Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls {Soft & Fluffy}

If you’ve been searching for the perfect homemade dinner roll, this is it. These little clouds of dough bake up soft, fluffy, and golden every time — there is no fuss and no fancy techniques. Make them small for appetizers or alongside your favourite family dinner or you can make them bigger for burgers.

We’ve all been to that restaurant that serves those dinky little rolls that are meant to be enjoyed with dinner… but somehow never survive long enough to see the main course. In my family, if you don’t eat your roll quickly enough, someone to your right or left will happily do it for you. And then, of course, we sheepishly ask for “just one more basket, please.”

The exciting part—and possibly the dangerous part—is that we can now make these much-loved dinner rolls at home whenever we like. The saving grace for our waistlines is that there is a time investment involved. It’s not at all like a microwave mug cake that satisfies your craving in five minutes. These dinner rolls take a respectable three and a half hours from start to finish. Despite the time, there is something wonderfully satisfying about the process of making and waiting. And the end result? Soft, fluffy, restaurant-worthy rolls that are absolutely worth the modest effort. I’m certain you’ll love this recipe and that it will become a firm family favourite.

Practical details: The recipe makes 24 dinner rolls or 12 burger rolls. They’re best eaten fresh on the day, but they’re still lovely the next day if stored in an airtight container. And if you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, pop them into the freezer—just make sure they’re sealed well to keep them soft and fresh.

Ingredients Needed to Make Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls

• active dry yeast – if it doesn’t get nice and bubbly (after 10 minutes) when you mix it with the water and sugar, you will need to try again with another packet of yeast.
• warm water – to activate the yeast
• white sugar – food for the yeast
• warm milk – adds to the creaminess of the dough
• butter, softened – adds softness, creaminess and fluffiness to the rolls
• egg – assists in leavening and tenderising
• salt – helps develop the gluten
• flour – provides all the fluffy goodness you bite into

The Process: A Quick Summary

1. To make these fluffy rolls, you start by activating the yeast until it’s nice and bubbly. This is the most crucial part – if the yeast is off, then these balls of dough simply will not rise no matter how much you stare at them and will them to do so.
   
2. Once the yeast is bubbling, you add in the remaining wet ingredients and a cup of flour, mix and then add the rest of the flour and knead until the dough is soft and elastic.
   
3. You can then cover it with a clean dish cloth and let it rise until doubled, which can take 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on your climate. Then, we roll out the dough and cut it into neat little rectangles. Roll each one up, place them on a lined baking tray, and let them rise a second time for another 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Again, cover with a clean dish cloth.
   
4. Lastly, bake until golden, which usually only takes 10-12 minutes and then brush with melted butter, and let them cool. They keep well for a day or two, or you can freeze them for later.

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