The best Homemade Dinner Rolls are soft, fluffy, and absolutely irresistible. They’re surprisingly easy to make, using basic pantry ingredients.
If you love bread and roll recipes, try Garlic Knots, Cinnamon Rolls, Homemade Breadsticks, or Buttermilk Biscuits!
Foolproof Homemade Dinner Rolls
Loud shrieks are guaranteed to fill our house every time my kids see me making homemade dinner rolls. They give that cozy, home-y vibe that nothing else can match. And, why bother with mediocre store-bought rolls when these are so easy to make? They freeze great for future meals, or “roll sandwiches, which happen to be everyone’s favorite school lunch. Do yourself a favor and make a double batch!
How to make Homemade Rolls:
Dough: Proof yeast by mixing warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar and rest for 5-10 minutes, until it’s foamy on top. Add remaining sugar, warm milk, butter, egg, and salt and mix to combine. Slowly add flour while it mixes on low speed. Knead in mixer for about 5-6 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Be careful to not add too much flour. The sides of the dough will start pulling away. It will be soft and slightly sticky when touched with a clean finger.
First Rise: Spray a large bowl with cooking spray then place dough in the bowl, turning over once to coat the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel allow to rise for 1 to 1.5 hours in a warm place.
Roll and shape: Divide the dough in half and roll each dough ball into a rectangle about 1/4″ thick. Cut the dough lengthwise into two pieces with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Slice the dough again into six strips across to equal 12 rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up and place seam-side down on a lined baking sheet.
Second Rise: Cover rolls with a thin kitchen towel and rise again for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled.
Bake: uncover and bake 375°F for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush the tops with butter.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make the dough and place in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 day, before rolling out and shaping.
To Freeze Baked Rolls: Store baked rolls in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or rewarm briefly in the oven of microwave.
To Freeze Dough: Place dough (before first rise) in an air-tight container in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge or at room temperature before rolling and shaping. To freeze roll dough after the rolls have been shaped, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to “flash freeze”, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, arrange them on a baking tray and let them rise for several house, covered with a towel, at room temperature until double in size. Bake as instructed.
More Recipes to Try:
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Homemade Scones
- Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Pita Bread
- English Muffins
- Pizza Dough
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Cheesy Breadsticks
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Homemade Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup + ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cups milk , warmed
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter , softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Proof Yeast: Combine warm water, yeast, and ¼ tsp sugar. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foamy. (If it doesn't get foamy, you need newer yeast).
- Mix Dough: Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if kneading by hand). Add remaining warm milk, ⅓ cup sugar, butter, egg, salt and one cup of flour and mix until combined.
- Knead: While mixing on low speed, slowly add additional flour, mixing until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Mix or knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. You may not use all of the flour called for. The dough should pulll away from the sides and bottom of the bowl, be soft, and just slightly sticky when touched with a clean finger.
- First Rise: Grease a large bowl with cooking spray or a tiny bit of oil. Place the dough in the bottom of the bowl and turn it once to coat all sides. Cover bowl with a dry kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Roll Out: Divide dough into two equal portion and roll each dough ball out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 1/4’’ thick.
- Shape Rolls: Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough, lengthwise, into two pieces. Then slice the dough into six strips across so you end up with 12 equal-sized rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up and place, seam-side down, on a lightly greased or lined baking sheet.
- Second Rise: Cover rolls with a dry kitchen towel and allow to rise again until double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover rolls and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until cooked and very lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and brush tops with butter.
- Store leftover dinner rolls in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for about 1-2 days, or I recommend freezing them, for best quality (see notes).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Recipe originally adapted from Cooking Classy.
I originally shared this recipe August 2017. November 2019 and October 2024.