The absolute best dinner rolls you’ll ever make! Super soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. Easily made with just 7 simple ingredients!
If you’re looking for the best 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. So yummy!
How to make dinner rolls
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Tips for making homemade rolls
- 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:
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (divided)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter (more for tops)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or sea salt)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 cups bread flour (more as needed)
Optional: maldon sea salt for tops, butter and jam for serving
Instructions
- Place the yeast and 1/2 Tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Pour the warm water (not too hot) over the yeast mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until nice and bubbly.
- Combine melted butter, 2 Tablespoons sugar, milk and salt into a large mixing bowl. When your yeast mixture is ready, add them together and mix.
- If you are using a stand mixer, put on your bread hook and then pour in 1 1/2 cups of flour. You can also use a dough hook as well. 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. You’ll know it’s ready when your fingers no longer stick to the dough, but it's still soft.
- Then cover the ball of dough and sides of the bowl with shortening or butter and cover the bowl with a warm towel. Set by the window and allow it it rise (about 1 hour), or until it doubles in size.
- When it has risen over the bowl, punch it down and place on a floured surface. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
- Cut dough into four pieces. Roll each section into 3 rolls. Then place into a buttered 9x13" pan.
- Let the rolls rise again and once they have doubled, place them 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!
Think I could use this and turn it into garlic knots?
Yes, that would be delicious!
I’m so excited to try these! Would using honey instead of sugar work okay? If so, how much honey should I substitute?
Yes, you could use 2 Tablespoons honey.
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.
I’m so happy to hear you have loved them! Thank you for your comment Marnie! :)
I was wondering if I could use the rest of evaporated milk instead of regular milk that I used in the bread
That should be fine.
Love these and how quick they are compared to other roll recipes. I even had to teach some friends how to make them because they loved them so much
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Any recommendation for making this dairy free? Thanks!
Hi Elli! I haven’t tried using dairy free substitutes in this recipe so I’m not sure. You could try almond milk and dairy free butter. Please let us know how it goes if you decide to give it a try! :)
Made these dinner rolls twice but it did not come out like yours but my family still loved it. I’m going to try it again (third time!) but would you give me some advice?
I kneaded it for a while but I needed to add about an extra 1/2 cup of bread flour for it to not stick to my fingers or should I have just kneaded it longer?
Baked it at 350 but it did not brown so at the end I baked it at 400 for a couple of minutes. It was the same in my Breville oven my regular oven
Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
Hi Charla! Everyone measures flour differently, so your dough may have needed the extra 1/2 cup to get the right consistency. I’m not sure why they did not brown, but I think you did the right thing increases the temp for a few minutes!
Super yummy! Made these for my hubby’s birthday dinner. Even my non-roll-eater 10 year old ate three! We enjoyed them topped with honey butter!! I used all-purpose flour and they turned out great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
I love how fluffy and light these rolls baked up! They were totally irresistible!
Oooo, these look so light and fluffy! I know rolls are a side dish at thanksgiving but I could eat just these and have a little turkey on the side!