. I hope you love the cookbook when it’s out!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for this recipe. This is the most reliable recipe for dinner rolls that I have every found. I love your recipes and videos. Bless you and your family.
Hi Tulsi! I’m so glad you found this recipe. Thank you so much for an excellent review. Be blessed.
Thank you so much for this recipe! They are so good! I have been looking for a recipe for rolls like my mom used to make & this is it. Yeah! I can always make your recipes with confidence that they will be good. Loved the microwave proofing suggestion. Thanks again!
Hi Jennifer! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing with me, it really means a lot.
Made these for Easter dinner with family. They loved them. The microwave trick is wonderful — provided a warm place for proving and cut down time to double in size.
So glad that your family enjoyed this recipe, Mark!
When freezing the rolls what is the best method of warming them up? Do you let them thaw first, etc.?
Hi CJ, I found that if I freeze bread (loaves and rolls) as soon as they are cooled too room temperature (fresh and the same day they are baked), they are just as good then when they are thawed and warmed slightly in the oven.
this has become my go to roll recipe! the dough is so easy to work with, my daughter says they are the best!
Love it! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us,I’m happy that you and your family love this recipe.
Hi Natasha
Thanks so much for you receipts. When I read over your receipts, such as meat pie, for the first time,
It seems that I wanted to make ir right away. And, I succeeded.
my family loves the dough
Then. I tried your soft bread receipe, they turned beautiful.
From now on, I will always look at your receipe, should I like to bake or cook any thing.
I do appreciate your very clear instructions.
Aww! I’m so happy to hear that. I’m glad you and your family enjoy my recipes. I really try to make them simple and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing with me.
Tried this recipe today using rapid rise yeast because it’s all I had. Turned out great, another recipe I tried did not turn out as good, first time the rolls were not soft and fluffy. Glad I tried your recipe today. Very happy. Thanks.
Hi Loraine, thank you for choosing our recipe to try. I’m glad it was a success!
Wonderful,easy,and tasty rolls. I will always use this recipe.
Awesome! Thank you for your good comments, Jackie.