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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.
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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.
Absolutely approved!!!! I just tried the recipe, it’s delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
Yay!! Thank you so much for giving them a try! I love hearing that they were a hit!
Thanks for sharing the recipe..God Bless…
Oh, thank you and you’re welcome! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do 🙂
Wow sure is beautiful and looking great will be doing some cooking here I’ve been writing them out into a home made recipe Book for my Grandaughter, excellent recipes easy to make and tasty family will love them. Thank You
She’ll love it!! Thanks so much!!
i know i sound stupid asking this Q but im a beginner.. forgive me.. 🙁 but what kind of flour did you use? all purpose flour or the bread flour?
Not a stupid question at all! I just used all-purpose flour. Good luck!! Thank you 🙂
Please help , will this work with almond flower?
I have never used almond flour, so honestly not sure? If you have used it before in bread, then it should be ok? I’m sorry, I’m not much help..I need to try using almond flour.
Great recipe! I threw all the ingredients into the bread maker — wet ingredients first and using 5 cups of flour — and the dough turned out perfectly!
Yay 🙂 Thank you for trying it and I’m so glad it turned out perfectly!
I’ve been trying out roll recipes for the past few months in search of the perfect recipe, and these rolls are the BEST!!! I recently made these rolls for a couple of pot luck dinners and many people commented how good they were. A couple of people even told me they were the best rolls they had in their life (and they were older folks.)
Yay!!! Aren’t they the best?! Thank you so much for sharing and for giving the recipe a try! 🙂
Think I’ll try using this recipe to make some garlic cheese rolls by adding garlic, herbs & shredded cheese after I brush on the butter before I cut & roll them
That sounds wonderful!! Thanks for sharing and I hope you like them!
Could you put dice bacon anf cheese then roll them then cook will it work ?. Ty
That sounds good too
I haven’t tried! I don’t see why not 🙂 Let me know if you try, I’d love to know! Thank you!
Hi! I made your heavenly rolls, they were great. Thank you so much for the recipe they are easy too.
I’m so glad you liked them!! Thank you for letting me know!