Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

This Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe is the perfect addition to any meal with the rolls’ golden brown exterior and soft, pillowy center. Then, melted butter is brushed over the warm rolls with an optional sprinkling of kosher salt on top. My mouth is watering describing them, they are so good! Be sure to add them to your Thanksgiving and Christmas menus! Then, keep the recipe around any time you are craving rolls that can be made in under a couple of hours. I also have Homemade Crescent Rolls you may want to add to your dinner table, too!

Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (1)

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Ingredients & Substitutions

Flour: All-purpose flour is the main component of the dough, providing structure and texture to the rolls.

Yeast: Rapid-rise yeast, also known as instant yeast, is a quick-acting yeast that allows for a shorter rising time. The dough will need a total of about an hour of rise time, perfect to be preparing your main dish or other side dishes!

Sugar: Granulated sugar serves as a sweetener and also provides food for the yeast for fermentation.

Salt: Kosher salt is added to the dough mixture and is optional to sprinkle on top of the warm, buttered rolls (which I highly recommend)!

Milk: Whole milk adds moisture and richness to the dough, resulting in soft and tender dinner rolls. If using milk that is lower in fat, it may affect the final texture of the rolls.

Butter: Melted salted butter is brushed over the warm rolls. Yum!

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How to Make “Perfect” Dough Balls

If you want perfectly round and uniform dinner rolls you can sprinkle some flour on your counter and gently roll each ball using the cupped palm of your hand. It’s a gentle and effective technique and works quickly when you master it. Use this method for my Cheesy Garlic Dinner Rolls, a variation of this recipe, too!

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Can I Use A Different Sized Pan?

Yes, you can use a different-sized pan to accommodate all of the rolls. When I used a 9×13-inch baking dish, I had 4 rolls left over. In this case, I used a pie pan to bake the remaining rolls. You could also use any smaller baking dish for extra rolls.

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Can I Double This Recipe?

Yes, you can double this recipe. I will often double it and make the rolls in two batches. Another option is to make a bunch ahead of time and freeze until you are ready to serve.

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Can I Make The Rolls Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can get the dough ready to go and freeze until you are ready to bake it for freshly baked dinner rolls. Here is how:

  1. After the dough has risen for the first time, punch it down and form into individual-sized rolls.
  2. Next, place the dough balls onto a lined baking sheet and into the freezer to flash-freeze. Once the rolls are solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.
  3. Freeze for up to 1-2 months.
  4. When ready to bake the rolls, remove them from the freezer and place them onto a lined baking sheet, leaving enough space for them to rise.
  5. Allow the rolls to thaw and rise at room temperature, which could take a few hours.
  6. Once thawed and risen, bake as instructed.
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How To Store Dinner Rolls

If you plan to consume the rolls within a day or two, you can store them at room temperature. Place the dinner rolls in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Ensure that the container is sealed tightly to prevent the rolls from drying out. I do not recommend storing the rolls in the refrigerator; that can dry them out faster. For longer storage, freeze the rolls.

How to Freeze Baked Dinner Rolls

Bake the rolls according to the recipe below. Let them cool completely in the pan, then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. (Do not use plastic wrap here, it could trap in condensation and make the rolls soggy.) Place the rolls in a tightly sealed and labeled freezer bag or storage container and freeze for 2-3 months.

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Easy Dinner Rolls

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 16 minutes mins

Rising Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 26 minutes mins

This Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe is the perfect addition to any meal with the rolls' golden brown exterior and soft, pillowy center. Then, melted butter is brushed over the warm rolls with an optional sprinkling of kosher salt on top. My mouth is watering describing them, they are so good! Be sure to add them to your Thanksgiving and Christmas menus! Then, keep the recipe around any time you are craving rolls that can be made in under a couple of hours.

SavePrint Rate Comment

Ingredients

  • 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more if needed
  • 2 envelopes (about 4 ½ teaspoons) rapid rise yeast
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups (366 g) whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, optional

Instructions

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add 3 cups flour, dry yeast, sugar, egg, and salt.

  • Heat milk until very warm (110°F to 120°F).

  • Add warm milk to the flour mixture. Knead for 2 minutes at medium speed, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

  • Add another ½ cup flour. Knead at medium speed for another 2 minutes.

