Hey y'all! Get ready to sink your teeth into the most delicious, soft dinner rolls recipe you'll ever make.
These golden brown, fluffy rolls are perfect for any meal, from casual weeknight dinners to special holiday feasts.
Made with simple ingredients and a super easy technique, you'll find yourself making these every single time!
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat soft dinner rolls
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- Homemade rolls are soft, buttery, and unbelievably light and fluffy.
- They freeze really well so they're perfect for making a big batch so you can serve them with dinner anytime.
- If you are a beginner bread baker, these are the best homemade rolls to start with!
This recipe is from one of my vintage cookbooks, and you can taste the old-fashioned flavor.
They are a touch sweet and very buttery, but it is the melt-in-your-mouth lightness that will keep you coming back for more. They take about two hours to make, but they are very easy.
When you make these, you'll notice that the dough is a bit sticky. Don't add more flour, or they will be too heavy. Scoop and loosely form balls of dough, then put them in well-greased or lined silicone muffin cups. Serve them piping hot with plenty of butter.
Baking them in muffin cups means that you can use a "wetter" dough and that's what makes these so light.
They freeze well for up to three months — I like to bake up a big batch and freeze them for later.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Herb-infused: Add fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to the dough for an aromatic twist.
- Cheesy rolls: Mix in shredded cheddar or parmesan for a cheesy delight.
- Sweet rolls: Brush with honey butter after baking for a sweet finish.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Add yeast to egg mixture. Add flour to make a sticky dough.
Knead.
Let rise until double. Punch down.
Roll into balls and add to muffin tin.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
When they come out of the oven brush the tops with melted butter then cover with a tea towel to keep them soft. Sometimes I like to add a teaspoon of honey or a little vanilla to the melted butter. It gives them a little extra sweetness.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- large
mixing bowl - wooden spoon
- muffin tin
- kitchen scale
- cooking spray
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
Learn how to knead dough by hand in this video.
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat soft dinner rolls
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
They freeze well, too! Put baked rolls on a baking sheet and flash freeze. Place frozen rolls in an airtight container or ziploc bag.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Make sure your warm milk and water are at the right temperature (between 105°F and 110°F) to activate the yeast effectively. If the liquid is too hot, it can kill the yeast; too cold, and the yeast won't activate properly.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Use a kitchen scale to measure the rolls so they are the same size.
- Let the dough rise in a warm spot for the best results.
- Avoid adding too much flour, as this can make the rolls dense. The dough will be soft and sticky.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yes, you can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast. Use the same amount and skip the step of dissolving it in water.
You can prepare the dough, let it rise, shape the rolls, cover with plastic wrap that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and refrigerate them overnight. Bake them fresh the next day.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place. If your kitchen is cool, you can preheat your oven to the lowest setting for a few minutes, then turn it off and let the dough rise inside. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep it moist. Read more tips about helping dough rise faster here.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Turn leftover rolls into delicious croutons for salads or use them to make mini sandwiches.
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Rich, light, buttery, soft dinner rolls are just about extinct. Let's face it — we're all just too busy to keep up with boxed macaroni and cheese let alone the time it takes to produce homemade rolls!
I know that life is crazy busy for all of us, and it's hard to have those old-fashioned family meals. I can get caught up in being critical of myself for not "making it happen" more often.
Having hot rolls on the table when we do have the opportunity to sit down together just makes it more special.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Soft Dinner Rolls
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- ½ cup water, 110F
- 4 to 5 cups white flour
Instructions
- Scald milk by bringing it just under a boil - bubbles will form around the edge of the pan.
- Add butter and sugar to hot milk and let cool to 110F
- Add the yeast to the warm water. Stir until dissolved
- Add 2 cups of flour to the milk mixture and beat on low speed of a mixer for one minute
- Beat in eggs and add yeast
- Stir in enough flour to make a sticky dough that leaves the sides of the bowl
- Turn out on to a lightly floured counter and knead about five minutes
- Place in a buttered bowl, butter the top, and cover with a tea towel.
- Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour
- Punch down and shape into balls
- Place balls in oiled muffin tins and let rise 20- 30 minutes, or until double
- Bake at 375F for 12 minutes, or until light golden brown
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published July 23, 2009. Last updated July 26, 2024 for readability and to give readers more information.
Original images.
Dee says
Can you freeze after rolls are formed on cookie sheet pan. Then let them thaw and let rise second time to bake fresh?
Is this possible, to work with this dough?
Marye says
I don't prefer to do it that way but you can. I don't think they rise quite as well.
patsy says
I'm a sucker for a warm from the oven dinner roll! Makes any meal more complete!
NINA says
How many grms. has 2 packages active dry yeast??
Marye Audet says
8 grams, 2 1/4 teaspoons