Soft & Fluffy Homemade Dinner Rolls
Prepare this recipe in the afternoon and be ready to pull a steamy pan of soft & fluffy homemade dinner rolls from the oven and have their golden, buttery aroma fill your house. Whether you’re gathering around the table for Sunday supper, holiday meals, or simply wanting to make an ordinary weeknight feel special, these soft and fluffy dinner rolls are the perfect addition.
The best part? This recipe uses instant yeast, making the process simpler and quicker without sacrificing that classic homemade taste.
A Tale of Twos Yeasts: Instant vs Active Dry
When it comes to baking bread, you can use “commercial” yeast (the yeast sold in stores) or sourdough yeast (the yeast caught from the air and fed as a “starter”). This bread recipe uses commercial yeast, specifically INSTANT yeast.
Active Dry Yeast: Active Dry Yeast has larger granules that are coated with a protective layer. This layer needs to be dissolved in warm liquid as part of the recipe (blooming). The rise time is slower than instant (but faster than sourdough) and allows for bread flavor to develop over a longer period of time.
Instant Yeast: Instant yeast has smaller granules and can be mixed directly into dry ingredients without proofing. It also has a faster rise time. When you want good bread, fast, using instant yeast is your best bet.
The Ingredients
Warm Water: Warm water (110-115 degrees F) allows the instant yeast to activate.
Milk: Warm milk enriches the dough and activates the yeast. Use milk that is 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Honey: Naturally sweetens the rolls.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the dough.
Salt: Enhances the flavor.
Neutral Oil: I recommend avocado oil, but canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil can be used too.
Instant Yeast: Commercial instant yeast is what gives these rolls a quick rise. Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Instant Yeast is a reputable brand and is available in most grocery stores.
All Purpose Flour: All purpose flour gives these rolls their fluffy texture. Using bread flour will lead to denser, chewier rolls.
Salted Butter: Use melted, salted butter to brush on the tops of the rolls after baking.
The Equipment
Mixing cups and spoons
Small bowl (to warm milk and melt butter)
Medium to large bowl (for mixing ingredients together)
Spatula or Danish Whisk (for mixing dough)
Bench Scraper (helpful to clean countertop from kneading)
Plastic wrap or tea towel (for covering dough)
Baking dish (9X13″)
Parchment paper (optional)
Basting brush (for brushing butter on tops of rolls)
How To Make Soft & Fluffy Homemade Dinner Rolls
Prepare the dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, warm milk, honey, sugar, salt, oil, and instant yeast and mix until combined.
Add four cups of the all purpose flour to the mixture and mix with a spoon, spatula, or Danish whisk. Gradually add ½ cup of flour at a time until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch.
Knead the dough:
Knead by hand for 8- 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary (you will need to add flour), until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticky to the touch. Make sure to knead thoroughly. You cannot over-knead dough by hand. This is key for fluffy rolls. *TIP: You can also knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes.
First rise:
Grease a bowl or straight sided container with oil or a baking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size (45 minutes-1.5 hours).
Line a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper (or grease with baking spray).
Shape the rolls:
Punch down the dough and divide the dough into 15 equally sized pieces (about 96 grams each). Tip: Using a kitchen scale to weigh the dough allows for equally sized rolls.
Shape each piece of dough by making a circle with your thumb and index finger. Push the dough through the circle to “puff” the dough. Pinch the bottom and place on the baking sheet.
Second rise:
Place the 9 x 13 inch baking dish in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise for another 45 minutes to 1.5 hours until the rolls rise to the height of the dish.
Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180°C). Bake the rolls for 24-28 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches (190°F) (88°C). Brush the melted butter over the tops of the rolls. Allow rolls to cool slightly before serving.
Once cool, store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Soft & Fluffy Homemade Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Baking dish, 9×13 inches
- 1 Nonstick spray or parchment paper
- 1 Digital Scale, optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup (237g) warm water, 110-115 degrees
- 1 cup (244g) warm milk, 110-115 degrees
- ¼ cup (85g) honey
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon (1 packet) instant yeast, (not active dry, *see notes)
- 4-5 ½ cups (500g-688g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup salted butter, for brushing the tops of the rolls
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, warm milk, honey, sugar, salt, oil, and instant yeast and mix until combined.
- Add four cups of the all purpose flour to the mixture and mix with either a spoon, spatula, or Danish whisk. Gradually add ½ cup of flour at a time until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky to the touch.
- Knead the dough: Knead by hand for 8-10 minutes, adding flour as necessary (you will need to add flour), until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not sticky to the touch. Make sure to knead thoroughly. You cannot over-knead dough by hand. This is key for fluffy rolls. *TIP: You can also knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes.
- First Rise: Grease a bowl or straight sided container with oil or a baking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size (45 minutes-1.5 hours).
- Prepare the dish: Line a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper (or grease with baking spray).
- Shape the Rolls: Punch down the dough and divide the dough into 15 equally sized pieces (about 96 grams each). Tip: Using a kitchen scale to weigh the dough allows for equally sized rolls.
- Shape each piece of dough by making a circle with your thumb and index finger. Push the dough through the circle to “puff” the dough. Pinch the bottom and place on the baking sheet.
- Second Rise: Place the 9×13 inch baking dish in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise for another 45 minutes to 1.5 hours until the rolls rise to the height of the dish.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the rolls for 24-28 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Brush the melted butter over the tops of the rolls. Allow rolls to cool slightly before serving.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This recipe uses instant yeast in order to allow for a fast rise time. If you want to use active dry yeast, follow the first step and allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes. Then continue following the recipe, allowing for more time for the dough to proof (1 hour-1.5 hours for each rise).
- Use a straight sided (Cambro) container to accurately tell when your dough has doubled in size.
- For evenly sized rolls, weigh your dough (in grams) after the second rise on a kitchen scale and divide by 15. This will let you know how big each roll needs to be.
