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Dinner Rolls

Dinner Rolls

Published March 23, 2026

Soft, pillowy dinner rolls that are perfect for any meal. These classic homemade rolls are warm, buttery, and sure to become a family favorite.

Serve warm with butter, jam, or honey for best flavor. Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days before serving.

Cook time
45 min
Rating
…

Ingredients

Scale
Measurement units
  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for brushing

Instructions

Bloom the yeast
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm whole milk, warmed (1 cup), active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons), and granulated sugar (3 tablespoons).
Let sit until foamy.
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Mix in wet ingredients
Add the melted unsalted butter, melted (4 tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), and egg to the yeast mixture.
Stir well to combine.
Equipment: large mixing bowl, spoon
Add flour and form dough
Gradually add the all-purpose flour (3 cups), one cup at a time.
Stir until a soft dough forms.
Equipment: large mixing bowl, spoon
Knead the dough
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Equipment: work surface
First rise
Place the dough in a greased bowl.
Cover with a damp towel.
Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Equipment: bowl, towel
Divide the dough
Punch down the dough.
Divide it into 12 equal pieces.
Equipment: work surface
Shape and pan the rolls
Shape each piece into a ball.
Place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, leaving a small space between each roll.
Equipment: baking pan, work surface
Second rise
Cover the pan with a damp towel.
Let the rolls rise until puffy.
Equipment: towel
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Equipment: oven
Bake the rolls
Bake the rolls until golden brown on top.
Equipment: oven
Finish with butter
Remove from the oven.
Brush the tops with melted unsalted butter, for brushing (2 tablespoons) while still warm.
Equipment: pastry brush

Tomorrow's Meal

Savory Bread Pudding or Panzanella Salad

Day-old rolls transform into either a rich savory bread pudding with cheese and herbs, or a rustic Italian-style salad with tomatoes, basil, and olive oil

You'll need to pick up:

EggsMilk or creamCheeseFresh herbsTomatoesBasilOlive oilVinegar

Quick overview:

  1. 1.Cube stale rolls into 1-inch pieces
  2. 2.For bread pudding: whisk eggs with milk, pour over rolls with cheese and herbs, bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until set
  3. 3.For panzanella: toss cubed rolls with fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and vinegar, let sit 15 minutes for flavors to meld

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