These sweet yeast rolls bake up soft, pull-apart tender, and just sweet enough to compliment any savory dish. I brush them with melted butter & sprinkle coarse or flaky salt on top for restaurant-vibes at home.
My Go-To Dinner Rolls When I Want Something Extra Cozy
These are the dinner rolls I make when I want something reliable & comforting to serve with soup, pasta, or a warm casserole. They're light and fluffy without being overly sweet, and they stay soft for several days, making them ideal for slicing & turning into sliders the next day!
I tested this recipe with both instant yeast and active dry yeast, and it rose much better with active dry yeast. Instant yeast created denser, chewy, rustic rolls, closer to my German bread rolls. But when active dry yeast got a little head start on fermentation with warm milk + sugar, the dough rose higher and the crumb became airy and light, which is exactly what I was going for.
After playing around with the balance of ingredients in the enriched yeast dough, I found that just one-third cup of sugar keeps them leaning sweet & soft, without tasting too sweet or overwhelming the yeast. And just over half a stick of butter gives them those delicate tear-away layers. Finally, a little melted butter brushed after they're baked keeps them moist & tasting like you can forget the main dish and just munch on these!
Let's Bake Fluffy Dinner Rolls!
For the full step-by-step directions, scroll down to the recipe card.
Carissa's Baking Tip
You can see the difference active dry yeast versus instant yeast made in my dough after rising for two hours. The one with active dry yeast doubled, while the one with instant yeast barely rose.
My Secrets for Soft, Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
- Kneading: I prefer kneading this dough in my stand mixer, to avoid adding too much additional flour, since it can feel pretty sticky in the beginning of kneading. But the more you knead it, the more the flour will hydrate and the less sticky it'll become. Add just a tiny bit of flour on your counter at a time to prevent sticking.
- Egg Wash: I highly recommend adding the egg wash on top. My rolls came out pale and matte when I skipped this step.
- Equipment: A baking dish keeps all the rolls touching as they rise & bake, so the sides stay soft. You can use a baking sheet instead, and the edges will just be a little firmer like my caramelized onion dinner rolls.
Sweet Yeast Dinner Rolls from Scratch
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Rolls
- ¾ cup milk
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 cups all purpose flour 480 g
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt (optional)
Instructions
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk in the microwave for 1 minute, or until it's between 98°F to 105°F. Mix in the sugar and yeast and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the frothy yeast mixture with the eggs.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix with a large wooden spoon for one minute, until there's no big pockets of dry flour. (It'll be stiff at this point, which is normal.)
- Add the softened butter and mix for one minute to begin incorporating it into the dough.
- On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough by hand for at least 7 minutes, or until the dough is stretchy & elastic but still a little tacky (it shouldn't be wet or sticky). Or knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes.
- Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel or dinner plate. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, after about 2 hours.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball and gently push the sides down & underneath to create tension on the surface. Tuck any seams underneath, and arrange them in the baking pan seam-side-down.
- Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside to proof for 30 minutes at room temperature, or until the dough balls have puffed up a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the egg and water to make the egg wash. Brush all over the proofed dough balls.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the rolls are puffed up and golden brown on top. Brush the warm buns with the melted butter and sprinkle the optional coarse salt on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- To create bakery-style dinner rolls that are soft, not dense, make sure you use milk (don't swap in water).
- It helps to use a kitchen thermometer to test the temperature of your milk. If it's too cold, the dough will take forever to rise and if it's too hot, you could kill the yeast.
- Store fully cooled rolls at room temperature for up to a few days. I usually just keep mine in the baking dish covered with plastic wrap, or you can transfer them to an airtight container.
Nutrition
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