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Close up image of a basket of freshly baked soft dinner rolls.
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4.86 stars (7 ratings)

Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls

These homemade dinner rolls are so fluffy & pillowy soft! Easy to make with pantry staples. Make them the night before & have warm, fresh bread with dinner.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner roll recipe, dinner rolls, easy dinner rolls, homemade dinner rolls
Servings: 24 rolls
Calories: 140kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk (I used 1%), warm but not hot
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, warm but not hot
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (half a stick), melted, plus extra for brushing
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 ounce dry active yeast* (1 packet)
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you may need slightly more or less flour)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 eggs (large)

Instructions

  • Lightly mist a sheet of parchment with non-stick spray, and place it on a 10x15-inch baking sheet or in a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  • Stir the milk, cream, melted butter, and sugar together in a small bowl, then sprinkle the yeast over the surface and set aside for 5-10 minutes to dissolve.
  • Place 2 cups of the flour and the salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Add the milk/yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and stir together until combined.
  • Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes, then stir in the eggs.
  • Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. (You may need more or less flour depending on the humidity. Use as much or as little is needed in order to achieve the proper consistency.)
  • Divide the dough into 24 equal portions (about 1 3/4 ounce each, roughly), and roll each one into a tight ball.
  • Place the balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet, and cover with greased plastic wrap.**
  • Allow the unbaked rolls to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until nearly doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and bake the rolls for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the dinner rolls are puffy.
  • Brush with melted butter and serve warm.

Notes

*Instant yeast may be substituted.  Rise time may need to be reduced by 10 to 15 minutes.  You'll know your dough is done rising when it has doubled in volume.
**For overnight dinner rolls, chill the shaped rolls (covered) in the refrigerator.  About 2 1/2 hours before serving, remove them from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature, then rise for about an hour, before baking.
This recipe was adapted from The Washington Post's Pillowy Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg