When was the last time you made homemade rolls? My quick dinner rolls recipe is so easy even newbie bakers can make them.
You probably think dinner rolls are too high maintenance to bother with, and even if you wanted to serve them you’d probably pick up a pack at the supermarket. But my quick dinner rolls recipe changes all that. They take about 90 minutes from start to finish, and you feel such a sense of accomplishment when you pull them out of the oven. Oh, and the whole pan costs about a dollar to make so, uh, we’re talking about 10 cents per roll. I guess you can’t afford not to make these!
what you’ll need to make quick dinner rolls
- dry yeast
- I use active dry yeast. Do be sure your yeast is fresh. Yeast is a living organism and over time it loses its potency. Expired yeast may not rise.
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- salt
- butter
- milk
bakers secrets to quick breads and rolls
There are a few bakers secrets to making quick yeast breads and rolls:
Using more yeast: by adding about 25% more yeast you’ll speed up fermentation and reduce rising time. A simple trick that gets real results!
Warm environment: let the dough rise in an actually warm place (75F to 85F) ~ in other words, don’t settle for a cool counter top. Get creative if you have to.
Rapid-rise yeast contains enzymes and conditioning agents that boost fermentation and make the dough rise faster. With rapid rise yeast you can skip the first rise, meaning the dough can be shaped immediately after mixing, which is great if you’re in a hurry.
quick dinner rolls faqs
Can I make these dinner rolls without a stand mixer?
- Yes, you can, it just takes a little more time and elbow grease:
- combine the ingredients in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or your hands. Stir until the dough comes together.
- After mixing, you’ll need to knead the dough by hand. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Simply press the dough with the heels of your hands, fold it over, and rotate it. Keep doing this until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Now you can proceed with the recipe as written with step 5.
Is a round pan ok?
- Yes, a 9″ round pan will work fine.
Can I use whole grain flours?
- Yes, I’d use all or part white whole wheat, which bakes up with a more delicate texture than regular whole wheat flour. You can also mix whole wheat flour, oat flour, and all purpose flour with good results.
What about bread flour?
- You can substitute bread flour for regular all-purpose flour in quick dinner rolls, but it will affect the texture. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which means more gluten development. This will result in chewier, slightly denser rolls compared to using all-purpose flour, which gives a softer, more tender crumb.
Can these dinner rolls be made with a gluten free baking mix?
- No, you would need a specific gluten free dinner roll recipe for that, I would try this one from The Loopy Whisk. It’s a little bit more complicated than this recipe, but works well. It’s harder to convert yeast bread to gluten-free because gluten provides structure and elasticity, which are essential for bread’s rise and texture. Replacing it requires more substitutions than you would need to convert, say, my cake or muffin recipes.
How can I make vegan dinner rolls?
- Yes, this quick dinner rolls recipe can be made vegan by using vegan butter and plant-based milk. These swaps usually work well, as they don’t affect the structure of the dough so you’ll get fluffy dinner rolls as close as possible to the original recipe.
more easy yeast bread recipes
Homemade bread doesn’t have to be out of reach for the busy cook, and my quick dinner rolls are just one of many truly easy yeast bread recipes on the site. Here are a few more to try:
- Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Dipping Oil
- Soft Pretzel Focaccia Bread
- No Knead Trail Mix Bread
- 3 ingredient biscuits that will change your life
- How to Make Homemade Pita Bread
- The EASIEST Pizza Dough Recipe
- Buttery Garlic Knots
Quick Dinner Rolls
A recipe for classic yeasted dinner rolls you can make from start to finish in an hour and a half. Not bad for fluffy pull apart rolls that go with literally everything!
Servings: 9 rolls
Equipment
- 9×9 baking pan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water, between 105°F and 115°F
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast, or about 1 1/2 packets
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp melted butter, for brushing rolls after baking
Instructions
- Butter a 9" square or round baking dish.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, put the water, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- Toss the flour with the salt in another bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan melt the butter, then add the milk and heat gently to about 110°F. You can also do this in the microwave, but use a digital thermometer to be accurate. If it gets too hot, let it cool to the correct temperature.
- Pour the warm milk and butter into the stand mixer bowl with the yeast, then add about 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Turn on the mixer and mix for about a minute. While the mixer is going, gradually add in enough of the rest of the flour to form a soft dough— it will start to come away from the side of the bowl. Let the mixer knead the dough on medium speed for about 2 more minutes. It will be elastic and a little sticky.
- Take the dough a put it in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to completely coat with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise, about 20-25 minutes.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into thirds, then divide the thirds into three parts, for a total of 9 rolls.
- Take each piece of dough and form a ball in your hand, stretching corners around to the back and giving them a twist. The top should be domed and rounded. Sometimes I will oil my hands to get them nice and smooth.Place each roll into your buttered baking dish. Cover the dish with a towel and set in a warm place to rise, about 20-25 minutes.Preheat the oven to 400°F. while the rolls rise.
- Bake rolls in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until golden.
- Brush with melted butter immediately, and your rolls are ready to enjoy! You can serve them from the pan, or remove them to put in a napkin lined basket.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 roll · Calories: 208 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 5 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 12 mg · Sodium: 296 mg · Potassium: 78 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 139 IU · Vitamin C: 0.003 mg · Calcium: 25 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.
I’m confused as to the type of yeast. Is it rapid rise that you mention above the recipe? But the recipe calls for regular yeast. Thank you, anxious to try these.
For these rolls I use active dry yeast. You can use rapid rise, and potentially skip the first rise, to make them even faster. But I use regular yeast here.
The instructions are written very well. These dinner rolls are my go to now. Thank you!