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Our dinner rolls recipe delivers a soft, fluffy, impossible to resist, best-loved recipe, perfect for holidays or any occasion.
favorite homemade rolls!
Other than the Mashed Potatoes, the recipe we all look forward to most on holidays (especially Thanksgiving) is our mom’s Homemade Dinner Rolls.
No joke – all the grandkids come running for them, and we have yet to find a more yummy or delicious roll recipe than this one (and we are not exaggerating).
We love these dinner rolls especially for holidays, with other sides like Creamed Corn Recipe, Green Bean Casserole Recipe, and Roasted Brussel Sprouts – but love to make them for Sunday Dinners too.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Holiday must-have. These homemade rolls are a perfect side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter!
- On-hand ingredients. This recipe uses pantry staples, which means they can be made any time (and my kids are grateful for that!)
- Simple. Surprisingly, this recipe is easy. We’ve made it fail-proof so even begginers can easily master this roll recipe.
Ingredients
- PREP TIME: 20 minutes
- RISE TIME: 2 hours
- BAKE TIME: 20 minutes
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast – Even though we activate it in water we always use the rapid rise yeast/instant yeast for these rolls, but active dry yeast works too.
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar – this will help the yeast activate.
- ¼ cup warm water – The ideal temperature is between 105°F and 110°F.
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour – We use all-purpose flour but you can also use bread flour.
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- salted butter (for brushing on tops).
How to make OUr Dinner Rolls Recipe
- YEAST. In a small bowl, stir 1 tablespoon yeast with ¼ cup warm water and ½ teaspoon sugar. Let stand until bubbly.
- DOUGH. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup warm milk, ½ cup oil, ½ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt with a wooden spoon.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture and mix well. Add 2 eggs and mix vigorously until smooth. Add yeast mixture and continue to mix until smooth.
- Add remaining flour to the yeast mixture 1 cup at a time and continue to mix with a wooden spoon until the dough is combined. The dough should be soft and sticky.
- FIRST RISE. Pour the dough into a large bowl (oiling the sides of the bowl can help keep the dough from sticking). Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise for a few hours, until it has doubled in size.
- ROLL. Once the dough has doubled in size punch down, and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece out into a 12-inch circle. The dough circles should be about ⅜ inch thick.
- SHAPE. Brush dough with melted butter. Cut circles with a pizza cutter into 12 pieces (like a pizza). Roll from the rounded edge to the point, to make a crescent roll. Place into a greased baking pan (we use an 11×16 metal pan and do 3 across and 8 rows down).
- SECOND RISE. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise, until it doubles about 1-2 hours.
- BAKE + ENJOY! Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 16–20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. (Touch rolls to see if they bounce back—if they do not, bake a little longer). Brush with melted salted butter while warm. Serve warm.
Serve these rolls with Homemade Strawberry Jam, Honey Butter or Cinnamon Butter.
PRO TIP: BOUNCE BACK?
Touch rolls to see if they bounce back – if they do not, bake a little longer. Brush with melted butter while warm.
Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
- ½ cup + ½ teaspoon sugar, divided
- ¼ cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
- 1 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees F)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- salted butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar with warm water. Let stand until bubbly.
- In a large bowl, mix warm milk, oil, ½ sugar, and salt with a wooden spoon.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the mixture and mix well. Add eggs and mix vigorously until smooth. Add yeast mixture and continue to mix until smooth.
- Add remaining flour to the yeast mixture 1 cup at a time and continue to mix with a wooden spoon until the dough is combined. The dough should be soft and sticky.
- Pour the dough into a large bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down and divide it in half. On a floured surface, roll each piece out into a 12-inch circle. The dough circles should be about ⅜ inch thick.
- Brush both dough circles with melted unsalted butter. Cut each circle with a pizza cutter into 12 pieces (like a pizza). Roll each piece from the rounded edge to the point to make a crescent roll.
- Place rolls on a greased baking sheet with the pointed tips down (we use an 11×16-inch metal pan and do 3 rows across and 8 rows down).
- Cover rolls with a tea towel and let rise until they have doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes, until lightly browned. (Touch rolls to see if they bounce back-if they do not, bake a little longer). Brush with melted salted butter while warm. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Use a stand mixer. You can mix this dough in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; just be careful not to overmix the dough because it will make it tougher and not as soft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
– Be sure the yeast isn’t expired and that it is activated properly.
– Ensure that the proofing environment is warm and moist and give it enough time.
