Soft Dinner Rolls are the perfect companion to any main dish. There is nothing like fluffy, warm bread rolls with honey butter or jam.
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Dinner Roll Recipe Video:
We love easy bread recipes like No-Knead Bread, our famous Banana Bread, and of course Dinner Rolls. They are easy, have simple ingredients, and are approachable for any cook. Watch the easy video tutorial and you will impress everyone with your dinner rolls.
Whether you’re serving Potato Soup, a hearty bowl of crockpot chili, or your family’s favorite meatloaf, any menu is elevated by a good dinner roll. Keep this recipe in your back pocket and soon it will become second nature.
How to Make Dinner Rolls?
Simply put, the process of making dinner rolls is split into three parts: preparing the dough, shaping the rolls and baking them. All you need is a very short list of ingredients which are pantry staples: milk, flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and butter.
Making the Yeast Dough:
Activate the Yeast: In the bowl of your mixer, combine milk, 1 Tbsp sugar and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Then whisk in melted butter, remaining sugar, and salt. Slowly incorporate the flour 1/2 cup at a time..
How do I know when I’ve added enough flour? The dough should feel sticky and tacky to the touch, but should not stick to clean and dry fingertips. Add the last 1-3 Tbsp flour only if needed.
Knead Dough: Once your flour is in, continue kneading with the dough hook attachment for about 2 minutes. Kneading releases the gluten and makes it softer (don’t skip this step).
Dough Rising: After kneading, you are going to oil a bowl and place your dough ball in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours or until doubled.
Can I Mix the Dough by Hand?
You can easily make homemade dinner rolls without a mixer. Mix the dough ingredients together in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or firm spatula. Once it comes together, knead with clean dry hands 10-12 minutes.
To knead by hand, press on the dough with the heel of your hand, moving in a forward rolling motion. Rotate your dough ball and repeat several times. Prepare to work those arms!
Shaping Bread Rolls:
- Divide the dough: Remove the dough and separate it into 15-16 even pieces using a bench cutter tool.
- Form the Rolls: To shape the dinner rolls, cup the dough between your fingers and thumb and roll the pieces into rounds on the countertop or over your other hand (watch the video tutorial to see how easy it is to form perfect dinner rolls like a pro).
- Let Rolls Rise: Place dough rounds onto a greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for another 30-60 minutes until puffed.
Pro Tip: Avoid over proofing your rolls. If they rise too much, you will exhaust the yeast and they can collapse.
Can I use a different pan?
If using a different sized pan, you can make more dinner rolls. You can make anywhere from 15-24 dinner rolls using this recipe. If you make the rolls smaller, they will rise a little faster and will need a little less time to bake.
Tips for Yeast Dough to Rise Faster
Yeast is activated by warm temperatures and moist environments. If you are running short on time, here are a couple of hacks to make your dough rise faster.
- Microwave (our favorite method): Place a damp kitchen towel in the microwave on high heat for 1 minute then place the dough covered in plastic wrap in the warm microwave and let rise with the door closed.
- Oven Method: Preheat the oven to the lowest setting of 150˚F for 2 minutes then turn the oven OFF, place your dough bowl into the oven over a towel and close the door. We use this method to make our Easy Cinnamon Rolls rise in half the time!
How Long to Bake Dinner Rolls
Bake your dinner rolls at 375˚F until golden brown (about 23-25 minutes). When the rolls come out of the oven, immediately brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
How to Keep Dinner Rolls Warm?
After baking, transfer your rolls to a serving dish or bowl and cover them with a kitchen towel. This will trap the heat and keep your rolls warm.
Make-Ahead Tips
For Freezer-friendly dinner rolls, bake your rolls as directed. Allow them to cool completely and then place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container.
Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat in the microwave or oven. If you freeze them the same day they are baked, they will keep their freshness when thawed.
What to Serve with Dinner Rolls:
A holiday table isn’t complete without homemade dinner rolls. Serve these alongside your roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and of course Turkey Gravy for an unforgettable dinner. We also love to pair dinner rolls with:
- Beef Stew – with tender morsels of beef
- Cheeseburger Sliders – dinner rolls make great sliders
- Creamy Carrot Soup – silky smooth and so satisfying
- Cabbage Soup – hearty and satisfying
- Minestrone Soup – pairs so well with rolls
Soft Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to 110F
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp salt, (we used fine sea salt)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, (minus 1 to 3 Tbsp) measured correctly
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted to brush the tops of dinner rolls
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to sprinkle finished rolls
Instructions
- In the bowl of your mixer, whisk together warm milk (about 110F) and 1 Tbsp sugar. Sprinkle the top with 1 Tbsp yeast and let sit 1 minute. Whisk together and let it sit for about 5 minutes until yeast looks foamy. Add 4 Tbsp melted butter, remaining sugar and salt.
