Restless Chipotle

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
×
Home » Recipes » Homemade Roll Recipes

Soft Dinner Rolls Recipe

Published: Jul 26, 2024 · Updated: Mar 26, 2025 by Marye

Light and buttery, these homemade, soft dinner rolls freeze well - make them in a big batch and have them whenever you want!
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 3 hours hours 17 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Closeup of rolls in a basket.
Overhead view of dinner rolls in a basket with a text overlay for Pinterest.

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!

Dinner rolls being brushed with melted butter.
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.

Labeled ingredients for soft dinner rolls recipe.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

  1. Herb-infused: Add fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to the dough for an aromatic twist.
  2. Cheesy rolls: Mix in shredded cheddar or parmesan for a cheesy delight.
  3. 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.

Yeast being added to milk mixture.

Add yeast to egg mixture. Add flour to make a sticky dough.

Two hands kneading bread dough.

Knead.

A hand punching down risen dough.

Let rise until double. Punch down.

Balls of dough in a muffin tin.

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

  1. stand mixer with dough hook
  2. large mixing bowl
  3. wooden spoon
  4. muffin tin
  5. kitchen scale
  6. 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.

Closeup of dinner rolls on a wire rack.

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

  1. Use a kitchen scale to measure the rolls so they are the same size.
  2. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for the best results.
  3. 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!

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

 Yes, you can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast. Use the same amount and skip the step of dissolving it in water.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

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.

A roll cut open to show the soft, fluffy inside.

⏲️ 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

  • A basket of buttermilk dinner rolls.
    Make Ahead Buttermilk Dinner Rolls: Brown and Serve
  • Closeup view of golden brown rolls in the air fryer.
    Air Fryer Dinner Rolls
  • Finished rolls in a basket.
    Quick Dinner Rolls Recipe (30 Minutes)

🍽️ 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

Closeup of rolls in a basket.

Soft Dinner Rolls

4.37 from 11 votes
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Light and buttery, these homemade, soft dinner rolls freeze well - make them in a big batch and have them whenever you want!
Course Bread
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 3 hours hours 17 minutes minutes
Servings:24
Calories:60
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 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

Storage:
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.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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.

dinner rolls in a warmer

golden homemade dinner rolls

dinner roll with butter

More Homemade Yeast Rolls

  • Closeup of homemade hamburger
    Homemade Hamburger Buns
  • A basket full of garlic breadsticks.
    How to Make Soft Garlic Breadsticks`
  • Large cinnamon roll with gooey icing on a white plate.
    Texas-Size Cinnamon Rolls
  • Freshly baked cloverleaf rolls in a muffin tin.
    Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe: Old Fashioned & Buttery

Love it? Share it!

168 shares
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard

About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.37 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Dee says

    August 31, 2024 at 11:16 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      September 04, 2024 at 3:53 pm

      I don't prefer to do it that way but you can. I don't think they rise quite as well.

      Reply
  2. patsy says

    August 23, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    I'm a sucker for a warm from the oven dinner roll! Makes any meal more complete!

    Reply
  3. NINA says

    November 27, 2013 at 2:33 am

    How many grms. has 2 packages active dry yeast??

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      November 27, 2013 at 10:40 am

      8 grams, 2 1/4 teaspoons

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

Find out more

🍉 Summer Cookouts

  • Overhead view of potato salad in a glass bowl
    Mom's Homemade Potato Salad
  • Overhead view of the finished watermelon basket filled with an assortment of fruit.
    How to Make a Watermelon Basket
  • Closeup of a finished hamburger in a bun.
    Retro Lipton Onion Soup Burger (Vintage Recipe)
  • Closeup of a star shaped cake covered in white chocolate with red and blue sprinkles.
    Zebra Cake Recipe: Little Debbie Copycat

🫖 Picklefork Stories

Picklefork town crest.
Click here to visit Picklefork

👑 Reader Favorites

  • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
    Crockpot Angel Chicken
  • Close up of the sauce showing the creamy texture.
    Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe
  • Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.
    Crispy Fried Potatoes in a Cast Iron Skillet (Southern Style)
  • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
    Sex in the Driveway Cocktail
  • A sliced loaf of english muffin bread.
    Easy English Muffin Bread – No Knead, Perfect for Toasting!
  • Two finished loaves of Amish white bread cooling on a table.
    No-Fail Amish White Bread

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • About Marye Audet-White
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Contact
MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

Featured In:

Places Restless Chipotle has been featured

We improve our products and advertising by using Microsoft Clarity to see how you use our website. By using our site, you agree that we and Microsoft can collect and use this data. Our privacy statement has more details.

Copyright ©2006 - 2025 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC

Picklefork Tales Copyright ©2025 Marye Audet, Restless Chipotle Media

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.