"Dinner Roll Recipe. If making your own bread intimidates you, fear not! This recipe for homemade dinner rolls or buttery milk rolls is super easy and very straight forward and in cool shapes"
Soft & Buttery Dinner Rolls
SO far i thought that i have already shared dinner rolls recipe with you all, but i haven't shared a basic recipe yet. I found out this just a few days back and thought of sharing it with you all. Since thanksgiving is around the corner and i have been creating recipes for thanksgiving, so i thought to share this in this perfect timing.
Making bread can be therapeutic at times. Whenever i feel stressed or need a break from usual routine, i will start making some dough. There is something so therapeutic and relaxing in making homemade breads and rolls. I love how the dough gets soft and smooth like a baby's bottom.
It is a great feeling while kneading the dough. Of course you can knead the dough in a stand mixer. But nothing can take over kneading it by hand. So take your time and make it.
About Dinner Rolls Recipe
This classic Soft and Buttery Dinner Rolls recipe is easy to make, full of great buttery flavour, and sooo delicious fresh outta the oven. Different shaped dinner rolls recipe. Learn to make dinner rolls in different shapes. How to make braided dinner rolls.
This recipe is very basic and gives you the best soft dinner rolls ever. It is pretty easy to make and very basic. I will share a post for different shapes of dinner rolls which you can create in another recipe. If you are making rolls or bread dough for the first time. Then make sure you learn how to activate yeast properly.
You will love my Hamburger Rolls, 2 Hour Burger Buns
If you are into sweet stuffs, then check Pecan Sticky Buns or Monkey Bread

What is Yeast?
Yeast is a living microscopic single-cell organism that, as it grows, converts its food (through a process known as fermentation) into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This trait is what endears yeast to winemakers, brewmasters and bread bakers. Baker's yeast, as the name implies, is used as a leavener. It is basically a product which is used in breads and baked goodies to add air into the bread. It makes the dough and rolls rise and gets it fluffy and soft texture.
How to activate dry yeast for baking?
Take yeast in a bowl, add little sugar or any sweetener. Because yeast loves sugar which helps it to activate. Now add warm water. Experts say about 110 degrees but who's checking that? Just use very warm water. If you put your fingers in the water, you wont feel it around your fingers. It has to be blood temperature water.
A small amount of room-temperature or slightly warm water works best. Let it sit for a minute or two and then stir it with a spoon or a fork until the yeast is completely dissolved. Set aide for 5 mins till you see it foamy and bubbly.
Why My Yeast is Not Activating?
There may be three reasons.
1)You have added too cold water. Always use warm water for activating yeast.
2)You have added too hot water. Boiling hot water kills the yeast.
3)Your yeast has expired.
TIP: Always store dry yeast in freezer.
Ingredients for Dinner Rolls
- All Purpose Flour / Maida
- Salt
- Milk
- Butter
- Dry Yeast
- Sugar
Dinner Rolls Recipe Video
How to Make The Softest Dinner Rolls
Pre Preparation
Take all purpose flour, salt in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Activate Yeast
Take butter in a sauce pan, melt it on low heat till it is molten, add in milk and set aside cool. It has to be luke warm. Now add in sugar and sprinkle over yeast and set aside for 5 mins to the yeast activates.
Dinner Rolls Dough
Now once the yeast is activated. Pour this into the dry flour mix and mix well. The dough will be little sticky, but thats okay. Now cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour so the dough doubles in size. Now punch the air out and add more flour and knead for 2 mins.
Shaping Dinner Rolls
Now divide the dough into small balls and arrange it in a greased baking pan and set aside for another 30 to 45 mins.
Baking
During the last 10 mins or proofing time, preheat oven to 200 degree C. Now brush the top with some milk and bake for 20 mins. Remove and serve warm.
📖 Recipe

Buttery Dinner Rolls Recipe | Softest Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Dinner Rolls (without Eggs)
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour (240 grams)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk (300 ml)
- 4 tbsp Butter (melted)
- 1.5 tsp Dry Yeast
- 2 tbsp Sugar
Buttery Dinner Rolls (with Eggs)
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour (maida) (360 grams)
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup Warm Milk (240 ml)
- 4 tbsp Soft Butter
- 2 tsp Salt to taste
- 2¼ tsp Dry Yeast
- 3 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
Dinner Rolls (without Eggs)
- Take all purpose flour, salt in a bowl and mix well, Set aside. Take butter in a sauce pan, melt it on low heat, pour milk into the sauce pan and mix. Dip your fingers in the milk to check the temperature. It has to be luke warm. Now add in sugar and sprinkle over yeast and set aside for 5 mins to the yeast activates.
- Now once the yeast is activated. Pour this into the dry flour mix and mix well. The dough will be little sticky, but thats okay. Knead for 2 mins. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour so the dough doubles in size.
