Big Batch Pull Apart Dinner Rolls

These butter soft individual pull-apart dinner rolls are packed with flavour. These are the classic pillowy soft dinner rolls of your dreams! The pull part layers are feathery light and brushed with melty butter or garlic butter for the perfect dinner roll worthy of any special occasion meal!

This recipe for pull apart dinner rolls is perfect for a family or friend get together because it makes about 36 dinner rolls.

The rolls are baked in muffin tins to hold their shape, and makes them the perfect size for everyone to have at lease one pull apart dinner roll.

Can I make pull apart dinner rolls dough in advance?

Pull apart dinner roll dough can be made the day before. Roll them out, butter, stack, and cut into portions. Place them in their muffin tins to have their final rise in the refrigerator. The cold temperature slows down the time needed for the bread to rise.

You may only need an hour or two for them to double in size at room temperature. If you make your pull apart dinner rolls, and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight, you can take them out and bake them the next day!

Can I freeze the dough for future use?

Yes you can!

To freeze pull apart dinner roll dough– Freeze the dough after you have shaped the dinner rolls but before the final rise. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for a few hours.

Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag. Leave in the freezer until you need them. When you are ready to use the dough, place each roll in muffin tins. Leave it out, at room temperature.

It will take about 5 hours to defrost and double in bulk, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Methods to make the dough

Pull apart dinner rolls with a stand mixer -A stand mixer and dough hook attachment, is the simplest way to make this big batch pull apart dinner rolls. Add the ingredients in the order listed. Using the dough hook attachment, turn it on the lowest setting and let the mixer do the work of kneading it to a smooth dough. It should take between 5-8 minutes.

Pull apart dinner rolls by hand – You can make these by hand, with just a bowl and some arm muscle!

Mix all of the ingredients, in the order listed, in the bowl. When it comes together, tip the dough out onto the counter and knead for about 8-10 minutes.

I knead my dough by folding it over on itself, then pressing down and away from myself, with the heal of my hand. Rotate the dough, fold and press again. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic.

This may be a little bit more work on your part, but no special equipment is required!

Pull apart dinner rolls using a bread machine – Place the ingredients in the pan of your bread machine and turn it onto the dough setting. When the cycle is done, you will be at the step of rolling out the dough. Follow the same big batch pull apart dinner roll recipe instructions after that.

What is enriched dough?

What makes these big batch pull apart dinner rolls different? They are made with an enriched dough. This makes bread soft and pillowy!

If you think of a French baguette, it is made with water, flour, yeast, and salt. This is not an enriched dough. There is no added fat. It is a tough, crusty, chewy bread. Which is perfect for a baguette!

An enriched dough, like in this recipe, is made with milk, eggs, and butter added in. These added fats make a soft, tender, pillowy bread. Which is what we want in a pull apart dinner roll!

How to form the pull apart dinner rolls

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-in. thick. Cut the dough into 12 strips. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter. Stack the strips on top of each other in groups of 4 and then cut each strip into individual portions. Place each portion into muffin cups. Make sure not to cut them to big and over fill the muffin cups, as they will still need to rise before baking.

How to check for doneness

You know your pull apart dinner rolls are done when they are golden brown on the top. When you tap on the top, they will sound light and hollow. The internal temperature should be between 190-210 °F (90-100 °C).

Big Batch Pull Apart Dinner Rolls

1 ½ cups warm milk 375 ml

¼ cup sugar 50 g

2 teaspoons salt 10 ml

¼ cup butter 60 g

½ cup warm water 125 ml

2 ¼ teaspoons dry-active yeast 1 packet, 7 g

1 egg

5 ½ cups all-purpose flour 825 g

To brush between the dough layers

1/3 cup melted butter 80 ml

For garlic pull apart buns

1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional) 5 ml

½ teaspoon salt (optional) 2 ml

1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional) 5 ml

Method

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if kneading the dough by hand, stir the warm water, warm milk, and sugar.
2. Sprinkle on top the dry-active yeast. Set aside to become foamy, (about 5 minutes).
3. Mix in the salt, butter, egg and flour.
4. Knead the dough until smooth, elastic, and cleans the side of the bowl. (About 8 minutes in a machine or 10 minutes if kneading the dough by hand.)
5. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
6. Tip the dough onto a floured counter. Flatten it slightly. Then, fold it over on itself, all the way around the circumference. Tighten it to the counter. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.

7. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle about ½-in. thick.

8.Brush the melted butter evenly on top. If making garlic buns mix the garlic, salt, and parsley into the melted butter, then brush on top of the dough.

9. Cut into 12 equal strips

To Form Pull-apart dinner rolls

10.Stack 4 strips on top of each other, then cut about a 1½-2 inch (4-5 cm) section.

11. Place each portion into muffin tins.

12. Cover and let rise, in a warm spot, 30 minutes, or until almost doubled.

13.Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C).

14. Bake the rolls 18-20 minutes, or until golden.

15. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with the remaining butter (or garlic butter).

16.Serve warm

Looking for more big family meal ideas? Try one of these! Epic Holiday Turkey Family Favourite Mashed Potato Casserole, From-Scratch Herb Stuffing Bread, plus stuffing recipe, Homemade Ruby Red Cranberry Sauce

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