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American

Homemade Dinner Rolls

Soft yeast rolls baked together in one pan so the sides stay tender and the tops brown. Plan on about 90 minutes of rising before they go in the oven.

Prep
25 min
Cook
18 min
Total
43 min
Servings
12
Difficulty
Medium
Jump to recipe
Pan of golden homemade dinner rolls pulled slightly apart

Why you’ll love it

  • The milk has to be warm, not hot, or the yeast dies.
  • Rising twice is what makes them light.
  • Pull them when the center of a roll reads about 190°F.
  • A brush of butter at the end is the soft top people want.

Ingredients

Servings12

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Stir the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Wait 5 minutes. It should foam. If it does not, start over. Water or milk above about 120°F kills yeast.

  2. 2

    Mix in the egg, 4 tbsp melted butter, and salt. Stir in the flour until a soft dough forms. Knead about 6 minutes, until smooth.

  3. 3

    Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.

  4. 4

    Divide into 12 balls. Set them in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan, just touching. Cover and rise until puffy, about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375°F.

  5. 5

    Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the center of a roll reads about 190°F.

  6. 6

    Brush with the remaining melted butter. Cool 10 minutes, then pull them apart.

Pro tips

  • If the kitchen is cold, the rise will take longer. Go by size, not the clock.
  • Do not add extra flour unless the dough is sticky enough to coat your hands.
  • They freeze well the day they are baked.

Easy substitutions

milk
warm water plus 1 tbsp extra butter
all-purpose flour
bread flour for a chewier roll

Storage and reheating

Storage

Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Freeze up to 1 month.

Reheating

Warm covered at 300°F for about 10 minutes. A damp towel over the pan keeps the tops from drying.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
180
Protein
5 g
Carbs
28 g
Fat
5 g
Fiber
1 g

Budget friendly · Oven

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients