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
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This recipe is extremely a failure..i dnt know but i think u have to put the right weight for the flour to be more accurate.
Hi J, I wonder if something was miss-measured? This is normally a very popular recipe for us. Click on “metric” in the recipe card and you will get the weight of ingredients in grams.
Hello from Indiana Natasha!! I have made these rolls a few times. I’ve made yeast rolls for 30 years from the same recipe…this year I saw your recipe and decided to try it It truly beats my old recipe in several ways: time, ease, and taste.
It is much shorter on time required to finish them.
It is much easier to make.
It tastes soooooo good!
They are my husband’s new favorite roll. I will be making these for our Thanksgiving Dinner until I pass it down to my children.
Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!!
You are most welcome, Beth. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed our version of dinner rolls too!
These are the best rolls I have ever made! My family ate the entire pan in one night! I made them using one packet of the Red Star Platinum yeast. Is that
ok or should I use two packets?
You used a tablespoon and just wondering how that compares to the packets of yeast?
Hi Kim, I’m so happy you enjoyed that! That depends on the packet size. I like to pour what’s in the packet into a measuring spoon. Usually, there’s a couple of teaspoons in there.
Can i make it with gluten free flour ? Same ingredients ??
Hi Sohaila, I haven’t tested this as a gluten-free recipe so I won’t be able to provide any suggestions for additional modifications.
I have tried and they did not turn out. The original recipe however is fantastic
Hi Natasha I made these and they were super delicious.
Thank you for another awesome recipe
You’re welcome Fazia! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi it is saleemah,s sister i love all your recipes my name is khadeejah.
i made the apple pie and the cinammon rolls
thank you
Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback!
I made the recipe to the letter. But for some reason they didn’t rise and can’t out very dense. What did I do wrong?
Hi Valery, oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. If they did not rise, I would suspect either the liquids were too warm (or the dough was overheated while rising), which would inactivate the yeast. Also, could the yeast be expired? I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Hi Natasha,
I tried today but the rolls weren’t get brown even after 25 minutes… do you know if I should place the sheet closer to top? Thank you!
Hi Eva, are you brushing with melted butter at the end? Also, make sure they aren’t too low in the oven – I would bake on the center rack for even coloring. I hope that helps.
Absolutely LOVE this recipe, Natasha !!! I had to make a few subs because I wanted to make these dinner rolls asap !! I only make a HALF BATCH so… I used 1/4 c. half and half and 2/3 cup almond milk, and used bread flour, but only had to use 1 and 1/2 c. So, if others are wondering about using these ingredients in place of what you have listed, I can honestly say that they turned out FANTASTIC !!!!! Am new to your site, but will be back for SURE. Many thanks for this great recipe.
Hello Debbie, great to hear from you! I’m so glad to know that your substitutions worked great, thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback with us!
Can I substitute dry active yeast with insant yeast? If so, what is the quantity? Thanks!
Hi Janice, I haven’t tried this with instant but that should work. In step one, once the yeast is mixed in, you can skip the 5 minute waiting time since an instant yeast does not need the proofing period.
Hi Janice! I only have instant yeast too. Did it work for you? Thanks!!
Made these for dinner and my family thought they were store bought and reheated. They are the best….and I’ve tried several. I put half in the FRIDGE for second proofing somce we could not finish them. I will advise tomorrow morning how they turn out, covered them with cling wrap. I will bring them to room temperature before i bake
That is so awesome! Thanks for sharing your family’s experience with us, we appreciate it. Yes, please let us know how it turns out next day.
Love it Thank you much for recipes take care be safe GOD bless you and your family More power
You are so welcome. Take care too and stay safe always!
Hello, Natasha!
Can I use instant/baker’s yeast for this? And do you have tips for not making it too yeasty? I tried your cinnamon rolls and it was yum according to my employers but it have a yeasty smell and taste i think & i don’t like that lol
Hi Lexi, I haven’t tried this with instant but that should work. In step one, once the yeast is mixed in, you can skip the 5 minute waiting time since an instant yeast does not need the proofing period. I haven’t noticed an issue with these being too yeasty. I wonder if maybe the dough needed a little longer proofing in the initial stage? If the ingredients are colder, it can take longer.
Made these today and they were fantastic!!! I will file the recipe with my other “tried and true” for future use (I know I’ll make this a lot). I love that it doesn’t require eggs, since we don’t usually have them in the house. I also used reconstituted dry milk.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
These turned out perfectly! Thanks for the freezing instructions because otherwise I think we would have eaten all 24 over the weekend!
I am so glad you loved it, Bethany. Thanks for your great review!
Can I make the dough in a bread machine?
Hi Odalis, I have not tested that in a bread machine to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe. Here’s what one of our readers wrote. I hope it helps “p.s. for your readers without a stand mixer: I don’t have one either: The dough is a gloppy mess when you first start kneading by hand but dust with just a very little flour at a time. And the kneading process itself will eventually evaporate the excess moisture too, like in a stand mixer””
My dough was really sticky after adding the flour and kneading with the dough hook for 2 minutes. The rolls tasted great but weren’t soft and light. Next time should I add more flour and knead longer?
Hi Nancy, it could be either a difference in how the flour was measured (assuming you used the same kind of flour without substituting) and also it could be that the rolls just needed a little bit longer of a proofing period. If your room temperature is colder, the dough takes longer to rise and proof.
awesome recipe….I used half white flour and half whole wheat and it was perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Simone!
That’s great to hear that you were able to substitute half of the flour with whole wheat & they still tasted amazing. Did you have to make any other modifications, such as adding more whole milk?
Loooooved them!Thank you
Thank you!! Made these last night and it was a superhit! Was my first time baking bread, so I was not sure how to cut the dough to 24 pieces – with help from some other video tutorials I managed to cut it to 20 pieces.
I have a question: if I were to bake these right before dinner so it is hot and fresh, is it OK to keep it after the second proofing (step 5 of your instructions) for 4-5 hrs? what is the max number of hours it can be kept before baking?
So great to hear that your first time was a success. Good job and I hope you enjoy every recipe that you try!
Thank you for your response. Would you know the answer to my question asked in previous note?
I have a question: if I were to bake these right before dinner so it is hot and fresh, is it OK to keep it after the second proofing (step 5 of your instructions) for 4-5 hrs? what is the max number of hours it can be kept before baking?
Hi Mich, I would not let them proof that long at room temperature. If they rise too much, they can seem dry when baked. It would be safer to bake them 4-5 hours earlier and then reheat them lightly in your oven.
Hi! I made for the second time and it has come out amazingly soft. Do you know if I can make a loaf bread instead of rolls?
Hi Ann, I’m so so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I have not tested that as a loaf but I imagine it could work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
Hi Natasha! I decided to give the loaf a try and it actually turned out great just like the rolls. I used a 9×5 loaf pan. It seemed the dough was a bit big so I decided to form some rolls (made 9 into a square pan)…baked the loaf and rolls together using the same temp and time.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Ann!
The recipe worked great with a loaf pan. I used a 9×5 pan and also managed to form 9 dinner rolls into a square pan. The bread turned out great!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Ann!
I haven’t tested that yet Ann but I imagine that will work. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.
Love love these dinner rolls! I made slightly larger this time due to feedback – we need MORE! This recipe is a keeper!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!