Homemade Soft Dinner Rolls
These Homemade Dinner Rolls are perfect for your next Sunday dinner, and I promise it is the best soft dinner rolls recipe that you will ever make. I love making my own bread as I know exactly what's in it, plus it is easy once you have all of these tips. You only need 8 simple pantry ingredients and there are no fancy tricks - it's just a well designed formula and thoughtful technique. I break down all the science for you in this article so you can make ultra soft and fluffy dinner rolls from scratch at home any time and enjoy the pleasure of eating them fresh and warm from the oven. If you love making bread at home, try my Best Cinnamon Rolls recipe, Homemade Pizza Dough and Homemade Sandwich Bread.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this is a very simple recipe with thoughtful proportions. You combine all of the dough ingredients and knead until it becomes very smooth and the gluten is well developed. This dough requires a single bulk fermentation and makes 15 dinner rolls baked in a single pan.
- Simple ingredients - you just need basic pantry ingredients to make great dinner rolls. Flour, sugar, yeast, oil, butter, eggs, milk, and salt are the main ingredients. There are no preservatives or artificial ingredients that are typically found in many commercial, store-bought breads.
- Soft and fluffy texture - you will love how incredibly soft these rolls are! They have an even crumb that is both soft and fluffy.
- Golden and flavorful - these rolls come out shiny and golden. They are also light and buttery, with the prefect hint of sweetness.
INGREDIENTS FOR DINNER ROLLS
- Bread flour - I love to use unbleached bread flour for this recipe. Bread flour contains a higher protein content and also higher protein quality which means that has a greater ability to build strength in the dough to hold in air. Bread proteins, glutenin and gliadin, provide elasticity and extensibility to dough so it can expand and then hold in the gas bubbles created by yeast to make a fluffy and tender dough. All-purpose flour can also work in this recipe, however you may get less height and volume.
- Oil - liquid oil helps lubricate gluten proteins so that they can expand and trap air for fluffier dough. It also helps provide the bread with a softer texture.
- Butter - The flavor of butter is delicious in dinner rolls, however its harder fat composition is not ideal for optimum softness. A pairing of both butter and oil provides a winning combination of both flavor and texture.
- Eggs - you just need one large egg for the dough to provide an improved crumb structure and a spongy soft texture. Another egg is needed for the egg wash, which will give a beautiful golden color and shine to the dinner rolls.
- Granulated sugar - This recipe has about 6% sugar on a baker's percentage. (A baker's percentage means it is based on the flour being 100% and not the total amount of dough with the water included). This amount provides a bit of sweetness as well as softness and moistness, since it is a humectant and binds water. It also provides the yeast with food to speed up fermentation and helps promote browning in the oven.
- Milk - I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe. It is the main source of moisture to hydrate the dough. In combination with egg, this dough has about 70% hydration. Most recipes suggest heating milk to 105 degrees F to help activate the yeast, however the friction of your stand mixer is usually enough to warm up the dough. If you are making these in the winter in a cold climate, then warming the milk may be beneficial.
- Yeast - I use instant yeast which is so convenient because you do not need to proof it. You can add instant yeast directly to the dry ingredients as long as it is not in direct contact with the salt. Direct content with salt will inactivate the yeast. Lesaffre instant yeast is great, and I also like Fleischmann's rapid rise yeast.
- Salt - this recipe has a typical 2% salt and it is an important ingredient! Salt is not just for flavor in bread. Salt creates a more stable gluten network to hold more gas and provides greater volume.
- Honey - this ingredient is optional, but the combination of butter and honey is irresistible on top of freshly baked bread.
