From-Scratch Soft and buttery dinner rolls are the perfect cute little bread roll to bring to the table for your next family feast. Simple to make, with a rich yet soft and light texture.

I prefer to make my dinner rolls on the smaller side, especially for a big family meal like thanksgiving, Christmas, or easter. I want them to be small enough so everyone can have a roll and still enjoy the rest of the meal.

Just because they are small, doesn’t mean they are insignificant! These little guys are flavourful, soft, and perfectly soak up any extra gravy left behind on your plate. They make a great left-overs sandwich!

If you are a bread baking beginner, this recipe is a great place to start! These rolls are simple and, pretty much, fool proof. They are sure to impress at your next family meal. There is just something about fresh baked rolls that no store-bought roll could compare to.

Planning Ahead

The nice thing about from-scratch dinner rolls, is that you can make the dough the day before. Form them into rolls and place in your casserole dish 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 dinner rolls and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight, you can take them out and bake them the next day!

Can from scratch dinner roll dough be frozen?

Yes they can! How to freeze 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, leave it out, at room temperature, in a buttered casserole dish. It will take about 5 hours to defrost and double in bulk.

How to make from scratch dinner roll dough

Making dough with a stand mixer -A stand mixer and dough hook attachment, is the simplest way to make from-scratch 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.

How to make dinner roll dough without a stand mixer – 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!

How to make dinner roll dough in 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 splitting and shaping the dinner rolls. Follow the same dinner roll recipe instructions.

Forming rolls

You need to split the dough into equal portions. If you want to be very precise about this you can use a kitchen scale. Eyeballing it will work as well. You do not need to be exact to have this recipe work out. Make sure you do not have any noticeably large and small ones or they will fully baked at different times.

Once you have the dough portioned out, flatten the dough with your palm. Fold it over on itself 5 or 6 times, working around the circumference, until it is in a ball shape. Cup the palm of your hand over top of the dough ball on the counter, roll and tighten it on the counter. Continue with the rest of the dough. Place them evenly spread out in a buttered casserole dish to rise.

Enriched dough

What makes these from-scratch 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 you want in a dinner roll!

How to know when the dinner rolls are done?

They will be 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 degrees F.

Alternative ingredients for from scratch dinner rolls

You can substitute the sugar and make your dinner rolls with honey or even maple syrup.

If you have bread flour you can substitute this for the all purpose flour in the recipe.

The yeast I use in this recipe is dry-active yeast. You can make dinner rolls with instant yeast, and active dry yeast. These are all interchangeable. The amount in the recipe is 2 ¼ teaspoons. This is the amount in one small packet of yeast.

adding yeast and milk to the dry ingredients for dinner roll dough.

Ingredients for From Scratch Dinner Rolls

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ teaspoons dry-active yeast

½ cup warm milk

2 Tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup butter, softened plus more for brushing

Woman kneading dinner roll dough on a floured counter top.

Woman folding and shaping dinner roll dough

Method for from scratch dinner rolls

To the bowl of a stand mixer, (or a large bowl, if making by hand) add the warm milk. Sprinkle the yeast over top. It will be foamy in about 5 minutes.
When the yeast is ready, add the salt, sugar, and flour. Mix slightly.
Add in the beaten egg and butter. Knead to a smooth dough, about 5 minutes. (If doing by hand, once the dough is held together, tip out on a floured counter and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.)
Cover and let rise in a warm place until it has at least double in volume, about 2 hours.
Tip the dough out on the counter and split into 9. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
Shape each portion into a roll, by first flattening it slightly with your palm, and then folding it over onto itself 5 or 6 times, working your way around the circumference. It should now be a rough sphere. With the smooth side up, place your cupped palm over the roll and make little circle motions, tightening it to the counter. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
Place the dough rolls into a greased 8-in square casserole dish. Cover and let rise, in a warm place, for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Bake the rolls 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.
Serve hot, on the side of your favourite meal!