Dinner Rolls

5 from 9 ratings

from kristineskitchenblog.com

Soft and fluffy Dinner Rolls, perfect for a holiday meal or Sunday dinner. This dinner rolls recipe is easy to make from scratch, with make ahead options.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Rise Time1 20

Total Time2 20

Servings: rolls

Calories: 199kcal

Ingredients

For the rolls:

1 cup milk whole milk is best
½ cup water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast* or one packet
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 large egg
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing on rolls after baking

Instructions

Combine the milk and water and heat until the mixture is 110-115° F. (I usually combine them in a glass liquid measuring cup and warm in the microwave. You can also warm them in a pot on the stove.)
Pour the warm milk and water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the granulated sugar and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Whisk gently to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam and/or bubble.
Add the salt, egg and all-purpose flour. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment. Once combined, add the 4 tablespoons of softened butter and continue mixing until the butter is incorporated.
Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed until it is smooth and only slightly sticky to the touch, about 8 minutes. The dough is supposed to be slightly sticky, but if it is very sticky you can add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Avoid adding too much flour, because this will make the rolls more dense instead of light and fluffy. The dough should stick to your finger a little bit when you touch it but not be so sticky that it won't be workable.
Transfer the dough to a large lightly oiled bowl and turn once to coat all sides of the dough ball with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Lightly grease a 13x9-inch rectangular baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times by hand to release any air bubbles.
Cut the dough into 15 equal sized pieces. To do this, first cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Then cut each of the 3 pieces into 5 pieces. The dough balls should be approximately the same size, but they do not need to be exactly the same. (If you have a kitchen scale you can divide the total weight of the dough by 15 for an approximation of how much each roll should weigh.)
To shape the rolls, first make each piece of dough into a ball by tucking the edges of the dough ball underneath itself. Then place the dough ball on a clean work surface and, cupping your hands around the ball, use your palms to spin it on the work surface until it becomes a tighter ball. Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish.
Cover the rolls in the dish with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375° F.
Bake the rolls, uncovered, for 19-23 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the center rolls are baked through.
Remove rolls from the oven. Brush the 1 tablespoon of melted butter on the tops of the warm rolls. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Both regular active dry yeast and rapid-rise yeast will work in this recipe. Use 2 1/4 teaspoons from a jar or 1 packet of yeast. If you buy a jar of yeast, store it in your refrigerator after opening. Always check the expiration date to be sure the yeast hasn’t expired.
To create a warm environment for the dough to rise, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F and then turn it off. You can place the covered bowl with the dough in the warm oven. Just be sure the oven is off before you place the dough inside. If your kitchen is warm, you can let the dough rise on the counter.
Storage Instructions: Rolls will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for 2 days, or in the freezer, wrapped airtight, for up to 2 months. Thaw and warm rolls in a 350 degree oven, covering as necessary to prevent over-browning.
Make Ahead Instructions: You can prepare the rolls a day ahead and refrigerate overnight before baking. Make the dough, do the first rise, and shape the rolls. Cover the shaped rolls and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Take the shaped rolls out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before you are ready to bake them. This gives them time to warm to room temperature and rise a bit. Then bake the rolls as directed.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.