ACTIVE DRY YEAST VS. INSTANT YEAST
Active dry yeast looks like little spheres and is larger than instant yeast which has smaller granules the size of white granulated sugar meant to dissolve easily. It requires rehydration or "blooming" because of the way it is processed, there is more dead yeast on the surface. Hydrating penetrates this layer so the active yeast, which is only about 30%, can thrive. Instant yeast does not require rehydration and you can add it directly to the dry ingredients when making breads. Since it is smaller, there is more surface area so it dissolves readily. Instant yeast is processed in a way that makes it more viable.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF SALT IN BREAD
Salt provides flavor and strength to bread dough. In low concentrations (typically 2% on flour), salt helps to improve the volume of breads. Salt is composed of sodium and chloride minerals. The negatively charged chloride ions shield the polar charges of the gluten molecules so that there is less electrostatic repulsion and therefore they are more attracted to each other. This helps gluten molecules come together or associate and build a stronger network.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YEAST YOU ADD
It's true… to a reasonable extent. You can add less or more yeast and it will just take longer or faster for the dough to rise. Adding more yeast will make the dough rise faster if you're in a rush, but it will also have an impact on flavor. Bakers will tell you that using less yeast with a longer fermentation time makes the best bread and that is because yeast have more time to thrive and produce delicious flavor compounds. Fast fermentation typically causes yeast to produce undesirable flavors. Of course if you use so little yeast then it will not be effective as it will take way too long for the dough to ferment.
WHY DOES DOUGH TEMPERATURE MATTER?
The dough temperature controls how yeast behaves in dough. If you're making bread at room temperature around 23 degrees C using a mixer, then you can use cool water/milk around 16 degrees C or 60 degrees F. Surprised? Many recipes on the internet might instruct you to use warm water or heat your water/milk to 44 degrees C or 112 degrees F. That may be necessary to activate dry yeast, however if the liquid is still that warm when you make the dough, then you might end up with a very sticky dough that requires more flour to handle easily. More flour creates a drier dough and drier rolls. The mixer and your hands create enough friction/heat to warm up the dough without having to use hot water.
HOW TO MAKE DINNER ROLLS
- STEP 1). Make the dough. Combine dry ingredients. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in yeast, sugar and salt in little piles in separate places over the flour in the bowl so that they are not touching. You do not want the salt in direct contact with the yeast for a prolonged period of time without mixing or it can inhibit its activity.
- STEP 2). Add wet ingredients. Add in the oil, butter, egg and milk. (Note: if using a stand mixer at standard room temperature, use cool milk. If you have a digital thermometer it should read around 16 degrees C (60 degrees F)).
- STEP 3). Mix the dough. Attach the dough hook and mix on medium-low for 10-15 minutes until it the surface looks smooth. Stop after a 2 minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all of the flour is incorporated and the dough is a uniform mixture. It will still be wet and rather loose at this point. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. The dough should start to climb up the dough hook and will still be webbing around the bottom of the bowl. (Note: if the dough seems rather dry and stiff at this point, add water at 20ml increments until you reach a softer consistency as described). Stop the mixer and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough. Continue mixing for another 3 minutes. Stop again, pull the dough off of the hook and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough again. Continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes. At this point the dough should start forming a mass and come away from the bowl as it is mixing. You can check the temperature of the dough now if you have a digital thermometer - it should be between 24-26 degrees C (75-80 degrees F) for optimal activity.
- STEP 4). Knead the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Now you will stretch and fold the dough to help develop the gluten structure. Using both hands, grab both sides of the dough, pull it outwards (this is the "stretch"), then fold it inwards over itself. Rotate the dough and continue to stretch and fold until the dough feels very smooth. Watch my video for a full tutorial. Shape the dough into a ball by tucking the sides underneath and rolling it around the counter. The surface of the dough ball should pull smoothly without tearing.
- STEP 5). Bulk Fermentation (first rise). Place the ball into a very lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and then cover with a kitchen towel. Set it aside in a warm dark place and let it rise for 1-2 hours until about doubled in size. Note that the amount of time required will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
- STEP 6). Divide the dough into 15 equal portions and shape. Tip to dough out onto a clean working surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions (approximately 50g each) and shape into balls. It important to have tension on the surface of the dough so it rises upward for better volume as well as a nice dome shape. You can round by hand or by using an appropriately sized bowl that in comparison to the dough piece, is about 1 inch wider in diameter, but similar in depth/height. It should be just lightly touching the top of the dough piece. Make 3-4 wide circular motions to form a nice smooth and tight round ball. For this to work properly the dough must be able to stick to the working surface, so do not add any flour. Also, work quickly so the dough pieces don't dry out and form a skin, as they will just slide around and be very difficult to shape. You can always dab them with little bit of water so they become sticky. You should feel some resistance during shaping as you are pulling and stretching the surface of the dough piece down to the bottom where it is in contact with the work surface. If the seam is opening up on the bottom, then you can pinch it closed with your fingers. Be careful not don't overdo it or you will tear the dough.
- STEP 7). Prepare the pans. Spray or coat a 13x9 inch metal pan lightly with oil. Evenly place the shaped dough pieces into the pan.
- STEP 8). Proof the rolls (second rise). Cover the pan with plastic to prevent the dough pieces from drying out and place them somewhere warm to rise until fully proofed, or when the surface just slightly retains a finger imprint when pressed, (about 30-45 minutes). You can also proof them uncovered in the oven on proof setting. I like to place a tray of off the boil water on a rack below the pans to keep the oven humid to prevent skinning of the dough. The optimal proofing conditions for this type of bread is somewhere around 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) at 85% humidity. If you proof at a lower temperature, it will take longer, but you will be rewarded with better flavor.
- STEP 9). Prepare the egg wash and honey butter. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg with a pinch of salt so it is less viscous and easier to apply evenly. Combine the butter and honey, and melt them together.
- STEP 10). Bake. Once fully proofed, brush with the egg wash and bake at 190 degrees C (375 degrees F) for the first 5 minutes and then lower the heat to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) for another 7-8min. If the top of the rolls brown too quickly you can either move them to a lower rack in the oven or cover them with aluminum foil. You can check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer, which should read at least 94 degrees C (200 degrees F). Once out of the oven, brush generously with the butter and honey mixture, and sprinkle with sea salt.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS (watch the recipe video at the bottom of the page for a full tutorial)
HOW TO SHAPE BREAD DOUGH FOR DINNER ROLLS
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SHAPE THE ROLLS TIGHT?
One of the key steps to making full and fluffy dinner rolls is to build tension during the final shaping. Rolling the dough into smooth balls that are taut build tension on the surface of the dough so it rises upward. If there is not enough tension the rolls will have poor volume and a flat top. However, if you work the dough too much, you can end up tearing the dough, so stop shaping (either by hand or with the bowl hack) as soon as you see that smooth surface form.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR DINNER ROLLS
- Have a well hydrated dough. This dough has a hydration of around 70%, which is a well hydrated for this type of bread. You may be tempted to add more flour as you may feel it is a bit tacky, but this is correct. Conversely, different flours can absorb different amounts of water, so depending on the quality of your flour, you may need to increase hydration. A well developed hydrated dough will feel tacky, not sticky and it is the best way to ensure you have nice soft internal crumb.
- Don't over-heat the dough. Yeast thrives at 24-26 degrees C (75-79 degrees F). The friction of the mixer often heats the dough alone, so I often even use cool to room temperature water and don't even need warm water for this dough in my stand mixer. If the temperature is too high, the dough will be sticky and it will proof too fast. A controlled temperature creates controlled fermentation for optimum flavor.
- Knead thoroughly. The dough should be smooth like a baby's bottom and will not tear when it is ready. A dough that is well developed will hold in the gas bubbles produced by yeast to yield fluffy rolls. This usually takes at least 10 minutes in a stand mixer on medium-low speed, although this can vary depending how effective your mixer is at kneading dough.
- Build tension after final shaping. Final shaping or molding of the dough involves building tension on the surface of the dough so it rises upward. If there is not enough tension the rolls will have poor volume and a flat top. However, don't overdo it as you can end up tearing the dough.
- Prepare the pans. There is nothing worse than not being able to release your rolls from the pan. To ensure they release properly, use a pan lightly coated with oil.
- Proof correctly. Over-proofing and under-proofing will result in poor bread volume and crumb structure. Be gentle with the pan when fully proofed as any physical trauma can cause the dough to deflate as it is more fragile.
- Do not over-bake. Over baking will dry out any type of bread so make sure the oven is at the right temperature. You may need to bake on a lower the rack if they brown too quickly or cover with aluminum foil.
- Do not under-bake. Raw bread is not good. As important as it is to avoid over-baking, it is equally important to avoid under-baking as this will cause the bread to collapse. Ensure the internal temperature reads minimum of 94 degrees C (200 degrees F).
RECIPE FAQ
Any neutral tasting oil will work. I prefer sunflower oil for it's clean flavor profile.
You can use all butter in the dough in place of the oil, but the bread may have slightly less volume and won't be as soft.
You can store the bread at room temperature for a few days in a airtight bag or container, however it is best practice to store bread in the freezer that will not be consumed within a couple days. Freezing bread and thawing when needed retains its freshness better than keeping it at room temperature for two days or longer. Never store your bread in the refrigerator as that is at the temperature that bread stales the fastest (starch retrogradation).
It is possible to leave the dough to "bulk" ferment slowly over night in the fridge. In this case, place the dough in a large bowl and cover it tightly with plastic. The next day, divide the dough and process as directed.
Yes, you can perform an "overnight" process. Make the dough and perform the final shaping in the afternoon or evening. After placing the dough pieces into the prepared pan, cover them with plastic so they don't dry out and refrigerate. The next morning, bring them out and let them come to room temperature. If they have not fully risen, let them proof as required before baking as directed in the recipe card below. *Additional tip: if you live in a warm climate, work quickly to get the dough into the fridge because if they proof a lot during forming, they could end up over-proofing in the fridge overnight. In contrast, if the dough is really cold going into a cold fridge, they might not rise much overnight and will require further proofing time in the morning.
Yes you can, but you will need to proof or "bloom" the yeast before adding to the dough. You can do this by adding the active yeast to a portion of warmed milk with a pinch of sugar. When it is frothy, then add it to the remaining ingredients in the bowl just before mixing.
To know that they are proofed sufficiently, press on the dough gently with your fingertip. If it leaves an indent that fills back out slowly, then they are ready, and if the indent springs back right away then they still need more time. If the indent holds and doesn't spring back, then the dough is over-proofed.
Yes you can, but you may need to bake a couple minutes longer. Some people prefer baking dinner rolls in glass or ceramic, however expect the dinner rolls to be very pale on the bottom. Also, heat transfer is much slower vs. metal, so you can lose a bit of initial oven spring and volume.
TROUBLESHOOTING DINNER ROLLS
If your bread collapsed when you took them out then it is likely that it was under-baked.
Most likely the bread would be dry if they are over-baked, not enough moisture in the dough (low hydration) or you have used too much flour for dividing and shaping.
If your dough is not rising, you may have used active yeast instead of instant active yeast, the yeast was too old, or the dough and/or surrounding environment is too cold. Yeast that is too old will lose the ability to leaven the dough and can even cause the dough to become more sticky. Its activity is highly dependent on temperature, so it is important to have a final dough temperature between 24-26 degrees (75-79 degrees F). If the dough is too cold, or kept in a very cool place, the yeast will ferment very slowly and proof times may be very long.
If your rolls are cracking, usually at the weakest point on the surface, it is likely under-proofed or the dough was too stiff. Ensure the dough is sufficiently proofed and that the hydration is adequate.
If you have poor loaf volume, you either did not have enough gas retention (strong enough gluten network) or not enough gas production (yeast fermentation). You need both for good bread volume. Ensure your gluten network is properly developed and that you have the right conditions for your yeast to thrive and ferment. Also make sure you achieved adequate surface tension on the dough and that it is proofed correctly. If they deflate during baking they may have been over-proofed.
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Video
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
Dinner Roll Dough:
- 2 ¾ cups (400g) unbleached bread flour
- 1 ⅓ tablespoon (8g) fine salt
- 2 tablespoon (24g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon (7g) instant dry yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoon (21g) liquid oil such as vegetable, canola, sunflower or olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon (21g) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 cups (238g) milk (whole milk or 2% preferred)
- water if needed (added in 20ml increments)
Egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 pinch of salt
Honey Butter (Optional):
- 1 ½ tablespoon (21g) salted butter
- 1 teaspoon (7g) honey
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- STEP 1). Make the dough. Combine dry ingredients. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in yeast, sugar and salt in little piles in separate places over the flour in the bowl so that they are not touching. You do not want the salt in direct contact with the yeast for a prolonged period of time without mixing or it can inhibit its activity.
- STEP 2). Add wet ingredients. Add in the oil, butter, egg and milk. (Note: if using a stand mixer at standard room temperature, use cool milk. If you have a digital thermometer it should read around 16 degrees C (60 degrees F)).
