These fluffy soft dinner rolls are the missing piece of a filling family dinner. Slather them with butter, your favorite jam, or dip them into a puddle of gravy. Since they are made with instant yeast they are done quicker, saving you time especially during the busy holiday season.
We love cooking side dishes from scratch! They taste incredible – and if you’re looking for more sides for your dinners, then try some Potatoes Au Gratin, full of creamy and cheesy goodness. Or Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes, ready for butter and cinnamon.
Homemade Yeast Dinner Rolls
These light, buttery dinner rolls bake up with a golden, crispy crust and a soft, pillowy center that melts in your mouth. They’re far better than anything you’ll find in a package or freezer aisle, and even better fresh from the oven.
As they bake, the irresistible aroma will draw everyone into the kitchen, eager for that first warm bite. With my simple, foolproof recipe, you’ll have bakery-quality rolls on your table in no time.
They are the perfect thing to make for Thanksgiving or holiday dinners. This recipe will give you fifteen rolls. So, if you’re going to have a crowd over, double the recipe! It’s so easy!
Dinner Roll Ingredients
- Flour: Use your favorite all-purpose flour
- Yeast: Rapid rise instant yeast works the best.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar feeds the yeast.
- Salt: This also feeds the yeast.
- Milk: This adds moisture to the bread and helps the yeast work. For the best results, use warm milk.
- Butter: You will need unsalted butter. You’ll use some for the dough and some for after it bakes.
- Egg: This holds all the ingredients together.
How to Make Homemade Dinner Rolls
Here are the basic instructions to make soft dinner rolls. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post with full ingredients and instructions to make it.
Cooking Tips and Tricks
- If you are worried that your yeast isn’t active, then proof the yeast first. Heat your milk to 120-130°F, mix in one tablespoon sugar, then sprinkle in one packet of yeast. Mix together. Then add it in with the liquids.
- Use an instant-read food thermometer when you heat up the milk. It should be heated to 120°F-130°F.
- Be careful not to add too much flour. Stop adding flour as soon as the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- If your kitchen isn’t warm, turn on the oven and place the dinner roll dough on top of it.
Recipe Variations
- Make gluten-free dinner rolls. All you have to do is use your favorite kind of 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Brush the top of the rolls with flavored garlic and parsley butter.
- Make them sweet. Drizzle some honey on top as soon as they come out of the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake dinner rolls in the air fryer? Even though it’s not my preferred method, it’s definitely possible to bake them in the air fryer. Bake them at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
Why aren’t my rolls rising? There are a few different things that might be causing them not to rise. First, did you use expired yeast? If not, was the milk too hot (too much heat can kill the yeast). Another thing is your kitchen might not be warm enough. Just keep letting them rise until they are super puffy even if it takes longer than 40 minutes.
How to Store & Reheat
How to store it? Store your cooked dinner rolls in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. It’s best to eat them within a week.
How to reheat it? You can reheat rolls in the microwave for about a minute.
How to freeze it? Freeze the dinner rolls in a freezer-safe food storage container or bag. Prevent them from freezing into one big lump buy making sure they are all in one layer.
Try these other recipes!
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks
- Lemon Butter Rice
- Parmesan Asparagus
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
If you’ve tried this yeast dinner roll recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes.
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Soft Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm milk heated to 120°F-130°F
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted but warm not hot (120°F-130°F)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon oil for coating bowl
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for roll tops
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 ½ cups of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the warm milk (should be heated to 120°F – 130°F), cooled melted butter, and egg. Add the dough hook if using a stand mixer. Mix on low speed, scraping the bowl to fully incorporate the flour, until a sticky, shaggy dough is formed. This may take about 5 -10 minutes.
- Gradually add in ½ cup of flour at a time, mixing and checking the dough before adding in another ½ cup of flour. You may not need all 5 cups of flour. You will want to mix the dough until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth and slightly tacky. This should take about 2-3 minutes with a stand mixer or 3-5 minutes by hand.
- Knead the dough at medium speed with the dough hook attachment for 5-6 minutes or by hand for 8-10 minutes.
- Lightly grease a large bowl. Add in the dough and turn it once to coat with the oil from the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean, lint free kitchen towel. Put in a warm area for 30-40 minutes, to allow the dough to double in size and when pressing a finger about ½” into the dough the bounce back should be slow.
- Remove the towel or plastic and punch down the dough to deflate it. Turn it out onto a floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball, tucking the edges under and rolling it. Place each roll into a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking pan keeping a little space between each. 1 15
- Cover the rolls again with a towel or plastic wrap, let rise again for another 30-40 minutes. This may take longer depending on the warmth of your environment,, you want them pretty poofy.
- About 20 minutes before rolls are due to be ready, preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Place the rolls on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 13-18 minutes until lightly browned. Brush baked rolls with melted butter.
Notes
- If you are worried that your yeast isn’t active, then proof the yeast first. Heat your milk to 120-130°F, mix in one tablespoon sugar, then sprinkle in one packet of yeast. Mix together. Then add it in with the liquids.
- Use an instant-read food thermometer when you heat up the milk. It should be heated to 120°F-130°F.
- Be careful not to add too much flour. Stop adding flour as soon as the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- If your kitchen isn’t warm, turn on the oven and place the dinner roll dough on top of it.
Nutrition
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