Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls

Close up image of a basket of freshly baked soft dinner rolls.

4.84 stars (6 ratings)

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 Time45

Cook Time20

Resting Time2 20

Total Time3 25

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dinner roll recipe, dinner rolls, easy dinner rolls, homemade dinner rolls

Servings: rolls

Calories: 139kcal

Ingredients

1 cup milk (I used 1%), warm but not hot
½ cup heavy cream warm but not hot
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (half a stick), melted, plus extra for brushing
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ ounce active dry yeast* (1 packet)
4 ½ cups bread flour** (you may need slightly more or less flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs (large)

US Customary - Metric

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.
Place half the flour in a large bowl, sprinkle the salt around the edge, and make a well in the center.
Add the milk, cream, melted butter, sugar, and yeast to the well.
Stir together, then cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Stir in the eggs until combined.
Stir in more flour (a little at a time) until the dough 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.)
Knead for 10 minutes, then cover, and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled (approx. 1 hour).
Uncover, punch the dough down, then divide into 24 equal portions (about 1 ¾ ounce each, roughly), roll each into a tight ball, and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Mist a sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick spray and lightly cover the unbaked rolls.***
Allow them to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled (approx. 1 hour).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and bake the rolls until the tops are golden brown and the dinner rolls are puffy (approx. 18 to 22 minutes).
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.

**All-purpose flour will work in a pinch.

***For overnight dinner rolls, chill the shaped rolls (covered) in the refrigerator. About 2 ½ 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