Light, fluffy, buttery dinner rolls are impossible to resist. Homemade with just a handful of simple ingredients, the BEST Dinner Rolls can you be on your table in a jiffy. They really are the perfect addition to any meal but I love this easy dinner roll recipe with Buttermilk Ranch Oven Fried Chicken or these delicious Turkey Meatballs.
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The BEST Dinner Rolls
An easy dinner roll recipe needs to be in everyone’s repertoire. These dinner rolls are perfect. Like, truly perfect. Soft and fluffy, my dinner roll recipe is going to blow you away with it’s pillowy texture and buttery flavor. They are extremely versatile and a welcome addition to essentially every meal.
I am the biggest fan of carbs. There, I said it. I’m currently working with a nutritionist and I get 3 starches a day. It’s basically torture but I’m learning to deal with it. I pick and choose those starches verrrry carefully these days.
When I knew I was making these soft dinner rolls for dinner this past week, I took extra precautions to make sure I could have at least two of these amazing dinner rolls with butter and jelly. Although, to be completely transparent, they don’t even need butter. It’s more of a habit at this point.
You guys! Just look at these fluffy dinner rolls! I love that they have just a hint of sweetness but it’s not too much. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, sandwiches – you name it.
They homemade dinner rolls are quick too! They do rise twice, for 30 minutes each, but start to finish, you’re looking at 90 minutes total and not a whole lot of work either.
I use my stand mixer and let the dough hook do the kneading for me. I’m using rapid rise or instant yeast in this dinner roll recipe so all the ingredients get dumped in together, much like you would in a bread machine. It’s basically the best thing ever.
Tips for Making Perfect Homemade Dinner Rolls
- This recipe comes together super fast so it’s nice to be prepared. Measure out all the ingredients before you get started so you can just dump them in the bowl of the mixer and get started.
- The milk is what activates the yeast so be diligent about checking for the right temperature. You’re looking for somewhere between 100-110F. I warm mine in the microwave in a glass measuring cup and then use this thermometer to check the temperature. If it gets too hot, let it sit until it reaches the right temperature. Killing the yeast is a big no-no.
- The first and second rise are both 30 minutes. Keep your rolls in a draft free location and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
- Making the rolls the same size ensures an even baking time. I’m pretty good at eyeballing it but to be extra sure, pat the dough into a rectangle about 8 x 12 inches. Cut into 4 strips and then cut those strips into 6 squares for a total of 24 rolls. You can use a kitchen scale to weigh them.
- When rolling the dough into balls, I like to make them nice and smooth on top by pulling the “seams” down to the bottom and giving it a twist. That’s the side I place on to the baking sheet so the top is perfectly rounded. The video below will show you more of what I mean if that is unclear.
- Check the rolls at 12 minutes. If they are starting to darken beyond what you prefer, put a piece of foil over the top. I like my rolls a nice golden brown and once it hits that color, I know the rolls are done. Always check a center roll for doneness and then tent with foil if they need a few more minutes.
- Don’t forget to brush with butter! This is what gives the top of the dinner rolls that irresistible golden sheen. It’s super important 🙂
To Make Homemade Dinners Rolls, You’ll Need
How To Make Dinner Rolls
If you like this easy dinner roll recipe, make sure to check out this Cinnamon Bread and these Cheddar Bay Biscuits – so good!
The BEST Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 -5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons rapid rise, instant yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ cups warm milk , 110 degrees
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 egg , room temperature
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, warm milk, butter, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and mix until flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup flour and blend with the dough hook until incorporated. And another 1/2 cup flour and repeat, mixing at medium speed for another 2 minutes until a ball of dough is formed.
- Add additional flour as necessary. The dough should be slightly sticky and soft and pulling away from the edge of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Remove the towel or plastic wrap and deflate the dough by punching down lightly.
- Pinch off pieces of the dough and form 24 rolls. You can weigh them to keep the rolls close to the same size. Mine were about 2 ounces each but this will vary depending on how much flour you added.
- Transfer the rolls to a lightly greased quarter baking sheet or 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If the rolls are getting too brown, just tent the rolls with foil.
