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If you’re looking for something to enhance your holiday table, there’s really nothing better than a soft dinner rolls recipe to start the meal off right and tie it all together. They’re pillowy, golden, and just the right balance of tender and rich. It’s the perfect vessel for soaking up gravy, pairing with turkey, or slathering with a little butter and honey. If you’ve only ever relied on store-bought rolls before, making these from scratch will be a total game-changer.
The best part? This recipe is straightforward, forgiving, and make-ahead friendly, so you don’t have to stress about baking on the busiest cooking day of the year. They’re a holiday classic for good reason, and once you try them, they’ll quickly become a tradition at your table too. My only advice is that you better make an extra batch or two, because these fluffy dinner rolls absolutely fly off the table.
Since you’re here and love an easy dinner roll recipe, check out this homemade sourdough bagel recipe, buttery flaky biscuits, and my small batch pumpkin biscuits.
Let’s Chit Chat!
I LOVE BREAD!!!! Seriously, I’ve been obsessed with baking ever since I was little. One of the reasons I fell in love with baking bread so young is that it felt so simple. It didn’t require a bunch of fancy ingredients or tools. Just the basics which we always had at home. That also meant I didn’t have to beg my mom to buy anything extra and the final result was always so rewarding.
And let me tell you there’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread filling the house. It makes the kitchen feel warm and cozy, and the best part tearing into soft homemade rolls just an hour or two later, pure happiness!
Maybe that’s why I’m so passionate about creating recipes like the soft dinner rolls. They bring back so many memories carry that nostalgic, comforting vibe and make any holiday table. Feel extra special.
Ingredients for this Soft Dinner Rolls from scratch
Here are the ingredients you will need to make these buttery dinner rolls. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- Whole Milk: provides moisture and richness. You will need it warm, about 110°F.
- Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast: leavens the dough and creates air pockets.
- Granulated Sugar: feeds the yeast to boost fermentation and adds a touch of sweetness.
- Egg: adds richness, extra flavor and structure to the rolls.
- Unsalted Butter: makes the rolls soft, flavorful, and tender.
- Bread Flour: is the structural backbone of the rich dough, you can use all purpose flour for your homemade yeast rolls if you’re in a pinch but they just don’t be as chewy.
- Salt: balances sweetness, enhances the buttery flavor, and helps regulate yeast activity for even rising.
These are honestly so good, they can even be used for these homemade burgers too!
How to Make Homemade Dinner Rolls
This is how you can make this soft dinner rolls recipe. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the oven temp, rise time, and bake time.
- Heat the milk to 110 degrees F. Use a thermometer for accuracy. Make sure it’s not too hot. Lukewarm is best.
- If using active dry yeast, stir it into the warm milk along with a spoonful of the measured-out sugar. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes until the surface looks foamy. If using instant yeast, skip this step.
- In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the milk, yeast, remaining sugar, egg, and softened butter. Stir just enough to blend the egg and sugar evenly into the liquid mixture.
- Sprinkle in the flour and salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together into a soft ball.
- Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface, or with the mixer, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and stretches without tearing easily.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl for its first rise. Cover it and set it in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
- Gently punch down the risen dough and divide it into 15 equal size pieces. Mine weighed about 52grams per piece of dough. Roll each piece into a smooth dough ball.
- Place the dough balls evenly in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, making three rows of five.
- Cover the baking pan and let the dough rise again until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled. Start preheating the oven when they’re almost done with the second rise.
- Bake the rolls until the tops are golden brown and the centers are baked through.
- If you really want to wow your guests, brush the tops or the hot rolls with melted butter before and after baking and sprinkle with flaky salt for an added touch.
Tips and Tricks for extra soft and fluffy rolls
- Use a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups to weigh your ingredients with better accuracy.
- Pull your egg and butter out early so that they can warm up to room temp before going in with the other ingredients.
- You could pass your dry ingredients through a fine-mesh sieve first as you add them to the wet ingredients to avoid clumping.
- Dough consistency is most important. If the dough feels too dry, add a teaspoon of milk at a time. If too sticky, dust with a little flour.
- You can weigh the dough into equal pieces when dividing to ensure guaranteed even baking. They should be about 50-55 grams each.
Why do you need to make this recipe?
- This pillowy soft dinner roll recipe bakes up light and fluffy and is the perfect addition to a holiday table.
- Each bite has that rich, buttery goodness that pairs perfectly with any main or side dish.
- You can prep them the night before and bake fresh the next day, saving you time on a busy Thanksgiving morning.
- They’re simple to make but impressive enough that everyone will ask for seconds (and the recipe)!
- It’s the perfect recipe for a bread beginner trying to get their feet wet.
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
Can I substitute the whole milk for a different type?
Yes you can. Whole milk provides the best texture due to its high fat content, but you can also use 2% or even non-dairy milks if you prefer.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes! I change it up depending on what I have and because it is not very salty you don’t need to worry about adjusting anything else.
How can I make these ahead of time?
Shape the rolls and set them in the pan. Then cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate them to stop the rising process. They can stay overnight in the fridge like this. The next day, bring them to room temperature and let them rise until puffy before baking.
How will I know when they’re done baking?
Rolls are ready when the tops are golden and the bottom of the pan sounds hollow when tapped. An instant-read thermometer should read around 190–200°F in the center.
How do I store and reheat leftover rolls?
Store cooled rolls in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. Add a paper towel inside to absorb moisture and prevent sogginess.
To revive day-old rolls, wrap them in foil and warm in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes. They’ll taste freshly baked.
What to serve with your dinner rolls?
The soft dinner rolls are versatile, buttery, and pillowy. Make them the perfect side for any holiday or family meal. Here are some ideas to serve them:
- Holiday pairing – serve warm rolls alongside Thanksgiving, turkey stuffing and mashed potatoes for a comforting crowd pleasing meal
- Butter and honey – brush with extra melted butter and drizzle with honey for a simple indulgent treat
- Sandwiches and sliders– use the rolls for mini sandwiches. Chicken sliders are leftover turkey sliders.
- Dipping and spread– Paid with soup stews or creamy dip. Soft roll soak up sauce is beautifully.
Pro Tip– Serve them straight from the oven with melted butter for maximum “wow” factor. The aroma alone makes the meal out of this world!!
Thanksgiving Soft & Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warm (about 110°F)
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast 1 packet instant yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temp
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 & ¼ cups bread flour can use AP flour if in a pinch.
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For topping:
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted (for brushing after baking)
- Flaky salt optional
Instructions
- Warm your milk to 110 degrees F by either microwave or stove. Use a thermometer to know it's ready.1 cup whole milk, warm
- If using active dry yeast, stir it into the warm milk with 1 Tbsp sugar and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.2 ¼ tsp instant yeast, 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- If using instant yeast, skip this and move on to the next step.
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer with dough hook), combine milk, yeast, sugar, egg, and softened butter. Mix until the egg and sugar and combined with the rest of the liquid ingredients.1 large egg, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Add flour and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. It should be slightly tacky but not sticky. Add more flour if needed (up to 1/4 cup).3 & ¼ cups bread flour, 1 ½ tsp salt
- Knead by hand or mixer on medium speed for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and stretchy.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1–1 ½ hours.
- Punch down dough and divide into 15 equal pieces (about 50-55g each). Shape into smooth balls. Arrange evenly in a greased 9×13 pan (3 rows of 5).
- Cover and let rise again until puffy, almost doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F ). Bake rolls for 17-18 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through.
- Brush warm rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt (if desired).3 Tbsp unsalted butter, Flaky salt
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
