Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe (Soft, Fluffy and Buttery)

Buttery homemade dinner rolls in a baking tray.

5 from 2 votes

Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe (Soft, Fluffy and Buttery)

These Homemade Dinner Rolls are fluffy, buttery and soft. Need I say more? They may be called dinner rolls, but they can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and even as a snack. Whether you're prepping for a holiday feast or just want to level up your weeknight dinner, these rolls are the way to go.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Rise Time2 30

Total Time3 5

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Rolls

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $5

Equipment

9x13 Baking pan or large rimmed baking sheet - Affiliate Link

Ingredients

Base Dough

3 cup All purpose flour - 450 grams
2¼ tsp Instant yeast - 7 grams or 1 packet
1 tbsp Sugar - 12 grams
1½ tsp Kosher salt - 8 grams
1 cup Lukewarm whole milk - 240 ml
4 tbsp Melted unsalted butter - 56 grams
1 Large egg

Topping

Melted Butter
Flaky salt

Instructions

Add Dry Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 cup All purpose flour, 2¼ tsp Instant yeast, 1 tbsp Sugar, and 1½ tsp Kosher salt. Mix to combine. You can also knead by hand using a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon.
Mix Wet Ingredients. In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup Lukewarm whole milk, 4 tbsp Melted unsalted butter, and 1 Large egg.
Knead. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and knead using the dough hook on medium-low speed until a soft dough ball forms, about 7-9 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, increase to medium speed. The dough should pull away from a loose ball. Try not to add more flour unless you must.
First Rise. Using your hands, gently form a tight smooth ball with the dough and drop it back into the mixer bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Divide. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces using a knife or bench scraper. Use a scale for precision; each piece should weigh about 67-70g.
Roll. Roll each piece into a tight ball by cupping your hand over the dough and moving it in a circular motion on the countertop. Only lightly flour the work surface if you need it.
Arrange. Place the dough balls, seam side down, into a buttered baking pan. The dough balls shouldn’t be touching. Leave about ¾ to 1 inch of space between the buns. The space will fill out as the buns proof.
Second Rise. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 1.5 hours, until puffy.
Bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). The rolls should now have risen and filled the baking tray. Bake the buns for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown. They will seem overbaked at first, and hard to the touch, but don’t worry, they will soften when you brush them with butter.
Brush Butter. Brush the hot rolls with Melted Butter and sprinkle with Flaky salt if desired. Enjoy while still warm.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step by step recipe photos, tips and advice.

Key Ingredient Notes:

- Flour: I use all purpose flour most of the time. Bread flour can also be used for a chewier texture. You can also substitute in some whole wheat flour if you prefer.

- Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast. It can be mixed into the dry ingredients without pre-blooming in liquid. It helps the dough rise quickly and efficiently. Active dry yeast can be used of course, but you will have to bloom it the milk. To do that, warm up the milk slightly, add the dry active yeast to it along with the sugar, stir to combine and set aside.

- Milk: Adds richness and tenderness. Use whole milk or 2%. If you are using instant yeast, you don’t need to use warm milk. You could use water instead of the milk, but the rolls won’t be as rich.

Other Tips:

Weigh Everything. Using a kitchen scale ensures consistency in ingredient amounts and perfectly uniform dough balls.
Don’t skip the second rise. It’s key to these fluffy buns. Dough should be puffy and marshmallow-like when ready.

Nutrition