Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Our Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls are made with just six simple ingredients and yield a perfectly golden crust and tender interior. These are easy to prepare and make a delicious accompaniment to any meal.
Mom’s Dinner Rolls
This dinner roll recipe is from my beautiful mother and can be found at Norma Jean’s Kitchen (the menu of recipes that were handed down from her). I had to cut the recipe in half (40 rolls to 20!) because I’m pretty sure the average person doesn’t make that many dinner rolls at one time.
Mom was from a family of 14 children so she learned to cook large batches at a young age. She was also that lady that made extra bread and rolls on baking day and delivered to the priests and nuns (and other neighbors) who lived across the street from them. (I was often the delivery girl!)
Mom made her bread fresh the morning of our family gatherings. She would get up at the crack of dawn to get her dough started and by the time we got out of bed, she was pulling bread out of the oven and putting more in. Waking up to the smell of fresh bread is a pretty amazing memory.
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE INGREDIENTS – You’ll need just six simple ingredients to make this soft and fluffy roll recipe. Mom used powdered milk instead of milk (3T with 2 cups water) but it should result in the same overall taste.
- SOFT AND FLUFFY – These delicious rolls are incredibly soft and fluffy. They literally melt in your mouth!
- PERFECT SIDE FOR HOLIDAY DINNERS – I rotate between making this dinner roll recipe and my Brioche Dinner Rolls for holiday dinners. Both are delicious!
- MAKES GREAT SANDWICHES – We love the leftover rolls for sandwiches, especially leftover Smoked Spatchcock Turkey or leftover ham.
What You’ll Need:
Just six simple ingredients plus a few pats of butter for the brushing on the tops of the baked rolls.
- Yeast – We use active dry yeast. If using instant yeast, you won’t need to activate the yeast with warm liquid.
- Granulated Sugar
- Milk – We use 1 or 2% milk.
- Canola Oil
- Kosher Salt
- All-Purpose Flour
How to make Homemade Dinner Rolls:
Step 1
Activate yeast. In large standing mixer, combine the yeast and sugar. Add warm milk (warmed to 100-110 degrees F) and stir with a spatula. Let the yeast mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to get the yeast working. Add canola oil and stir again.
NOTE: The yeast should activate very quickly if you warm the milk to the correct temperature.
Step 2
Add salt and flour. Add kosher salt. Then gradually add 5-6 cups (we normally need just under 5.5 cups) of flour until you get just the right consistency. The dough will pull away from the sides of the mixer when it is close to being ready. You want the dough to be soft but not too sticky.
Once you have enough flour added, let the mixer run for another five minutes.
Step 3
Add dough to a bowl. Grease a large bowl with canola oil and transfer dough to the bowl. Punch the dough down into a nice smooth ball. Place smooth side up in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm corner of your kitchen.
Step 4
Let dough rise. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This could take anywhere from 30 minutes up to more than an hour (depending on many factors including climate, season, and temperature of your home).
Step 5
Shape rolls. Use a knife to divide dough in half. Then divide each half into 10 equal sized pieces. Shape each into a round disk-like shape, using your hands to bring the outsides into the middle.
Step 6
Place dough in pans. Add baking spray to two round baking pans. Place ten rolls into each pan, smooth side up. Then press the rolls down gently with your hands.
Step 7
Let rise again. Cover rolls with the clean towel and let rise again, about 30 minutes. Be careful to avoid letting the dough rise too much or air pockets will form on the top.
Step 8
Bake rolls. Bake rolls in a 350-degree oven for approximately 22-25 minutes. You will know they are done when they are golden brown on top and lightly brown on the bottom. Brush the tops of the rolls with butter. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt.
Step 9
Cool. Transfer rolls to a wire cooling rack to cool.
Storing and Freezing
- Store dinner rolls in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the rolls. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to three months.
Tips for making the BEST dinner rolls:
- Use warm milk to activate the yeast. The milk should register between 100-110 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- The dough should be slightly sticky when ready. Over time, you will learn exactly how much flour is needed to make the ultimate dinner rolls.
- This recipe makes approximately 20 dinner rolls. You can make them larger or even smaller, if desired. You can also bake them in different sized pans.
- To get the beautiful shine on top, brush some butter on the top of the dinner rolls after baking. Then sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.
Recipe FAQs:
All-purpose flour is typically the best choice for dinner rolls because it has the right balance of protein to make the rolls soft and fluffy without becoming too dense. If you want chewier rolls, bread flour can be used, but it may make them slightly less soft.
Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes by hand or 5-6 minutes using a stand mixer with a dough hook. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, but not sticky.
After the dough rises, it should double in size. A simple test is to press your finger into the dough. If the indentation remains and doesn’t spring back, the dough has risen sufficiently.
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time and let it rise overnight in the fridge. The cold temperature will slow down the rise. Bring the dough to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Other Rolls/Bread Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast – I use Red Star
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups warm milk – warmed to 100-110 degrees F
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5-6 cups all-purpose flour
- butter and salt – for topping
Instructions
- Activate yeast. In large standing mixer, combine the yeast and sugar. Add warm milk (warmed to 100-110 degrees F) and stir with a spatula. Let the yeast mixture sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working. Add canola oil and stir again.
- Add salt and flour. Add kosher salt. Then gradually add 5-6 cups of flour until you get just the right consistency. The dough will pull away from the sides of the mixer when it is close to being ready. You want the dough to be soft but not too sticky. Once you have enough flour added, let the mixer run for another five minutes.
- Add dough to a bowl. Grease a large bowl with canola oil and transfer dough to the bowl. Punch the dough down into a nice smooth ball. Place smooth side up in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm corner of your kitchen.
- Let dough rise. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This could take anywhere from 30 minutes up to more than an hour (depending on many factors).
- Shape rolls. Use a knife to divide dough in half. Then divide each half into 10 equal sized pieces. Shape each into a round disk-like shape, using your hands to bring the outsides into the middle.
- Place dough in pans. Add baking spray to two round baking pans. Place ten rolls into each pan, smooth side up. Then press the rolls down gently with your hands.
- Let rise again. Cover rolls with the clean towel and let rise again, about 30 minutes. Be careful to avoid letting the dough rise too much or air pockets will form on the top.
- Bake rolls. Bake rolls in a 350-degree oven for approximately 22-25 minutes. You will know they are done when they are golden brown on top and lightly brown on the bottom. Brush the tops of the rolls with butter. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt.
- Cool. Transfer rolls to a wire cooling rack to cool.
Notes
- See blog post for step-by-step directions and photos plus recipe tips and FAQs.
- Store dinner rolls in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the rolls. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to three months.
Hi could I use liquid milk instead, I don’t buy powdered milk. If yes how much Milk ?
Use about two cups of warm milk.
Sue
I’d like to try making my own bread. What recipe is the easiest for a novice bread maker?
Hi Laura. You should try my mom’s Chewy French Bread first. It has only five ingredients, and is a mainstay in our family. I’m making it right now, in honor of Mom.
Norma Jean set the standard with these and only 6 ingredients! So simple I might even try this if allowed! Oh, and Norma Jean made a lot of noise when the tools were ready. She wanted them eaten fresh! ❤️