Take the stress out of your side dish spread with the ultimate recipe for Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls.
It doesn’t take many clicks around these pages to come to two simple conclusions:
- Doughnuts might as well be a food group.
- Carbs can come in all shapes and sizes and we embrace them all.
When it comes to carbs, I have a very definitive list of favorites on the savory side (sweet is a whole other story):
Basically, if it’s hot, yeasty and qualifies as a carb, I am down to par-tay.
And who can seriously resist bread fresh from the oven? Especially when it’s insanely fluffy, buttery and perfect for pulling apart and popping shoving into your mouth.
This is a recipe for those with a fear of yeast and all things involving rising times. If you can stir, you can make these dinner rolls.
The best part is, this recipe is totally a blank canvas. I’ve topped mine off with melted butter and large-flake sea salt (love that crunch), but the sky is the limit.
I can imagine endless variations, from garlic and cheese to fresh herbs and, dare I say, chocolate!
Whip up these rolls for a holiday feast (hello, Thanksgiving essential!) or add them to your weeknight menu for the ultimate wow factor. Best of all, any leftovers are great toasted in the a.m. with butter and jam or halved and stuffed with all of your sandwich favorites.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Find more inspiration for hot, homemade carbs below!
Homemade Soft Pretzel Twists: Get the Recipe
Easy Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits: Get the Recipe
The Complete Guide to Easy Homemade Bagels: Get the Guide
Ingredients
- 1 (1/4-oz.) packet active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
- Large-flake sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the flour, as well as the salt, whole milk and melted butter and beat for 2 minutes.
- Add an additional 1 cup of flour and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until the dough begins to form a ball. (If the dough is still very sticky, add an additional ¼ cup flour as needed.)
- Lightly flour your work surface. Scrape the dough onto your work surface, and using the heel of your hand, knead it for 2 minutes then place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the bowl with a towel. Set the bowl in a dark, warm place for 30 minutes until it has doubled in size.
- Grease an 8-inch round pan with cooking spray or butter.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces then roll each piece into a ball and arrange the balls in the prepared pan. Cover the pan with a towel then return it to a dark, warm place for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Uncover the rolls then bake them for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the rolls from the oven, brush them with additional melted butter and immediately sprinkle them with the sea salt (optional). Serve them warm.
- If you want to prepare the rolls in advance, follow the directions up until you place the (unbaked) rolls in the baking pan then tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap. When ready to serve, remove the rolls from the freezer and place them in the fridge overnight then bring them to room temp to rise before baking them as directed.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
Recipe adapted from Fleischmann’s.
Literally — the best rolls I’ve ever made. So soft & fluffy, I made them to go with spaghetti, so good. The salt on top is a must!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Michael!
I made these last night but gluten free. They were a huge hit for my family of 10! Definitely will make again! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
You are so welcome, Dawn! I’m thrilled your family enjoyed the dinner rolls!
Hi Kelly,
I tried to make your dinner rolls recipe. After adding the 2nd cup of flour, the dough was still very very sticky so I added a total of another cup of flour (but in 1/4 cup increment until the dough formed into a ball). Then I kneaded and proofed it for 30 minutes. However the dough did not double in size (and didn’t even rise). I still went ahead and cut it into 12 and shaped them into balls. Then I proofed them again for 30 minutes but still the balls didn’t rise. Do you know why? Please help! Thank you so much.
Hi Gerlene? Is your yeast fresh/new? And did you proof your dough in a dark, warm place?
Just made these for dinner tonight. Absolutely wonderful rolls.
Perfect flavor, easy to follow recipe.
Will definitely make again, ALOT!!!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Melissa!
This is the second time I am using this recipe! Very easy to follow. I did add more salt this second time (I didn’t want to top it with salt), in addition to garlic powder, oregano, parsley, and basil. I also used water instead of milk both times and the rolls turned out really well. I had never before made homemade rolls. Thank you for the user friendly recipe!
Love reading this, Stefanie! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
I made these last night and they came out more like biscuits, not soft and fluffy. They were still good but not what I wanted. What could I have done wrong?
Hi Donna – It could be that your yeast is old or that you over-mixed the dough. Next time if your dough feels firm and unpliable, let it rest. Allowing the dough to rest will give you a better shot at a more tender result. I hope that helps!
Can I use water instead of the milk? I am allergic.
thank you
Hi Caylin – That *should* work. Water is thinner than whole milk so you may need to adjust the flour but just do it based on how the dough feels when you’re kneading it and add more if it gets too sticky.
My new favorite rolls! Make a little honey cinnamon butter and wow!! The rolls alone are fabulous though. Got lots of compliments. Even made and froze a triple batch for us to grab for us to use over the next couple weeks.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
How delicious and simple these are! This is my third time in two days making them. I am absolutely addicted! They came out so perfect every time. All you do is follow the recipe and you can’t fail. Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m definitely going to be a devoted follower of your page now. I’m super excited to try more of your recipes. But right know,I think I’m probably going to go buy out my local grocery store for all their flour!
LOVE reading this! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Becca! Welcome to Just a Taste :)