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.
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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
Hi Natasha! I am making these rolls to freeze and bring on a 6 hour trip, then heat up the next day. How long do they take to defrost in the fridge, and do you cover them to defrost or would that make them soggy? Do you have any tips for travel?
Really looking forward to these rolls. Everything I’ve made from your website has been amazing!
Hi Katie! I don’t recall exactly how long but if you thaw them overnight they should be ready in the morning. For freshness, I keep them in an airtight container. If warming them up afterward, transfer the rolls to a serving dish or bowl and cover them with a kitchen towel. This will trap the heat and keep your rolls warm.
Can I make this dough ahead of time (the day before) and cook it on thanksgiving?
I have not tested that to advise but see my make-ahead notes above for recommendations on freezing and thawing these.
Curious if you have any suggestion for adjust when doing at higher altitude? thank you
Hi Trevor, I don’t have experience with high-altitude baking but you can find more tips on High Altitude Baking HERE.
I’m planning to bring these to a Friendsgiving tomorrow, and there was an extra roll to try……oh man! My little one wanted another one, but I had to tell him that they are for tomorrow, and he was super sad. Great recipe!
Aaaw, that means you have to make more next time. Thanks for the review!
I will be making the rolls tomorrow but I was surprise that it did not have any eggs.
Hi Vicky! 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.
I made these rolls to have with beef stew for dinner tonight.Super easy and wonderfully light.Without a doubt a must have in your bread rotation
Thank you for the feedback, Sue! So glad you loved the recipe.
thank you , excellent recipe… now if only i could get my pizza crusts to cooperate…
I’m glad you love it! Are you using my pizza dough recipe? It’s one of the best we’ve tried.
These dinner rolls are amazing and fluffy. They are always a big hit with our guests. I make one substitution though. I replace 1/3 cup of granulated sugar with 1/3 cup of honey as it is my personal preference to use honey when making breads.
Natasha, thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Alla! And I’m so glad you love this recipe.
I made these dinner rolls for our first Canadian Thanksgiving family dinner in a couple of years. I baked and froze them fresh tightly wrapped. My guests really enjoyed the buns and one young lady even said that the bun was best part of her meal. Thanks Natasha. Happy Thanksgiving.
That’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Daniel.
I have a sunbeam mixer with 2 dough hooks would the speed be medium and should I use both? First time making bread rolls.
HI Missy, I am not familiar with that mixer. I would suggest following the dough mixing recommendations for your mixer. I wouldn’t want to guess and steer you in the wrong direction.
Came out beautifully. But baking took less time than the instructions here. But then oven temperatures vary.
Also, I would use bit less sugar next time.
Thank you so much for the recipe. Would have loved to post a pic, but unable to find the option.
Thanks for sharing, feel free to share some photos of your creation next time on our Facebook page or group so others can see them too!
I don’t know what I did wrong🤷♀️the first rise was perfect second rise they barely budged and came out dry and dense☹️
Hi Marianne, it could be that they were proofed at too high of heat (never proof above 110˚F, or it can deactivate the yeast). It’s also possible they were overproffed the first time around, causing them to stay dense on the second rise. It’s hard to say without being there.
Hi Natashafound your dinner roll recipe yummm will make soon thk you excited to try rolls my favorite nice to meet you here! We’re all blessed beyond measure to be American citizens.
Thank you! I hope you love this recipe, Norene. 🙂
Omg!!! These are the fluffiest dinner rolls I have ever made. I & my kids absolutely loved them. This is now my go to recipe. Thank you so much.
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
I’ve only made dinner rolls once before. The result…they looked great and the texture was really good, but they tasted very yeasty. I really disliked the taste. Deciding to give it another go, I found your recipe, decided to try it, and am so glad I did. The rolls were very easy to make, looked good, and, most importantly, tasted great. Preparing for the first bite, I was really worried but was so relieved when I tasted them. I’ll definitely be making these rolls again.
That’s wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thank you for the review.
I tried these and they didn’t seem to rise they baked in the oven but didn’t go fluffy and didn’t fully cook. Does anyone have any tips for me please.
Hi Jaida, it could be that they were proofed at too high of heat (never proof above 110˚F or it can deactivate the yeast). The most likely cause of rolls collapsing is due to letting them rise for a much longer amount of time which could create big air pockets in the dough and can exhaust the yeast in the dough causing it to flatten.
I have tried several bread recipes, but this one has been the easiest one yet. The rolls turned out so soft and fluffy, just as you said! Thank you!
So glad you love this recipe, Kay!
Natalya your recipes are brilliant I’ve tried and cooked so many different meals And me been Type 1 Diabetic may I say you’ve done both my health my diet Plus my self esteem a fantastic job please keep sending the recipes Thank You.
Hi Derek! So glad you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for the excellent review.
Your photos alone deserve 5 stars, Natasha. I never made rolls before using all milk and so much sugar. Wow! Great turnout. Like King Hawaiian rolls. But I cheated and used my trusty $15 thrift store bread machine to make the dough. Don’t have much use for an expensive stand mixer. Very nice, soft bread. Family inhales them. And save a lot of money over store bought during these crazy inflation Covid/war times. Thanks again for another great recipe. P.S. We stand fully with Ukraine in this sad war mess.
Hi Luke! That’s great, I’m glad it turned out well. Thank you for the review.
Hi Natasha, could you advice why are my rolls smelling yeasty after they are baked? I had to check the amount of yeast twice to see if I get it right 😂 Otherwise it’s a pretty straight forward recipe. I might reduce the amount of yeast next time I make these though- 1 Tbsp seemed a little overkill.
Hi Isabel, there are a few reasons. Too much yeast is definitely one of them but sounds like you’ve checked the amount. This recipe calls for active dry yeast, did you substitute with instant yeast by chance? This would cause the dough to rise a little faster and dough to 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.
Temperature is also important in the proofing step, if you used active dry yeast, let your dough rise in a warm place. You don’t want to underproof (too cool) or overproof (too warm) your dough, both are possible and could leave a yeasty smell and taste.
I hope this helps.