- Remove rolls and brush hot rolls with the melted butter. Serve immediately or store cooled rolls in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Feeling all the carbs?? Make sure to check out these recipes from friends:
Brioche Loaf Bread | The Best Cloud Bread | Milk Bread
Some great appetizers to try!
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Teriyaki Bites
Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls
For all dinner recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Ins says
These were the absolute best rolls I’ve ever made!!! They are literally so easy to make… and SO DELICIOUS!! Thank you!
Brittany Russell says
These rolls turned out perfect. I made them as hamburger buns and they were a huge hit! Thank you!
Becky says
I make these all the time following the recipe exactly! Once the dough is ready to be shaped into rolls though, I lay the balls out on a baking sheet and freeze them (before the second rise). Then on busy nights, I pull out 4-6 of them and let them slowly thaw and rise over a few hours before popping them in the oven. Love that I can enjoy these rolls throughout the week instead of just on the days I haul my mixer out. 🙂
Heather Gonzales says
Recipe worked beautiful!! Yummy rolls !
Turned out golden brown, light and fluffy!!
Tara says
I have my go to buttery, dinner roll recipe but was looking for something that is lighter and these are perfect. They are easy to make without a mixer.
Naledi Michelle Mokoena says
Absolutely amazing. It was my first time trying these and they turned out so well. Thank you so much
Charity says
Second time making these awesome rolls. Thank you now do they freeze well. Could you freeze the before baking
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can freeze the dough, here’s how:
Prepare the dough as directed, let it rise, and then shape the rolls.
Freeze the rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet or in a baking pan spaced out so they aren’t touching.
Place them in a ziploc freezer bag.
When you are ready to bake, let the rolls thaw and rise for about 4 hours at room temperature. The exact time will of course depend on warm your home is.
Then simply bake as directed.
If you prefer, you can also freeze the baked dinner rolls and let thaw for an hour or at room temperature.
Tina says
I made these for the first time last week and turned them into beef dip pull apart rolls. They were delicious and a hit! Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe. This is quick and easy for dinner rolls and I didn’t change a thing
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Tina!
Matt says
These came out better than I expected. Followed recipe exactly and used a bread machine to mix the dough. Came out amazing. Thank you for this outstanding recipe.
Eva says
Love the recipe and have been making for a few years. Wondering if this would work with only one tablespoon of active yeast? Thanks 🥰
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So glad you love the dinner rolls Eva! You know, I’ve never tried it that way? My guess is it would work, but the rise time would increase. Hope that helps!
User_111 says
I’m an almost 13 year old girl who has almost never made bread before… It took me more than the written time to come together, and I didn’t have enough butter so I also added in some oil. I was really worried because the dough was really wet, but it came out amazing! The bread was a little sweet, but extremely fluffy! I would rate this a 6/5 if I could!
Betsy says
I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Ever since I wondered if the dough would be a good canidate to turn into cinnamon rolls. I tried that idea today and they are delicious. Fluffy, slightly sweet, easy to shape, rise quickly, everything you want in a sweet roll.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’ve had so many readers say this! You’ve inspired me to add them to our menu this week!
Hellen says
Trying it for the first time…seeing like it will be a great outcome
Amber Aiken says
They look delicious. Excited to try them. But I have a question. Can this dough be frozen already shaped into squares or balls like the Rhodes dinner rolls.?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can freeze the dough, here’s how:
Prepare the dough as directed, let it rise, and then shape the rolls.
Freeze the rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet or in a baking pan spaced out so they aren’t touching.
Place them in a ziploc freezer bag.
When you are ready to bake, let the rolls thaw and rise for about 4 hours at room temperature. The exact time will of course depend on warm your home is.
Then simply bake as directed.
If you prefer, you can also freeze the baked dinner rolls and let thaw for an hour or at room temperature.
Stacey CK says
Thank you for this recipe! I have been searching for pillowy, soft dinner rolls and mine were never right. The only things I change about this is to use salted butter and don’t use any egg. I know this sounds crazy, but it makes them much softer and less dense. Thank you so much!!
.Sally says
This was my first successful attempt at making rolls. I suppose I should call them and Lara rolls! Thank you for sharing and I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Sally!