- Add flour half a cup at a time until the dough whisking to incorporate. Once the dough gets too thick, switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on speed 2 (you can also continue mixing by hand with a stiff spatula). Add about 4 cups of flour, adding the last 1 to 3 Tbsp of flour only if needed. The dough should feel sticky and tacky but should not stick to clean/dry finger tips.
- Knead the dough with the dough hook in a stand mixer for 2 minutes or knead by hand (10 min), then place dough in an oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise about 2 hours in a warm place or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough rises, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into 15-24 even pieces depending on the shape of your baking dish. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place them onto an oiled 9×13 casserole dish or baking sheet.
- Cover the dinner rolls with plastic wrap and let them rise another 30-60 minutes in a warm place or until puffed (do not over-proof). Bake at 375F for about 23-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Immediately brush tops of dinner rolls with melted butter and set aside to cool to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natalya Drozhzhin
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
These came out great. Mine were done cooking at the 15 minutes though. Wonder why? But I just love your recipe! Thank You!
Can I try this recipe with instant yeast instead of active yeast? What difference will it make?
Hi Shanice, with instant yeast, you’d skip the proofing step initially and just whisk together the wet ingredients then add yeast with your first cup of flour. I hope that helps.
I love watching her make her food, she makes it look so easy..
Oh my! I made these today for the first time and they were AH – MAY – ZING!!!!! My son asked for seconds and my husband said they were super soft and so good. These will be a new staple in our house! Do they freeze well? I’d like to be able to make them in advance and freeze them if possible?
Hi Amber! Yes, they do. See the note in above under the “make-ahead” section.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
I have tried about 3 different recipes for dinner rolls and they were all too dense. Your recipe was excellent! The dough was so soft and easy to work with. I chose to knead by hand and now I know how the dough is supposed to feel. So very pleased-thank you!
I’ve tried multiple dinner roll recipes and this is the first time the dinner rolls were perfect! Thank you so much!!
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! I love this recipe it is my go to!
Do you know how long I could store these in a bag and they’ll stay soft? I’ve been making all my own bread kately hut never made nice dinner rolls so I dunno if they can store well like regular bread and buns.
You can make them ahead and store them in the fridge for a few days as long as they in an airtight container.
Thank you for this recipe!
I am 11 years and l have made this recipe for my family at least 12 times and 1 friend’s birthday dinner at and they all loved it. Today l am trying your lava cake recipe for my family as dessert.
Thank you love all your recipes. I find them to be true and to work out for me. I have a diabetic in my home and wonder if I just use the tone table spoon for yeast activation can I sub the rest of the sugar with stevia? Do you do Sourdough reciepes.
Thank you for your kind words and good feedback, Valerie. I have not tested this with stevia but feel free to experiment. I have my Sourdough recipes here.
After trying several dinner roll recipe, this is the one that actually came out soft!
Very delicious rolls.
Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Mrs. Em!
Hi Natasha, I want to try this recipe but I don’t like my dinner rolls sweet. Can I reduce the sugar to total 1 tbsp instead of 1/3 cup? Will that impact the texture or fluffiness of the rolls?
Hi Kruti, the sugar is used to help feed the yeast and also to help with the browning (Maillard reaction) on the surface of the bread. I haven’t tested with 1 Tbsp to be able to recommend it one way or the other.
I love these rolls and so does my family. I make them for every family dinner. But … lately when I take the rolls out of the oven an brush with butter and top with sea salt, they start to wrinkle. Can you tell me why this is happening and how to prevent it? Thanks so much!/
Hi Kathryn, I’m so glad these have been a hit with your family! If you haven’t changed anything with the process or ingredients, I would check to ensure your ingredients are not expired. I wonder if your local weather has anything to do with it for you? Is it possibly more humid/ dry than normal where you are? Its truly hard to say without being there, I wish I could be more helpful.
These dinner rolls are amazing! You were not kidding when you said they are so soft, I couldn’t believe how soft and fluffy they were. I’m never buying rolls again, this recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
You’re so very welcome, jazz! I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
I have made these rolls at least a dozen times. I care for my parents so I maybe and freeze them. I take two out thaw and heat them for their meals. These are the best and easiest rolls I’ve ever made.
Today, I’m taking a chance and making 4 hamburger buns, 4 hot dog buns, aka 6 dinner rolls with one batch. If this works, it will be my go to for all forever.
I’d love to know how that experiment goes! Keep me posted!