Soft Dinner Rolls

A basket of warm rolls makes any holiday dinner feel complete. These are the soft, pull-apart kind: lightly sweet, golden on top and brushed with melted butter the moment they come out of the oven. The dough is a simple one made with milk, butter, an egg and ordinary all-purpose flour.

If you have never baked with yeast, this is a friendly place to start. Most of the time is hands-off rising, and the rolls can be shaped the night before and kept in the refrigerator. Use them to mop up the gravy from our Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy, or split the leftovers for sandwiches with Cranberry-Orange Sauce.

Soft Dinner Rolls

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Pillowy, golden pull-apart dinner rolls brushed with melted butter straight from the oven. A simple yeast dough made with pantry staples, and easy to shape the night before for a stress-free holiday.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Rising Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Servings: 15 rolls

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup whole milk warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus up to 1/4 cup more as needed
• 2 tablespoons butter melted, for brushing

Method

 

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let it stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
2. Add the remaining sugar, the egg, softened butter, salt and 1 cup of the flour. Mix until combined. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and mix until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is very sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes, or for 5 to 6 minutes with a dough hook, until smooth and elastic. It should feel soft and slightly tacky.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Punch down the dough and divide it into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange them in the pan in 3 rows of 5. Cover and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and touching.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.
7. Brush the hot rolls with the melted butter. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Herb and salt finish: for a savory finish, stir 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme into the melted butter before brushing, then sprinkle the rolls with a pinch of flaky salt.

Make ahead: shape the rolls, cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight, up to 16 hours. Let them stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until puffy, then bake as directed.

To freeze: cool the baked rolls completely and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Active dry yeast: use the same amount; the rises will take a little longer.

To make them vegan: use unsweetened plant-based milk and vegan butter, and replace the egg with 3 extra tablespoons of milk.

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