Soft, fluffy, and easy homemade Dinner Rolls! Today I’m sharing a step-by-step guide (and video) to making this easy recipe at home. These rolls can be ready in under an hour and would be the perfect companion to your Thanksgiving dinner!
A Soft & Fluffy Dinner Roll Recipe
Baking with yeast used to make me nervous for the longest time, but it’s really not that difficult, honestly! I’ve slowly overcome my fears with recipes like my easy pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, and garlic knots and today I’m sharing this easy yeast recipe for homemade dinner rolls.
Super fluffy, tender, and just melt-in-your-mouth soft, this recipe can be ready in under 60 minutes, and the best part is your stand mixer does most of the work! Bake them until golden brown and then brush (generously) with melted honey butter… just… yum.
If you’ve ever been intimidated by making dinner rolls or by baking with yeast I’ll walk you through this recipe step-by-step; I think you’ll be surprised how easy it is.
Still worried about baking with yeast? You can always try out my easy biscuit recipe instead!
A Few Words on the Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients that I use for my dinner roll recipe that you might not recognize from your average bread dough, so I thought I’d address them here:
- Cornstarch. Helps to make our rolls extra soft and melt-in-your-mouth. I discovered how helpful cornstarch can be to yeast doughs when making my cinnamon roll recipe.
- Rapid rise yeast. You’ll need 2 ½ teaspoons for this recipe, some yeast sachets only contain about 2 ¼ which will work, but I really recommend 2 ½. The Hodgson Mill brand that I have pictured above has recently become my favorite to work with.
- An extra egg yolk. This helps with the development of our gluten and encourages nice, tender rolls.
Other than that everything else is pretty standard for dinner roll dough.
How to Make Homemade Dinner Rolls
The photos above are step-by-step shots of the process (taken from my video below the recipe)! Each step corresponds to the numbered photo above.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, yeast, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Stir to combine.
- Heat milk, water, and butter to 110-115F and then stir into dry ingredients.
- Stir in 1 lightly beaten egg + 1 lightly beaten egg yolk. The extra yolk helps make our rolls extra tender and soft!
- Add more flour, as needed. With many yeast recipes, the amount of flour you may need in your own kitchen can vary. You should be adding flour based off of the feel of your dough rather than just based off of what the recipe says. You want to add flour until the dough is clinging to itself and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. It should be slightly tacky to the touch, but not so sticky that the dough is coming away on your fingers when you touch it.
- Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly, and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. While the dough is resting I like to prepare my baking dish by melting 1 ½ Tablespoons of butter in a 9×13 glass dish.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.
- Divide into 15 even pieces.
- Roll each piece into a tight even ball and place into prepared baking dish.
- Brush with milk and bake until lightly golden brown and cooked through. Do not over-bake your rolls! That’s the quickest way to make them tough and dry!
As a slightly sweet bonus I like to brush a little bit of melted honey butter over the top of these dinner rolls while they’re still warm. Simply melt together two tablespoons of salted butter and 1 tablespoon of honey, mix well, then use a pastry brush to brush over the rolls while they are still warm. SO good! IF you love this recipe, learn how to make your own burger buns, too!
How to Make Dinner Rolls Golden Brown On Top
When making dinner rolls I like to brush the tops with a bit of whole milk before putting them in the oven. This encourages a light browning on top. However, you can achieve a deeper, more golden brown if you’d like to brush the rolls with egg wash instead (1 egg beaten with 1 or 2 teaspoons of water).
While the egg wash on top might look a bit more attractive, I recommend using the milk because it doesn’t weigh the tops of the dinner rolls down the same way the heavier egg wash can.
Enjoy!
