Dinner rolls are the ideal side dish. It doesn’t matter what’s on the table—a cast-iron steak, a Thanksgiving turkey or a simple chicken dinner—nothing compares to the flavor of homemade rolls! Not to mention, the house smells incredible while the rolls are baking.
Some patience is required while the yeast dough proofs, but the results are worth the wait.
Ingredients for Dinner Rolls
- Active dry yeast: This is the key ingredient for fluffy and delicious dinner rolls. Be sure to use active dry yeast, not instant yeast.
- Sugar: To help activate the yeast, we add a small amount of sugar.
- Flour: The flour is what gives dinner rolls structure. For a chewier roll, swap in bread flour for some of the all-purpose flour.
- Milk: Use dairy milk for this dinner roll recipe. It provides great flavor and texture.
- Eggs: Two eggs mixed into the dough help make the dinner rolls light and fluffy.
Directions
Step 1: Start the dough
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups of flour. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water and butter to 120° to 130°F.
Carefully add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat the mixture on medium speed for three minutes.
Step 2: Add the eggs
Add two of the eggs to the mixture and beat on high speed for two minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. The dough will be sticky at this step.
Step 3: Knead and proof the dough
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it with your hands for six to eight minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Editor’s Tip: If the house is cold, proof bread in the oven. Don’t turn the oven on, though.
Step 4: Shape the rolls
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide and shape the dough into 24 balls.
Place the dough balls in two greased 13×9-inch baking pans.
Cover the pans with kitchen towels and let the rolls rise in a warm place until they’ve doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Step 5: Bake the rolls
Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush the rolls with it. (This will help give them a beautiful golden color.) Bake the dinner rolls for 10 to 15 minutes until they’re golden brown. Remove the rolls from the pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool slightly. Serve them warm.
How to Shape Dinner Rolls
While a simple round shape is traditional, there are certainly other ways to shape dinner rolls. The dough can easily be shaped into twists by rolling it into a rope, folding the rope in half and twisting the ends together multiple times.
Love the look of cloverleaf rolls? Divide the dough into 24 balls, then divide each ball into three pieces. Place the three rolled balls of dough in a greased muffin tin and bake as directed.
To create a wreath of dinner rolls, divide the large ball of dough into 36 equal pieces (a kitchen scale can help with this). Line a pizza pan or baking sheet with parchment paper. Make a circle with 14 balls of dough, and then place the remaining balls of dough around the outer side of the ring. Bake the rolls as directed. Once the wreath has baked, dress it up with fresh herbs (I like to use rosemary).
Make rosettes by dividing the larger ball of dough into 24 balls. Roll each into a rope and tie it into a loose knot. Tuck in the ends, let them rise and bake them as directed.
Dinner Rolls Variations
- Everything dinner rolls: To capture the flavor of everything bagels, combine 1 teaspoon each of coarse kosher salt, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Brush the rolls with egg, sprinkle the mixture over the rolls and bake.
- Parmesan dinner rolls: Combine 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of dried minced garlic. Brush the rolls with egg and sprinkle the mixture over top before baking.
- Almond-herb dinner rolls: Combine 2 tablespoons of chopped sliced almonds and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt, dried basil and dried oregano. Brush with egg and sprinkle the mixture over the rolls before baking.
How to Store Dinner Rolls
Dinner rolls should be stored in an airtight container or bag to keep them fresh. You can leave them out at room temperature for up to three days.
To freeze dinner rolls, wrap them in aluminum foil and place the rolls in a freezer bag or airtight container. Store the rolls in the freezer for up to one month.
How do you make dinner rolls ahead of time?
Make the dough and allow it to proof. Then, shape the dough into rolls and place the unbaked rolls in greased baking pans. Cover the pans tightly and place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Remove the baking pans from the fridge and allow the rolls to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Brush the rolls with egg and bake.
You can also make the rolls ahead of time and store them in the freezer.
Dinner Rolls Tips
How do you proof yeast for dinner rolls?
Yeast is dormant when it’s packaged, so activating or proofing the yeast is a crucial step in making yeast dinner rolls. In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 105º-115º) and one tablespoon of sugar. Add the packet of yeast and wait five minutes to allow the warm water to activate the yeast. When it’s frothy and bubbly, the yeast is activated and ready to use.
If it’s not, ditch the yeast and start over with a new packet to ensure your rolls will rise.
How do you proof dinner rolls?
Making dinner rolls from scratch requires two rounds of proofing. This gives the dough the proper texture. Once combined, the ball of dough needs to be proofed in a greased bowl. Cover it with a dish towel and let rest in a warm place to properly rise.
Once the dinner rolls are formed, they need a bit more time to proof and rest in the baking pans. It’s best to proof yeast dinner rolls at temperatures above 75º.
