How to Make Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
There is something special about a soft homemade dinner roll with some butter during a meal. I love the smell of the fresh dough baking and feel like these rolls could be served with any meal. This easy recipe is a great starter recipe to follow if you have not made rolls before.
Ingredients Needed:
Warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F).
Sugar (Optional). If you are using instant yeast, sugar is not required. I still use it to help the proofing process as the yeast feeds off of the sugar.
Salt. Table salt is best when baking bread because it dissolves quicker. However, there have been plenty of times I have used kosher salt, and I have never noticed a difference. Regardless of the type of salt used, do not skip this ingredient! Not only does salt give food flavor, but salt is a key component in the process of making bread. It helps the bread keep shape when formed and is involved in giving the crust a pretty golden brown color.
Exra Virgin Olive Oil. Adding EVOO helps keep the dough hydrated, which will give you a softer crust, and the EVOO also increases the flavor.
All Purpose Flour. I use King Arthur All Purpose flour, but have also used King Arthur Bread Flour, and have wonderful results with both.
Butter. Butter will be added over the top of your finished dinner rolls once they have finished baking.
Equipment Needed:
Kitchen Scale
Stand Mixer
Bread Machine (Optional, if you do not have a stand mixer)
Large Bowl
Sheet Pan
Substitutions:
Honey. During the proofing process, add 1 tablespoon of honey instead of white table sugar.
Bread Flour. Bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose flour. Both will work great for this recipe.
Butter. Substitute butter instead of extra virgin olive oil.
Kosher Salt
Active Dry Yeast. If you are substituting active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, sugar will need to be used for the proofing process.
Pro Tips:
Warm the mixing bowl you are using to proof your yeast
Place your yeast in the freezer to extend the shelf life.
Use a kitchen scale as you are forming your rolls. When you do this, each roll will be the same size, and you’ll be sure to get exactly 12 rolls!
Why You’ll Love These Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
Who doesn’t love a warm dinner roll right out of the oven? These dinner rolls are easy to make and do not take much time. This is a perfect addition if you want to bring a side dish for a special occasion, or if you just want a soft dinner roll with your main meal. The best way to enjoy these rolls would be, making a honey butter for the top, butter, peanut butter, making sandwiches, or just eating them plain! They would also taste great with soups, such as Easy Buttercup Squash Soup Recipe and How to Make Tomato Basil Soup.
How to Start the Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
First, place your stand mixer bowl in the sink and add hot water, allowing your bowl to warm up. This only takes a few minutes. Sometimes I skip this step, which is ok, but I can notice the proofing process time is quicker when I do. If you skip this step, start by adding 1 3/4 cup water to a mixing bowl. Be sure to check the water temperature to ensure it is between 105 and 110 degrees. Next, add 1-2 tablespoons white sugar, and then 1 tablespoon instant yeast.
Gently whisk the ingredients together, just until everything is incorporated.
Wait 5-10 minutes, or until the yeast becomes foamy on top. If your yeast does not get foamy, the yeast may be old, and you will need to buy fresh yeast. Alternatively, if you do not have a stand mixer, and you will be kneading by hand, use a large bowl for the ingredients, following the same steps.
To the yeast mixture, add 8 grams of salt, 25 grams of extra virgin olive oil, and 615 grams of flour. I typically use all purpose flour, and have never had an issue with the rise, but bread flour would be a great alternative since it is higher in protein. Using the dough hook attachment, at low speed, start kneading the dough. Once the ingredients are combined, increase the speed and knead the dough for 6-8 minutes, ensuring the dry ingredients are scraped off the sides of the bowl. If you are kneading by hand, on a lightly floured surface, fold your dough back and forth, working the dough until it becomes softer, and the ingredients are well combined.
How to Let Your Dough Rise
For the first rise, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, place in a warm place, and let the dough rise until doubled in size. During the cold winter months, I like to set the bowl by the patio door where the sun shines through, to help with the rise. The rise time differs, depending on the warmth and humidity of the house, but the first rise typically takes about an hour.
While the bread is rising, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the bread dough has doubled in size, the next step is to punch down the dough.
How to Form Your Rolls
For this particular recipe, each dinner roll weighs about 85 grams. Using a kitchen scale, place your bowl with the dough on the scale. Take enough dough until the kitchen scale shows you 85 grams. Continue this process until you have separated the dough into 12 equal pieces. Once I am done with this process, using my hands, I roll the dough into tight balls, using the kitchen counter to help form the shape. Place each roll on the baking sheet, leaving an inch or two in between each.
Place a kitchen towel gently over the rolls, and allow them to rise again. The second rising time takes about an hour.
How to Bake the Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the dinner rolls for 15 minutes. Take the rolls out and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes. Using a paper towel, grab a tablespoon of butter with the paper towel, and then wipe the butter over the top of the warm rolls. The butter gives the rolls a beautiful shine, and of course, adds a little extra flavor kick. Alternatively, you could use melted butter and use a pastry brush to brush the butter on.
How to Store
I usually store these rolls in a gallon bag, or in an airtight container. If you are planning on using them right away, they will keep on the counter. Otherwise, place them in the fridge to help keep them fresh. Alternatively, if you want to store them for later, place them in a freezer bag, and pull them out as needed.
Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 c water between 105 and 110℉
- 2 tbls sugar optional if using instant yeast
- 1 tbls instant yeast
- 8 g salt
- 25 g extra virgin olive oil
- 615 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the water.
- Add in sugar and yeast, and whisk gently, just to combine the ingredients.
- Wait for the yeast to proof and get foamy. This takes 5-10 minutes.
- Add the salt, extra virgin olive oil and flour.
- Start by kneading at a low speed, so the flour doesn't make a mess. Once the flour is combined, increase the speed to medium, and knead for 6-8 minutes.
- Cover the bread dough with a kitchen towel, or plastic wrap, and place in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled, punch the dough down.
- Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Using a kitchen scale, place the bowl of bread dough on the scale and zero it out. Grab enough dough until the scale shows 85g. Place it to the side.
- Continue doing this until all of your dough is used up.
- Roll each ball of dough into a tight ball. Use your hands, and also place the ball of dough on the counter, pulling the ball of dough towards you to form a tight ball.
- Place each ball of dough on the sheet pan, leaving 1 or 2 inches in between each.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise until doubled, about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Take out and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
- Using a paper towel, or a pastry brush, wipe softened butter over each roll.