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Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups (375 + 65 g) all purpose flour divided
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise/instant yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk (+ additional for brushing tops of rolls)
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten room temperature
HONEY BUTTER GLAZE (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F (95C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 3 cups (375g) flour, sugar, cornstarch, yeast, and salt. Stir until ingredients are well-combined.3 ½ cups (375 + 65 g) all purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise/instant yeast, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- In a small saucepan¹ combine milk, water, and 5 ½ Tablespoons butter (reserve remaining 1 ½ Tablespoon for greasing the pan) on the stovetop over low heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and mixture reaches 110-115°F / 43-46°C (If the milk mixture becomes too hot, just remove it from the heat and allow it to cool down to the correct temperature range before proceeding)½ cup (120 ml) whole milk (+ additional for brushing tops of rolls), ½ cup (120 ml) water, 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- With your stand mixer on low speed, slowly pour milk mixture into the bowl, stirring until combined.
- Add lightly beaten egg and egg yolk and increase speed to medium, stirring until completely combined (be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure all flour is absorbed).1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- If you have one, switch your paddle attachment out for a dough hook and continue to stir on medium-low speed. Gradually add up to remaining ½ cup (65g) flour + additional as needed. What you are looking for is a dough that clings to itself and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should develop a soft, elastic texture and will still be slightly tacky to the touch but shouldn’t be very sticky. You may need less or more flour than the additional ½ cup indicated, go by the texture of your dough rather than measurements.
- Transfer your dough to a lightly oiled, heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm place (I usually place mine on top of my preheating oven) for 10 minutes.
- While your dough is resting, prepare a 9x13 glass² baking dish. Use your remaining 1 ½ Tablespoons of butter and melt this in your dish. I like to just set the butter in my baking dish and pop it in the oven for a few minutes (since my oven is already running) until melted.
- Once dough has rested, transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and divide into 15 pieces, shaping each into a smooth, round ball.
- Arrange into prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil
- Transfer covered dish to 200F oven and turn off your oven. Leave the covered dish in your warm (but now turned-off) oven to rise for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove dish from oven but leave it covered. The rolls will continue to rise while your oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
- Once oven is preheated, remove foil and lightly brush rolls with additional milk, if desired (helps encourage a browned top).
- Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until rolls are cooked through and beginning to turn a light golden brown on top (do not over-bake rolls or they will be dry).
- Serve warm, if desired prepare honey butter glaze by melting together 2 Tablespoons salted butter and 1 Tablespoon honey and brushing over rolls while they are still warm.2 Tablespoons salted butter, 1 Tablespoon honey
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Teresa
I like my rolls a little sweeter. Have you tried added more sugar to this recipe?
Sam
Hi Teresa! I have not tried adding more sugar but I’m sure it will work just fine. 🙂
kathi
so delicious!! thank you, sam, for another excellent and easy to follow recipe! you make the stay-at-home order easier to bear ♥️
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Kathi! I am so glad that you enjoyed them. 🙂
Amanda Humphrey
Loved this recipe !!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Amanda! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Mandy Brand
Do you think fresh yeast would work on this recipe??😬
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mandy! I personally have not used it, however, others have and had success. I hope that you will too. 🙂
Elizabeth
Really nice. Normally my oven takes longer to bake than everyone else as it seems, but today that was not true! I pulled them out at 18 minutes and they were nice and firm and the internal temp was 195 to 206! 190 is my target goal for rolls. Just a note to everyone that you might check for doneness a couple min early. They’re still soft, but they’ll stay softer for a couple days if they don’t get so hot.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Elizabeth! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Amita
Hi Sam !!!
Your recipes are excellent. But I can’t try many of them as they are with egg. If possible can you please mention egg substitute in your recipes. Can you pls suggest an egg substitute for the dinner rolls,
Thanks
Sam
Hi Amita! Unfortunately I am not familiar with egg free baking. Whenever possible I will include any substitutes that I am aware of, though. You could check out my new homemade bread recipe, that one is made without egg and might be helpful.
Marti
Followed the recipe to a T save for having only skim milk on hand. Worked beautifully & once again fooled my guys into thinking I’m domestically competent. For your other devotees, the pan size and number of rolls makes a difference. I was a bit skeptical. Don’t be. And hide the butter NOW.