  • Add remaining ½ cup flour. Knead. The dough should be very soft and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. (If the dough seems too wet you may need more flour. Add in ¼ cup increments until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl while kneading.)

  • Cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

  • When ready, remove plastic wrap and punch down dough.

  • Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces and shape into balls. Place into the prepared baking dish. I was able to fit 12 rolls into the dish, leaving four left over. Place the extra rolls into a greased pie pan and bake as directed. (If you have a larger pan, you could bake all the rolls at once.)

  • Cover the rolls with plastic wrap. Let them rest for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.

  • Bake rolls for 16-17 minutes, or until golden brown.

  • Brush the warm rolls with melted butter. Sprinkle kosher salt on top if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 156kcal

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: dinner rolls, Easy Dinner Rolls

Servings: 16 rolls

Calories: 156

Author: Amanda Rettke–iambaker.net

Did you make this recipe?

Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.

Recipe updated October of 2023.

Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (8)
Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (9)
Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (10)

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Easy Dinner Rolls Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between bread and rolls? ›

The main difference is that the bread rolls are typically rounder, softer, and smaller.

Why are my homemade dinner rolls dense? ›

The dough was under or over proofed. This is the most common reason for dense bread because it can be hard at first to determine when dough is ready to bake.

Why did my rolls turn out like biscuits? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

If you want a lighter fluffier bread loaf just add 2 Tbsp of dry milk to the flour per loaf of your bread. Vinegar has a very similar effect to the dough as the ascorbic acid. It helps hold the dough together and strengthens the bubbles so they won't pop.

How do I make my rolls more airy? ›

Tips for Making Fluffy Dinner Rolls
  1. Don't get the milk too hot. The optimal temperature for milk is around 100 degrees F. ...
  2. Make sure your yeast isn't old. ...
  3. Use a combination of all-purpose and bread flour. ...
  4. Mix your dough long enough. ...
  5. Don't rush the rising time. ...
  6. Don't over-bake.

Is bread flour or all purpose flour better for rolls? ›

You can also use all-purpose in many bun or roll recipes, which tend to have lower hydration and rely less on strong gluten and more on butter and sugar for texture. (Though bread flour can still give you a fluffier, almost cotton-candy-like texture in most buns and rolls.)

What do northerners call bread rolls? ›

Bun is a favoured name in the North East, with the majority of people in the counties of Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland being most likely to use this term.

What do British people call bread rolls? ›

let's go according to the map across the UK. a bread roll may also be called a bap. a barm a batch a bun. a cob a muffin and a tea cake.

What is the best flour for bread? ›

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

Does adding more yeast make bread fluffier? ›

It shouldn't make any difference to the softness of the bread. If you put small amounts of yeast in a dough it will need longer fermentation time. Traditional Italian Pane De Casa bread only has 0.2% fresh yeast but it take 12 hours for fermentation.

What happens if you add too much flour to dinner rolls? ›

Too much flour results in a dry, crumbly dough that's unpleasant and difficult to work with. It doesn't stick to itself and tends to fall apart when kneaded.

Why do my dinner rolls taste yeasty? ›

If the area is too warm, bread will rise too fast and begin cooking before the yeast has finished acting. This will impart a "yeasty" taste to the dough that will be transferred to the finished baked loaf. Using old ingredients (rancid nuts, "old" shortening) will cause yeast breads to taste old or have an "off" taste.

Can you bake rolls on parchment paper? ›

Baking rolls on a baking sheet: These rolls can also be baked on a rimmed baking sheet if you'd prefer not to have the tear-away edges. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner and space the rolls a few inches apart.

Why did my rolls go flat in the oven? ›

Bread dough normally collapses because it has proofed (fermented after shaping and before baking) too long. Over proofing expands dough to the point that the extra expansion in the oven (oven spring) exceeds the support the loaf offers.

How can I make my bread lighter and fluffy? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

Why is my bread not light and fluffy? ›

Incorrect Activation or Wrong Yeast. For the bread to appear soft and fluffy, You must ensure that your yeast ferments correctly. It's not just the temperature in your kitchen, but also the activity of the yeast. Also, you must add the yeast to warm water to activate it.

Does over kneading make bread dense? ›

If your dough feels dense and tough to handle when you stop the mixer, it is a sign that it is becoming over-kneaded. Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread.

References

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