- STEP 3). Mix the dough. Attach the dough hook and mix on medium-low for 10-15 minutes until it the surface looks smooth. Stop after a 2 minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all of the flour is incorporated and the dough is a uniform mixture. It will still be wet and rather loose at this point. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. The dough should start to climb up the dough hook and will still be webbing around the bottom of the bowl. (Note: if the dough seems rather dry and stiff at this point, add water at 20ml increments until you reach a softer consistency as described). Stop the mixer and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough. Continue mixing for another 3 minutes. Stop again, pull the dough off of the hook and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough again. Continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes. At this point the dough should start forming a mass and come away from the bowl as it is mixing. You can check the temperature of the dough now if you have a digital thermometer - it should be between 24-26 degrees C (75-80 degrees F) for optimal activity.
- STEP 4). Knead the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Now you will stretch and fold the dough to help develop the gluten structure. Using both hands, grab both sides of the dough, pull it outwards (this is the "stretch"), then fold it inwards over itself. Rotate the dough and continue to stretch and fold until the dough feels very smooth. Watch my video for a full tutorial. Shape the dough into a ball by tucking the sides underneath and rolling it around the counter. The surface of the dough ball should pull smoothly without tearing.
- STEP 5). Bulk Fermentation (first rise). Place the ball into a very lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and then cover with a kitchen towel. Set it aside in a warm dark place and let it rise for 1-2 hours until about doubled in size. Note that the amount of time required will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
- STEP 6). Divide the dough and shape. Tip to dough out onto a clean working surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions (approximately 50g each) and shape into balls. It important to have tension on the surface of the dough so it rises upward for better volume as well as a nice dome shape. You can round by hand or by using an appropriately sized bowl that in comparison to the dough piece, is about 1 inch wider in diameter, but similar in depth/height. Place the bowl upside down over the dough piece. Make 3-4 wide circular motions to form a nice smooth and tight round ball. For this to work properly the dough must be able to stick to the working surface, so do not add any flour. Also, work quickly so the dough pieces don't dry out and form a skin, as they will just slide around and be very difficult to shape. You can always dab them with little bit of water so they become sticky. You should feel some resistance during shaping as you are pulling and stretching the surface of the dough piece down to the bottom where it is in contact with the work surface. Be careful not don't overdo it or you will tear the dough.
- STEP 7). Prepare the pans. Spray or coat a 13x9 inch metal pan lightly with oil. Evenly place the shaped dough pieces into the pan.
- STEP 8). Proof the rolls (second rise). Cover the pan with plastic to prevent the dough pieces from drying out and place them somewhere warm to rise until fully proofed, or when the surface just slightly retains a finger imprint when pressed, (about 30-45 minutes). You can also proof them uncovered in the oven on proof setting. I like to place a tray of off the boil water on a rack below the pans to keep the oven humid to prevent skinning of the dough. The optimal proofing conditions for this type of bread is somewhere around 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) at 85% humidity. If you proof at a lower temperature, it will take longer, but you will be rewarded with better flavor.
- STEP 9). Prepare the egg wash and honey butter. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg with a pinch of salt so it is less viscous and easier to apply evenly. Combine the butter and honey, and melt them together.
- STEP 10). Bake. Once fully proofed, brush with the egg wash and bake at 190 degrees C (375 degrees F) for the first 5 minutes and then lower the heat to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) for another 7-8min. If the top of the rolls brown too quickly you can either move them to a lower rack in the oven or cover them with aluminum foil. You can check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer, which should read at least 94 degrees C (200 degrees F). Once out of the oven, brush generously with the butter and honey mixture, and sprinkle with sea salt.
Made these today and they are as good as she says they are! Can’t wait to make them again over the holidays.
Thank you so much Sarah! I'm so glad you enjoyed the dinner rolls 🙂
Can I substitute honey for granulated sugar? How much would I add and at the wet ingredient process?
Can this recipe be made in a bread machine as a loaf bread?
Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Hi Andrea! Yes you can, as with any other bread recipe. It will just be a bit of an arm workout.
What does fine salt mean? I used sea salt because it is fine but the dough is salty.
Hi CB! It means regular table salt. If you measure by weight (g) it won't matter what salt you use, but it you use volumetric measurements for salt, it may vary depending on the density/granulation.