Am about to head back to the foreign land of my kitchen to reproduce your apple pie with crumble topping for the umpteenth time. It’s food porn good! So hard to share with my guys. I told my special needs teenage mutant sloth that if he wants more pie he needs to help make it. I’m not waiting with baited breath. Side note: not all Autism is bless-your/his-heart-worthy.
Oh! (squirrel!) Is there a way to update or teach we deficient kitchen folk adjustment to yeast dough recipes for NON-instant yeast? I have a recipe for challah which is old school yeast, but even halved makes enough for a HUGE synagogue congregation & I only attend services once a year or so (and bacon is welcome in my family). Is it a rise change or more than that?
Sam
Haha, I’m so happy to hear the rolls were such a hit, Marti! And that you’ve enjoyed the apple pie so much too, that’s one of my all-time favorites too. Thank you for commenting 🙂 As for the yeat, typically if you’re using non-instant yeast you activate the yeast with warm water first and it needs to rise for a longer period of time, but it honestly depends on the recipe.
Paula
Hi Sam! I have not tried this recipe as of yet, but I plan to. I love making homemade bread recipes (and am currently seeking out ones with different types of flour). However, I do have a quick question: I notice you use mostly unsalted butter in your recipes, and am assuming this is because you add salt to your recipes? I do not cook or bake with salt (my body just does not like it). Any salt added to baking is from butter, or to cooked foods, by people eating it. This way they can adjust it to their own taste. This actually did not end up being a quick question after all! So, I would really like to know if it makes a difference in baking if salt is not added. It works for me, but I do not know if it is better with, and slightly hesitant to try.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Paula! I do use unsalted butter in most of my recipes so that I can control the amount of salt per recipe and the taste. This dinner roll recipe calls for 1 1/4 teaspoons salt which I think is just enough, however, you are welcome to adjust it to your liking. Let me know how the recipe turns out if you try it. 🙂
Miriam Rose Blanar
These are the best dinner rolls I have ever eaten! I’ve already made them 2 and I’m making them again this weekend for a potluck. All your recipes are amazing! I might one of your biggest fans. Your blog is my go to for most of my baking needs.
Sam
This comment made my day, Miriam! Thank you so much for letting me know how you enjoyed the rolls and how you have been enjoying the blog, I really appreciate it!! <3
Debbie
Just sampled my finished best dinner roll product. Yum! Best part is, they are actually pretty appealing to the eye (as my end products go). Been testing recipes for thanksgiving. This is a keeper. Ty for the very helpful video also. Best of luck on or near November 24! Babies are such a blessing.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Debbie! Dinner rolls are a must at our Thanksgiving table. I hope your family enjoys them! 🙂
Carrie Everett
Can these rolls be frozen either before or after baking? Im having a large crowd for thanksgiving and would love to make ahead
Thanks
Sam
Hi Carrie! I honestly haven’t tried freezing these (yet). I think they would be fine to freeze either before or after baking, though, and found this guide on freezing dinner rolls (before or after baking) that I think will be helpful!
Kathy
I would like to make these today.I only have a the brand 5 Star regular yeast Is it possible for me to substitute with this type?I would really appreciate your suggestions?
Thank you kindly.
Sam
Hi Kathy! I haven’t tried these dinner rolls with active dry yeast but I imagine so long as you give it more time to rise it should be OK. Unfortunately I can’t be more specific than that without having tried it myself, I’m sorry!
Aimee
I just took these lovelies out of the oven and could not wait to sample them….oh my word how good they are! I followed your recipe exactly and I got just what you did—beautiful, browned, deliciously fluffy rolls! Thank you so much, Sam, for all your work in testing out recipes and running this blog! I am a forever fan.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you much for being a fan and for your kind words, Aimee! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Dinner Rolls. 🙂
Tonya
Have you tried this recipe using a bread machine on the dough setting?
Sam
I have not (I don’t have a bread machine), if you do try it I’d love to know how it turns out for you, Tonya!
Mary Dilday
Will this recipe make a loaf of bread?
Sam
I honestly haven’t tried it that way so I’m not sure how it would work!