The BEST Dinner Rolls

The absolute best dinner rolls you’ll ever make! Super soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. Easily made with just 7 simple ingredients!

Homemade Dinner Rolls

If you’re looking for the best homemade dinner rolls, you’ve found them here. I’ve tested and re-tested this recipe at least a dozen times to make sure they come out perfect. I adapted it from my famous homemade bread recipe and I have to say, there really aren’t rolls better than this.

These homemade dinner rolls are super soft, fluffy and have the absolute best flavor. Plus they’re simple to make and require only 7 ingredients. They do take a little time to rise, but I promise it is so worth it!

And while they make a great Thanksgiving side dish, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them too. They’re perfect for ham and cheese sliders, alongside any soup recipe, pot roast or salad. Or to simply enjoy warm as a snack with butter and strawberry jam, apple butter or honey on top.

How to make Dinner Rolls

1. Proof the yeast. Place the yeast and 1/2 Tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Pour warm water (not too hot) over the mixture and let sit it’s nice and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine wet ingredients. Stir together the melted butter, 2 Tablespoons sugar, milk and salt into a large mixing bowl. Once the yeast mixture is bubbly, add them together and mix.
3. Add flour to mixture. If you are using a stand mixer, put on your bread hook and then pour in 1 1/2 cups of flour (a dough hook works too). Then add in 1/2 cup of flour at a time and continue to knead, until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides.
4. Let the dough rise. Coat the ball of dough and sides of the bowl with shortening or butter. Then cover the bowl with a warm towel. Set by the window and allow to rise, about 1 hour. You want the dough to double in size.
5. Knead the dough. Once the dough has risen over the bowl, punch it down and place it on a floured surface. Then knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Form and let rise again. Cut the dough into four pieces. Then roll each piece into 3 rolls. Place the rolls into a buttered 9×13″ pan. Then let the rolls rise again, until they have doubled.
7. Bake in oven. Bake in oven at 350°F for 15 minutes. When the center is cooked through, remove from the oven and coat the tops with butter. Sprinkle sea salt on top if desired. Enjoy!

Baking Tips

• Proofing yeast. After it sits for about 10 minutes, the yeast should be nice and foamy. The higher it bubbles up, the better! If it’s not bubbling at all, then it’s probably expired or the water you used was too hot.
• Flour. I recommend using bread flour when making this recipe. It has a higher protein count than all-purpose flour, which produces more gluten. And more gluten means a better texture. All-purpose flour will definitely still work, however bread flour gives you the best result. Learning how to measure flour accurately will also make a big difference in texture.
• Use a dough hook. When making the dough, you can use a dough hook with a mixer or a dough whisk to whisk together the dough.
• Let dough rise. Make sure to place the bowl in a warm spot to rise. You can also place on top of a heading pad. Another way to help the dough rise is to turn the oven to 100°F and then turn off. Then place the bowl inside the oven and allow to rise there.
• Use foil if browning too fast. Tent with foil if the rolls are starting to brown too fast.

Freezer Instructions

Freezing the dough: Place the shaped dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze. Then transfer to a zip top bag or freezer container. When ready to bake, place on a buttered 9×13″ baking dish and let rise for about 4 hours. Then bake as directed.

Freezing baked rolls: Let them cool completely, then wrap each roll in foil. Place in a zip top bag or freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in oven until warm.

More homemade bread recipes:

• Lion house rolls
• Potato rolls
• Garlic cheese rolls
• French bread
• Homemade hamburger buns