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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!

Dinner rolls in a basket.
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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. We love enjoying them with our favorite chicken noodle soup or classic roasted turkey. Plus they’re simple to make and require only 7 ingredients. They do take a little time to rise like these potato rolls and french rolls, 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.

Recipe Ingredients

All your pantry staple ingredients are just what you need to make the best dinner rolls ever! You will love how easy these rolls are to make. Waiting to let the yeast proof, the dough to rise, and then bake is all worth the wait!

Yeast in a jar.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • 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.
  • Yeast: An active dry yeast makes short work of giving these rolls their necessary rise.
  • Sugar: I use sugar in the yeast mixture to give it something to eat and a little bit in the dough to add a little sweetness.
  • Warm water: Make sure the water reaches 110°F so that it can activated the yeast.
  • Butter: I use unsalted because I add salt to the dough. I also add a little to the tops when the rolls come out of the oven for extra buttery goodness.
  • Milk: The milk makes this dough incredibly tender and just a little sweet.
  • Salt: I add a little to help the dough rise, but also help elevate the flavors.

How to make Easy Dinner Rolls

Homemade dinner rolls take a little bit of time and love. You will love how soft and fluffy each roll is and appreciate the steps it takes to make them. From start to finish you will never want to purchase store-bought rolls again!

The process of making dinner rolls in a six step photo collage.
  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 the dinner rolls in the 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

Here are some extra tips to help your baking process go smoothly. These are great ideas and ways to help make your homemade dinner rolls amazingly delicious! Follow these guidelines and you will have golden brown, soft and fluffy rolls every time!

  • 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.
  • 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 dinner rolls are starting to brown too fast.
Dinner rolls in a baking dish.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to make this dinner roll recipe in a stand mixer?

Not at all! You can make this dough by hand, if you’d prefer. Use a large mixing bowl and a sturdy wooden spoon to form the dough and then knead by hand on a floured surface 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dough feels smooth.

Can these rolls rise overnight?

Absolutely! Form the dough into balls and place in the baking dish, Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let the rolls come to room temperature and let them rise until doubled in size before baking.

Can I use instant yeast?

Sadly, not for this recipe. It was created using active dry yeast and it wouldn’t work the same.

Freezer Instructions

Make these beautiful dinner rolls ahead of time and freeze them or the dough to help save you time for special dinners! This is a great idea to help complete a meal by simply making ahead and freezing. Choose from either freezing the dough or the baked dinner rolls. Either way, your rolls will be delicious for your next gathering!

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-inch baking dish and let rise for about 4 hours. Then bake as directed.

Freezing baked rolls: Let the easy dinner rolls 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.

5 star review

“This recipe is now my go-to for dinner rolls. I’ve made them three times now and each time they don’t disappoint. I threw away all the other recipes I have for dinner rolls. Thank you, thank you , thank you.”

-Marnie Clark
Roll taken a bite out of.

Don’t stop with just these homemade dinner rolls! Try my other favorite Parker House rolls, Hawaiian rolls or these copycat Olive Garden breadsticks. Both are so yummy!

More Homemade Bread Recipes

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Dinner rolls in a baking dish.

Homemade Dinner Rolls

5 from 32 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
The absolute best dinner rolls you'll ever make! Super soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. Easily made with just 7 simple ingredients!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar , divided
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus more for tops
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt , or sea salt
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 3 cups bread flour , plus more as needed
  • Shortening or butter , to coat dough ball

Optional: Maldon sea salt for tops; Butter and jam for serving

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, add the yeast and 1/2 Tablespoon sugar. Pour the warm water (not too hot) over the yeast mixture and let it sit about 10 minutes, or until nice and foamy.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook (or dough hook), stir together butter, the remaining 2 Tablespoons sugar, milk, and salt. When your yeast mixture is ready, mix until combined.
    • Add 1 1/2 cups of flour. Add in 1/2 cup flour at a time and continue to mix on medium speed, until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides. You’ll know it’s ready when your fingers no longer stick to the dough but it's still soft.
    • Spread shortening or butter across the dough ball and sides of the bowl and cover the bowl with a warm towel. Set by the window and let rise about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
    • When the dough has risen higher than the bowl, punch it down and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Cut into 4 pieces. Roll each section into 3 rolls (they should be about 60 grams each). Place into a buttered 9×13-inch pan.
    • Let the rolls rise again and once they have doubled, place them in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and the center is cooked through. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with butter.
    • Sprinkle sea salt on top, if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Freezing instructions: You can freeze the baked dinner rolls by placing in a zip-top bag or freezer container. You can also 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-inch baking dish and allow to rise for about 4 hours. Bake as directed. 
    Storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter up to 5 days. 
    Recipe credit: Adapted from my favorite homemade bread recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Vitamin C: 0.004mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: bread
    Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!



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