- Now punch the air out and add more flour and knead for 2 mins. Divide the dough into small balls and arrange it in a greased baking pan and set aside for another 30 to 45 mins.
- During the last 10 mins or proofing time, preheat oven to 200 degree C. Now brush the top with some milk and bake for 20 to 25 mins. Remove and serve warm.
Dinner Rolls (with Eggs)
- Take yeast in a bowl, add 1 tsp sugar and warm milk and set aside for 5 mins for the yeast to activate.
- Now in a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, and mix well.
- Now take the yeast mix and add in more sugar, egg and mix well.
- Now add yeast mix into the flour and mix well using a fork.
- Add in soft butter and knead well for 10 mins.
- Now the dough should be very smooth and soft.
- Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it and leave to rise till it is doubled in size. It will take around 2 hours.
- Now divide the dough and shape it as you like. Check images for reference.
- Now place it back in the baking tray and leave aside for 1 hour to rise.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 190 degree c for 10 mins.
- Now take the tray, brush top with egg wash (which is just egg beaten with some milk)
- Now pop this oven and bake for 12 to 15 mins.
- once baked remove and brush top with butter.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- The main step in making perfect rolls is activation of the yeast. Refer the post intro for all the steps.
- Knead the dough really well for soft rolls.
- Leave the dough to rise well for soft rolls.
- Don't over bake the rolls else it will turn hard.
- These rolls can be stored room temperature in a air tight container for 2 days.
- Store in fridge for a week.
Version 1: Dinner Rolls (without Eggs)
Take flour in a bowl |
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add salt |
Version 2: Dinner Rolls (with Eggs)
Pictorial - Dinner Rolls with Eggs
1)Take dry yeast in a jug
2)Add little sugar
3)Add warm milk and set aside for 5 mins
4)Now the yeast is activated
5)Add little more sugar
6)Add egg and mix well
7)take flour in a bowl
8)Add salt
9)Add yeast mix
10)Add butter. the butter has to be soft.
11)now knead this really well so the dough gets soft and smooth
12)Keep kneading for 10 mins
13)The dough gets more elastic and soft
14)Like this
15)Set the dough aside for 2 hours till it doubles in size.
16)Once the dough is risen. punch out the air.
17)Now let's shape. Here i am showing different shapes of how the dough can be shaped.
How to Make Different Shapes in Dinner Rolls
18)Place it in a baking sheet and leave to rise for 1 hour or so
19)Once risen. Brush top with egg wash. Egg wash is nothing but just egg and milk mixed together
20)Brush all over the rolls
21)Bake till done
22)Remove from oven and brush top with butter
23)serve
Frequently Asked Questions.
Can i make bread and buns without oven?
Yes you can. check my recipe for "How to make buns without oven"
Why are my dinner rolls hard?
Here are some of the reasons rolls can come out hard and flat. if your yeast is not activated, then dough wont rise and the bread will be hard. Over baking can make your rolls hard. Also not letting the dough rise enough also makes it hard.
Why are dinner rolls called rolls?
A bread roll is a piece of bread, usually small and round and is usually a side dish. ... These were named depending on how the dough was made and how the roll was cooked.
Can you over knead dough?
If you think you've over-kneaded the dough, try letting it rise a little longer before shaping it.
What happens if I don't knead my dough enough?
If you don't knead your dough enough by hand or if you don't allow it enough time in your mixer, the dough will lack strength. Once baked, an under-kneaded bread loaf will be flat and dense in texture
Why is my bread so heavy and dense?
you did not knead it or leave it to prove for long enough or you could have killed the yeast by leaving the dough to rise in a place that was too hot.
Can you let bread rise too long?
Letting the dough rise for too long makes the structure of the bread weak, so it can't support itself.
What can I eat with dinner rolls?
You can serve it with just soups. You can even serve it with sabzi, kheema, bhurji, omelette or any curries to soak the rolls in.
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If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Anonymous
Looks good...Iam gonna try it
SUMANA ANANTH
Wow!
KIRAN ATIF
Can v make the same dinner rolls without egg in the same recepi ?
Aarthi
yes u can make
Anonymous
Hi
I ve done dinner rolls as per ur receipe.
It didn't come well.
Its not fluffy.
The upper surface is hardened.
Pl. Let me know why?
Thank u in advance.
Parineeti Chopra
Hello Arthi I am make dinner rolls I have one question how much maida I can use 240 gm or 2cup and more mean and it is really fluffy and how can it makes upper crust hard
Maria
I have active yeast so how much should I use?
Aarthi
same quantity
pooja dhaba
Nice recipe.. I must plan this for my office staffs in the coming lunch plan.
hope they will like this.. thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Deepa's Review
The steps given are also easy to use to help me make dinner rolls. I find this recipe different and I will definitely make it at home.
Thanks for sharing the wonderful recipe.
Giftbasketworldwide
Very inspiring post. Thanks for sharing.