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Dinner Rolls Recipe

Easy Soft Dinner Rolls

These soft dinner rolls are incredibly fluffy and buttery with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. Made with just 7 simple ingredients, these homemade rolls are perfect for any meal and can be prepared ahead of time. The rich dough creates bakery-quality results that will impress your family and guests.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 16 rolls
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole milk warmed to 110°F
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 standard packet
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
Optional Topping
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer or Large Mixing Bowl
  • 9x13-inch baking pan
  • Kitchen Towel or Plastic Wrap
  • Pastry brush
  • Bench scraper (optional)

Method
 

  1. Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix ingredients: Add remaining sugar, egg, softened butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then add remaining flour and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until dough pulls away from bowl sides.
  3. Knead the dough: Continue beating with mixer for 5 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.
  4. First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
  5. Shape the rolls: Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Punch down risen dough and divide into 14-16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange in the prepared pan.
  6. Second rise: Cover shaped rolls and let rise for about 1 hour until puffy and nearly doubled.
  7. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top, rotating pan halfway through. For optional topping, mix melted butter and honey, then brush over warm rolls.

Notes

Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Make-ahead: Shape rolls and refrigerate overnight, then let rise 1-2 hours before baking.
Freezing: Freeze shaped unbaked rolls up to 3 months. Thaw and rise 4-5 hours before baking.
Tips: Use fresh yeast, measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling, and don't over-flour the dough.