Many yeast bread recipes must be kneaded before shaping. However, this dough doesn’t. Because of how sticky the dough is, kneading in a little flour when rolling and shaping it may be required – so it is easier to work with. However, you won’t knead it like other breads. Adding too much flour, and over kneading this recipe can result in a less fluffy, more dense dough.
Make this recipe in the Kitchen-Aid or stand mixer, with a dough hook attachment. Be careful not to over-mix the dough, because it will make it tougher, and not as soft.
There are a few ways that you can keep dinner rolls warm. My top choices are to place them in a warm crock pot and another is to use a warm bread basket.
During the first rise, the yeast emits gasses that create air bubbles and the rising dough will produce a chewy, light, and flavorful roll. However, as the dough rises the yeast slows down, thus a second rise is recommended. Punch the dough down, shape it, and give the yeast one more chance to create chewy, flavorful, and fluffy dinner rolls.
> Increase the amount of yeast used by 50%. We suggest freezing the rolls right after they are formed. Line them up on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer Ziploc. They are best stored between 4-6 weeks but can last up to 3 months.
> To bake: Line the frozen rolls up on a baking sheet, spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray, and place it oil-side down, over the rolls. They will need several hours to thaw and rise to double in size. Remove the plastic before baking.
To maximize the shelf life of dinner rolls, place them in a freezer bag, or wrap them in foil. Store in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days. Baked rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
These are the same rolls my grandma has made for years…they are so delicious, and always gone way too fast. Makes me want to make a batch now!
Aren’t they the best?! I crave them ALL the time. 🙂
Those rolls to look Heavenly! Pinned!
They are the best!! 🙂
I love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times since I found it on Pinterest. Super easy and delicious. Thank you!!!
Thanks for stopping by, Jenni! Comments like yours make my day. These our definitely our favorite rolls. Always so soft and delicious, especially when they’re fresh from the oven. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you have a great week!
These directions don’t make a lot of sense. It says to divide the dough in two, but only make one circle to cut 12 pieces?
You do that twice… the directions state you put 24 in a pan (3 across and 8 down). 🙂
I am just wondering how you get that perfect crescent shape?!?! Can you post a tutorial? I would love that. My turned out SO good but don’t have that perfect shape like i’d like. Thanks!
Next time I’m with my mom I’ll have to take video – she’s the expert on these rolls. 😉
Once you roll it out into a circle you use a pizza cutter to cut into triangles and then roll the into crescents just like you would if you bought a can of cresent rolls
What’s TB yeast? Is that a specific kind of yeast?
Thanks!
— Dalis
I need to know, too. Is it the packets? (Yeast is what im referring to) please let me know! Thanks.
I believe that means Tablespoon of yeast!
1 Tablespoon of Yeast. 🙂
Fresh or dry yeast? Thanks
It’s the active dry yeast 🙂
Must be your Touch. I have never had my yeast rise like that. I still assume if the yeast is fresh by the date then the water temp must be so important. I’ll keep trying. Happy Easter
Yes, temp is important. It needs to be warm 🙂 Keep trying, you’ll get it!
Table soon
I am making these as I type, well they are awaiting the rise time. I used the kitchen aide mixer so I am hoping they turn out as I read through the comments no one has said if the mixer worked or not. I also used the regular yeast not the rapid yeast as the recipe did not say one way or the other, but I assume if you have to let it rise for a while it would be the regular yeast, so that is what I used. I also only used 3 cups of all purpose flour as again the recipe did not state which type of flour to use and this does make a difference, and since I did not see any baking power/soda I again assumed this to be all purpose flour. I will try and post the outcome when they are finished but that wont be until hours later from now. I do hope they turn out well..they sure smell good so far..anything Yeast has got to be awesome! Thanks for sharing this with all of us!
UPDATE: The rolls turned out wonderful! I used the kitchen aide mixer and wow oh wow these really are heavenly. But I must say…I feel so stuffed like a turkey right now I feel miserable. Hubby said I for sure have to keep on making these…Thanks for the recipe. One tip, depending on your oven you might need to back down that temp to 350 so as to not burn the bottoms. I guess this depends on where you live and how good of an oven you have temp wise that is. 🙂 Enjoy folks, I know I did!
YAY… love that you made them in the mixer and that they were heavenly. They’re definitely our favorite homedmade rolls. 🙂
Did you use your dough hook attachment or the paddle on your Kitchen-Aid mixer?
I always use my dough hook in the kitchen aid!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe. They really are soft and delicious..
I even made some into savoury croissants with chicken and mushroom filling..
They were devoured in minutes!!!
Sounds delicious! Thank you for the idea!