Dinner Rolls are the perfect baking project for beginner bread bakers. They are easy, quick, and honestly pretty hard to mess up. These Pull Apart Dinner Rolls come together in about two hours from start to finish, so they're perfect for those of us who don't always plan ahead.
This Dinner Roll recipe is super versatile, and can also be used for a white sandwich loaf, burger buns, or even cinnamon rolls. A great recipe to keep in your back pocket.
How are these Dinner Rolls so soft and fluffy?
These Dinner Rolls are incredibly delicious because we are using sugar, eggs, and butter to enrich the dough. These additions make the Rolls super soft and fluffy and slightly rich with a hint of sweetness that goes well with sweet or savory foods.
What makes a Pull Apart Dinner Roll?
There is nothing better than a soft-sided Pull Apart Dinner Roll. To achieve this, all you need to do is place the dough balls close together in the baking dish, so they connect by the sides as they rise and bake. That way the finished buns will be nicely squished so you can pull them apart.
If you don't want pull-apart rolls, just place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart from each other in a larger baking dish, so they stay separate when they rise and bake.
What is enriched dough?
Enriched dough is made with added fat, sugar, and sometimes eggs. These ingredients give the dough a softer texture, richer flavor, and a slightly sweet taste. The fat helps to tenderize the dough and create a more squishy and soft final product. The sugar adds sweetness and helps to feed the yeast, supporting the fermentation and providing a better rise. Eggs also add to the richness and tenderness of the dough.
What you need to make Dinner Rolls
Equipment:
- A bowl or a stand mixer
- A 9x13 baking dish or brownie tin
- A digital scale. Optional, but helpful!
Ingredients:
- Milk: Any type will do. Cow, soy, almond, etc.
- Soft butter: Or non-dairy spread
- Egg: This adds richness to the dough
- Yeast: Instant or dry active, to help these babies rise
- Sugar: For a hint of sweetness
- All-purpose flour: For structure
- Salt: For flavor
How to make the Dinner Rolls
To make the dough
- Warm the milk in a small measuring jug in the microwave, then add the yeast, sugar, and egg, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the milky yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and salt, and mix using the dough hook attachment until it forms a dough. You can also do this by hand.
- Once the dough is formed, knead the dough until smooth. In a stand mixer, this usually takes 3-4 minutes. by hand, it might be more like 5-8.
- Place the kneaded dough on the counter and cover it with the upside-down bowl. Allow the dough to rise for 30-45 minutes.
Shaping the Dinner Rolls
- Split the dough into 40-gram balls. You should end up with 15 dough balls.
- Shape the dough balls by cupping your hand over the top, then move your hand in a circular motion while using your thumb and fingers to create a uniform ball. It’s easiest to do this on an un-floured surface because the grippy surface of the counter helps the ball form.
- Line a 9x13 dish with parchment paper, then place the dough balls in the tin, evenly spaced. If baking them right away, cover them with a tea towel and allow them to double in size. This should take about an hour.
Baking the Dinner Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Brush the proofed dough balls with a bit of egg wash (a beaten egg whisked with a splash of milk) and bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be nicely golden brown when they’re done.
How to serve Dinner Rolls
Dinner rolls are great when served warm in a cloth-lined basket alongside a big holiday dinner spread. But it doesn’t end there! They are also the perfect vehicle for your morning-after turkey sandwich (taken to the next level with a side of hot gravy for dipping!) These Rolls are also great for any sandwich or mini burger.
Dinner roll variations
Burger buns
To turn these Dinner Rolls into burger buns, follow all of the same steps, but roll them into 100-gram balls instead of 40-gram balls. You should get 6 burger buns.
Sandwich bread
Instead of dividing the dough into balls, leave it in one piece and bake it in a loaf tin. You may need to allow for a bit more rising time depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Cinnamon rolls
I use this exact dinner roll dough recipe to make my Easy, Gooey Cinnamon Rolls! Check out that recipe here.
I hope this dinner roll recipe becomes a staple for you like it has for me! Let me know how they turn out!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but using all whole wheat flour will change the results a lot. I recommend using a 60/40 ratio of white to whole wheat flour at most. If a 100% whole wheat dinner roll is what you're after, try this recipe from An Oregon Cottage.
Sure! You can make the dough and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. This not only makes the process more convenient but also enhances the flavor of the rolls.
No problem! You can mix and knead the dough by hand. It might take a bit longer, around 7-8 minutes of kneading, to get a smooth dough.
The best way to check that your dinner rolls are fully baked is to use an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 200°F when they are done.
Yes, you can freeze the dinner rolls. Let them cool completely, then place them in a well-sealed bag or airtight container. They can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Looking for more easy baking recipes?
Try these next:
Easy Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl or stand mixer
- 1 baking tin or dish 9x13"
- 1 digital scale optional
Ingredients
- 150 ml milk warm, Non-dairy milk works too.
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- 2 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 50 g butter soft
- 1 tsp salt
- 325 g flour all-purpose
Instructions
To make the dough
- Warm the milk in a small measuring jug in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, then add the yeast, sugar, and egg, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the milky yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and salt, and mix using the dough hook attachment until it forms a dough. You can also do this by hand.
- Once the dough is formed, knead the dough until smooth. In a stand mixer, this usually takes 3-4 minutes. by hand, it might be more like 5-8.
- Place the kneaded dough on the counter and cover it with the upside-down bowl. Allow the dough to rise for 30-45 minutes.
Shaping the dinner rolls
- Split the dough into 40-gram balls. You should end up with 15 dough balls.
- Shape the dough balls by cupping your hand over the top, then move your hand in a circular motion while using your thumb and fingers to create a uniform ball. It’s easiest to do this on an un-floured surface because the grippy surface of the counter helps the ball come together.
- Line a 9x13 dish with parchment paper, then place the dough balls in the tin, evenly spaced. If baking them right away, cover them with a tea towel and allow them to double in size. This should take about an hour.
Baking the dinner rolls
- Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit
- After 60 minutes, your dough balls should have doubled in size. Brush them with a bit of egg wash (a beaten egg whisked with a splash of milk) and bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be nicely golden brown when they’re done.
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