Soft Dinner Rolls are the perfect companion to any main dish. These are soft, pull-apart bread rolls that rise beautifully. You will love that they are make-ahead friendly, so you can bake them fresh for dinner.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Dinner Rolls Video Tutorial
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.
Homemade 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.
How to Make Dinner Rolls
- 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!
How to Shape 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 9×13 baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for another 30-60 minutes until puffed. (Note: Instead of letting the dough balls proof, you can freeze or refrigerate the dough at this point – see make-ahead tips below).
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: Place your dough bowl into the oven with the light on. 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.
How to Make Dinner Rolls Ahead of Time
- Refrigerate Formed Dough Rolls – once the rolls are shaped and placed into the baking dish, cover tightly with oiled plastic wrap to prevent drying out and place the rolls in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. On baking day, take out the rolls 2-3 hours before baking to allow the rolls to rise at room temperature. They should nearly double in size. Rising time can depend on your room temperature.
- To Freeze dinner rolls – instead of refrigerating the dough rolls, put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag if desired. Remove them from the freezer to thaw and rise about 4-6 hours before baking.
How to Store Dinner Rolls
- At room temperature – once rolls are fully cooled, place them into a resealable bag to keep them from drying out and store at room temperature for 2-3 days. Do not refrigerate or they will dry out.
- How to freeze baked dinner rolls – once the rolls are cooled, roll them individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen bread rolls at room temperature, then reheat in the microwave or cover with foil in the oven at 300˚F for 10-12 minutes. If you freeze them the same day they are baked, they will keep their freshness when thawed.
There is nothing like fluffy, warm bread rolls with honey butter or jam.
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
Filed Under
These rolls are easy to make and always impress my guests. I use the microwave trick to shorten the proof time. I did have to take them out a few minutes early because the bottoms were getting dark. I also made your cheesy oven potatoes with your marinated chicken recipe. They were great. Overall I love your recipes and I am so grateful to have such good and simple recipes to cook for my family. God bless from Utah !
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Christie! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Blessings to you!
Really didn’t like this rolls, we ate 2 and throw all other out,
very disappointed that I wasted my time.
Hi Natalia, sorry to hear that you didn’t like the recipe. I have always used this recipe and have always gotten great feedback. it’s hard to tell what went wrong as I was not there to see it but I recommend making sure that the ingredients were measured correctly to get great results.
hey natasha!!
Can i use this recipe to make white bread loaf instead?
Hi Hanny, I think that will work but you’ll have to do it as an experiment. Please share with us how it goes if you try it!
Just made these buns. Super impressed. I had to add more flour to get it to not stick to my hands but the end result was awesome. I am from South Africa. I would like to add my photos but no option for it.
I’m so happy you loved this recipe, Michelle! That’s so great!
Hello Natasha, I have mine on their first rise in the bowl and it looks like it will make 24 rolls. Can I freeze half the rolls to use another night? And at what point would you do that. I love this recipe, it’s simple but doesn’t taste like it at all. Delicious! All your recipes are, and fun to watch too. Thanks for sharing
Sounds great, Suzette! Thank you for your good comments and review. I have added some make-ahead tips and how to freeze this recipe in the middle portion, do check out “Make-Ahead Tips” I hope that helps.
I’m wanting to make these but I only have salted butter. What amount could I reduce the salt so they’re not too salty?
Hi Debbie, I have not tested this with salted butter. You’d have to experiment but I would omit or reduce the salt from this recipe.
Does it make a difference if I’ll be using an Instant Dry Yeast?
Hi Sarah, instant yeast will also work and may rise a little faster so be careful not to let it overproof. With instant yeast, you can skip the proofing step initially and just whisk together the wet ingredients then add yeast with your first cup of flour.
When you say skip the proofing step initially, do you mean step 1 where you add yeast to heated milk or step 3, the two hour proof?
I’ve made these following all your instructions for thanksgiving (4 batches!!) but trying to cut down on time if possible. I’m just trying to go a little faster with the all of the Christmas festivities!
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.
These rolls are the best!!! I made a different recipe from someone else before trying this one and it was not one I’ll do again. Making these ones again tonight though!!! I also prepped your New York pizza dough and can’t wait to taste it! Loving these recipes! Thanks Natasha!
That’s great, Emily! I hope you enjoy the Pizza dough.
Hi Natasha, i would like you make this but for the flour is it high protein flour or all-purpose flour is enough?
Thanks, all your recipes are the best!! i’ve been following your recipes
Thank you for that compiment, Hanny! We used all-purpose flour for this, and it worked great! I hope you love this recipe also!
I want to add an egg for richness. How do I adjust the ingredients, add more flour or use less liquid?
Hi DLM, this is a great eggless option for those don’t can’t have eggs. Here’s what one of our readers wrote about adding egg: “I added a whole egg and hand an extra 1/4 cup of flour if needed. Sometimes I need it and sometimes I don’t. The egg adds richness and takes these rolls over the top. I have also used instant yeast at times by adjusting the wait time after kneading to at leastn10 minutes. Then form rolls and let rise again. Bake.” I hope that helps.
Hi,Natasha. Can i make the dough in my bread machine and then make the balls & bake it? Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Hi Olga, I haven’t tried that in a bread machine, but it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I tried doing the dough in the bread machine it turned very good. My little 4 kids & husband loved it.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Olga!
Hi Natasha
Can i use oil instead of butter?
And is it possible to mix it with thyme?
Hi Nada, I only used melted butter to brush the tops. But, if you do want them extra glossy and to try without the butter, egg wash is a good option.
I really want to make these rolls but I only have two small problems. I only have 1% milk and heavy cream. Can I mix these together? Also, I only have salted butter! 😬
Hi Alicia, salted butter will be alright, but you can omit or reduce the salt in this recipe if you’re using salted butter. I haven’t tested that with 1% to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
My sister in law made this and it was delish!
I’d like to make one loaf out of it, instead of rolls. Should I just shape into a loaf or leave round like the bowl? Ho long should I bake it?
I have not tested this so I cannot provide specific instructions. If you test it, let me know.
Hi Natasha! I don’t have whole milk, will normal milk work?
Hi Angie, that depends on what you consider normal milk. But these work well with 2% milk! I hope you love it!
Natasha, I have been using your recipes for quite some time and love them!!!
I will be making your dinner rolls for a brunch get together with the family and I was wondering if I can refrigerate the rolls over night before baking?
Thank you
Hi Gosia, we usually bake them right away, but that should work. When we make overnight cinnamon rolls, we cover and refrigerate the rolls before the last rise then we bring them to room temperature and let them do the last rise on the counter before baking.
I absolutely love the rolls and your recipe is so clear and inclusive in your instructions. Thank you so much. They turned out great!
You’re welcome! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
I love this dinner roll recipe! It always turns out and they taste amazing! Sometimes, I use the dough and make pizza rolls with it. I just add pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni, roll them up and bake at 350 for 20-25 min. They taste so good and are a hit with my kids.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
These rolls are amazing, very easy and the dough feels wonderful. My Mom always made rolls, she is 89 and doesn’t cook anymore. She was impressed with me when I showed up with these. My husband loved them too. Thank you for a great recipe.
You’re most welcome, Lisa. I’m glad your mom was impressed, I’m sure she is a great baker and cook too!
Hello and Happy New Year! Question. If I prepared the dough earlier in the day and refrigerated the balls of dough right before the last rise, would that work? Maybe allow extra rising time?
Hi Edna, we usually bake them right away, but that should work. When we make overnight cinnamon rolls, we cover and refrigerate the rolls before the last rise than we bring them to room temperature and let them do the last rise on the counter before baking.