Dinner Rolls

4.86 from 7 votes

This homemade dinner rolls recipe makes incredibly soft and fluffy rolls that are perfect for Thanksgiving or any family dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Rise Time1 15

Total Time2

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Total Cost: $1.64 recipe / $0.13 each

Servings: rolls

Add the sugar and yeast to the hot water (about 100-110ºF) and stir to dissolve. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes, or until it becomes very frothy on top.
Once frothy, whisk in the milk, 1 egg, and the melted butter.
In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour and the salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of flour and stir until smooth.
Continue adding more flour, about ½ cup at a time, until a ball of dough forms that begins to pull from the side of the bowl (about 1 cup flour).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, adding only as much flour as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands (about ½ cup more flour).
After kneading the dough, shape it into a ball, place it back into the mixing bowl and cover loosely with plastic or a damp towel. Let the dough rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down, then remove it from the bowl. Divide it into 12 pieces, then shape each piece into a small ball. Place the dough balls into a greased baking dish.
Let the rolls rise for 15 more minutes. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
To achieve a glossy golden brown color on the rolls, lightly whisk 1 egg and gently brush the whisked egg over the surface of the rolls.
Bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let the rolls cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

*You can use active dry, rapid rise, or bread machine yeast for this recipe.

Make Ahead Tips

Follow the recipe as written up to step 7. Once the dough is shaped and arranged in the greased baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap and place the dish in the refrigerator for up to a day in advance. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking so they can complete the final rise.
I sometimes also freeze the prepared dough balls. Flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. You can also place the wrapped dough balls in a freezer bag. They'll be good for a couple of months. When you're ready, unwrap the dough balls, place them in the baking dish, and let them sit out at room temperature. Bake once they're thawed and slightly risen.